Well, yet another unsettling event happened here last night, though fortunately, I was not directly involved.

I got in from dinner somewhere between eight and eight thirty, and sat down to check my e-mail. A woman started screaming and screaming, I didn't know where she was, other than somewhere in the immediate vicinity, but the screams were full of panic. I called the police, even though I didn't know what was going on. My assumption was that it was a domestic dispute of some kind. As it turns out, the woman had been taking a nap and woke up to find a man wearing a ski mask and carrying a knife standing over her!

He took off and didn't harm her, but he had broken in by climbing the balcony and opening the sliding doors. She lives on the second floor of the next building, but the guy must have used the fire escape that leads to my balcony to get to her.

He had apparently first tried to get into the apartment that is next to that one, (this would be in my building, one floor down and across the hallway). The woman who lives there found that her screen was missing and there were fingerprints all over the outside of her window. The police were taking statements from her today.

Fortunately, the police took this more seriously than they did when I had the lurker on my balcony. They even had the canine unit here and spent a long time searching the area.

They haven't found the guy who broke in.

I am once again very unnerved. This is supposed to be a very safe area, it's a small complex and the buildings have security doors, etc. It's the damn fire escapes again. They still haven't put them into the correct position since I had my incident last summer. (See July 15 entry.) I still have my balcony’s access blocked off by flower boxes and other flower pots. It would be hard to climb over them without making a racket.

Or falling off the ladder.

This is all I need as I head back to work. I'll never sleep now. I've been a light sleeper since that happened to me. But I was feeling a bit safer in that it was winter and everything was locked and closed up tight.

The weekend was uneventful, and I still don't feel as if I've really gotten this place as clean as it should be. Not for lack of effort, but because of having so much stuff... I did go to a few book stores (as if I need any books!). I got some things to give to friends as gifts - including something for Michael, but I'll save it for his birthday or for a time that he needs a boost.

I really would like to make some "stuff" tonight, but need to be sure that I have my lesson plans in order first.

I’ve made a new carpet out of tin foil and masking tape. I’ve put it in the hallway that the cat likes to christen. I treated the rug one last time with something called "Nature’s Miracle" and it suggested on the back of the bottle that the spot be covered with tin foil until it dries thoroughly.

This will be a two week process.

I’ll be shocked if it works.

Today I was a dutiful daughter and took my mother shopping. She wanted a new picture to go above the fireplace in her living room. Fortunately I'd picked out a painting before Christmas that I thought would be nice, and she finally agreed with me.

It only took two months.....

I also found this site . You pick a picture and it tells you what it means. This is the picture I chose:

This is what it means:

Introspective,Sensitive,Reflective

You come to grips more frequently and thoroughly with yourself and your environment than do most people. You detest superficiality; you'd rather be alone than have to suffer through small talk. But your relationships with your friends are very strong, which gives you the inner tranquility and harmony that you require. You do not mind being alone for extended periods of time; you rarely become bored.

Not too far off the mark.