FINDING MY WAY AGAIN IN KEY WEST.
“Seagulls on the ocean breeze, sandpipers and shimmering seas….the best of days are made of these.” (Connie Smiley – Cape Shore Cards)
I awoke to the aroma of fresh brewed coffee after a long peaceful night of deep sleep in the guest room on a Queen Size Bed at Edy’s Condo. I was amazed at how tired I was from travelling the day before, even though most of the time I was sitting on an airplane and not getting any exercise. I guess it’s the stress level in the goings and coming of my life. I’m still feeling like a drifter now that I abandoned the Caribbean until I have an apartment of my own. Thank God for Edy.
“How do you like your coffee?” she asked. “Are you good with Caffein? Sugar is on the counter and there’s half and half in the frig. Help yourself?”
“All of the above. I’ll get it. Thank you,” I said as I headed for the coffee pot, picked up a colorful tropical cup decorated with pictures of shells, poured the steamy coffee in, added the cream and one level spoon of sugar like a lab scientist, trying not to add any more extra sugar specks to my waistline. “Wow, real half and half. It’s been a long time since I’ve had that in my coffee. I just got used to using milk because it’s always in my frig, but I so prefer real cream as I grew up with it on the farm. This is a special treat.”
“I bought these glazed donuts from the Bakery early this morning, and added in a couple of chocolate covered ones. No one can resist chocolate,” she said happily as she pushed the calorie laden delicious covered plate towards me on the table.
“Oh, you’re a big help. I’m trying my best to keep my weight down. But, that’s what friends are for, so I don’t have to blame myself for purchasing sweets I can’t resist. Once they are in front of me, my will power melts away. I’m pretty sure I was shorted on will power.”
“We’ll just call it a welcome home celebration back to Key West. And, anyhow, I don’t see that you are overweight by any means.”
I sat at the table, picked up a spoon and stirred the wonderful concoction which blended into a creamy golden beige with small bubbles forming on top. “Ah bubbles. My mom always said if your coffee or tea has bubbles on top it means you’re coming into money.” I took a small sip as it was still pretty hot, and tried to suck in some extra bubbles for good luck.
“Creamy and sweet. Wonderful! Okay, celebration it is. These temptations look so good! Thank you. I’ll try to control myself,” I said as I lifted the first donut that was still bakery warm and took a small bite, trying to be ladylike. The outside glaze had a little crunch that just melted in my mouth.
“Heavenly ….”
“I’m such a sweet-aholic,” I went on as I savored the first bite. “I’ve always said, if I could find my sweet tooth, I would have it pulled. I have terrible will power when it comes to sweets. I think that’s why I like to work. I can’t eat while I’m working. And especially in the heat. I’m rarely hungry when it’s hot outside. Some days that I worked down here in the past, I used to ride my bike down to the gas station that sells vinegar fried chicken and watermelons. I would buy half a watermelon and a chicken leg and eat it for lunch. That kept me going through the rest of the day. Guess it was just the liquid, but it was enough of a lunch when it was so hot. I’m really intent on limiting my sugar intake. At least I’m working on limitations. I want to stay healthy.”
“Our limitations shrink as we get older and hopefully wiser, but our waistlines don’t,” she sighed.
We sat and stuffed a few more near guilty-donuts in while sitting in her beautiful dining room with a view of the crystal aqua Atlantic Ocean outside the sunny window. The scent of the Jasmine flowers on the table permeated the area, along with the aroma of fresh coffee and donuts. A little bit o heaven in my estimation. “This room is so lovely and inviting, Edy. You did a wonderful job of decorating.”
“Oh, thank you, but the condo just came this way. I purchased it fully furnished with the decor just as you see it.”
“Very classy. However, I see a few touches from your sea shell collections under glass…and some of your new abstract paintings on the walls. I love what you can do with acrylics! You need to show me some day how you can get your paint to turn into what appears to be marble flowing colors and designs on the paper.”
“And, maybe you can even help me learn to paint abstracts like you do,” I rambled on as I could feel the caffeine work its way into my brain and, apparently, my chatty mouth. “When I start to paint, even with nothing in particular on my mind to paint on a blank canvas, I tried to do something abstract. But, once I get started I begin to see forms as I color in the background, and they lead to landscapes in my mind. I see a mountain here and trees there and a lake and grasses….I can’t just seem to let my creative mind flow to take over and surprise me with something new and adventurous. Something that doesn’t remind me of something else, you know. I need to let myself go and just be free and creative. But the next thing I know there is another landscape painting drying over my mantle as I add finishing detailed touches for a week or two. What was the transition in the painting that took me from freestyle to….’oh….look….I see grasses here….and water there….and trees in the background’? Well it’s pretty good. But what’s wrong with me? I’ll try to make my next one an abstract. I’ve been saying that since I can remember with no progress. Maybe God just made me with a realist mind…or perhaps a perfectionist. Details, details, details,” I finally took a breath while my coffee high was working at full octane, and what I said felt so important and interesting.
“I’ll be happy to help you. I started to take painting classes since I last saw you and am going to class once a week at a nearby gallery. I love painting! My instructor, has even taken in a few of my paintings and sold them at her Gallery. I was so honored…and astonished actually, that someone would actually pay for them.”
“I’m not surprised, Edy. Your passion shows through your talent,” I said as her paintings and flowing color blends were absolutely striking. “I want to take it up again someday when I have the time. I always loved painting as a young girl. It’s such a great and relaxing past time. It was a stress killer for me.”
“Oh, I really don’t know what I’m doing. I surprise myself, but you know, it’s just me. No big deal,” she said meekly. Edy did not think she was a worthy artist. I found her work exceptional. Artists are strange people. They don’t always have confidence, but they release clout and inner feelings through their art expressions. Their art speaks of who they really are and want to be. Take it from one who understands.
After I ate enough donuts to the near edge of guilty, I realized the day was passing and I wanted to go see Marilyn, and hopefully Jim, before he went off to eat lunch.
“I’m going to run down and see Marilyn in the office. She will be there by now and settled in. It’s almost 10:00. I need to see if I can get started soon and find out what my schedule will be, if so. It could be as soon as tomorrow! Thanks for the great breakfast!”
“I’m so happy you enjoyed it. You know how I love to cook!” she laughed. “My expertise is in pickled fish.”
“A true Conch. And those are mighty tasty fish I might add” I said.
“Here’s a key to the condo. Come and go as you please. Make yourself at home. I have a Condo Board meeting this afternoon around 2:00, so I’ll be out awhile. I’m still on the board and it’s always interesting for sure as new owners come and go, and we rehash the same discussions to keep everyone satisfied. Feel free to help yourself to anything you can find to eat. There are Pepsis in the fridge as I know you like those. Maybe tonight we can go out somewhere for dinner, anytime after 6:00.”
“Sounds great. A Sloppy Joe’s burger sounds pretty good….ah….or it will after I digest my sweet breakfast/brunch, and the sun begins to set on Mallory Square.”
I took the condo key and put it on my car key chain, freshened up and headed down the steps to Marilyn’s front office.
When I entered the office, she was on the phone. I waved and waited outside for her. The door led directly onto the beach behind the main building. I noticed how close the water was getting to the entry, so knew it was high tide. The beach is clean, as it always was, and the waves lapped slowly as there was just a slight breeze. I loved listening to these waves that came in from the Gulf Stream. Key West is surrounded by coral reefs that generally keep the waves calm as they near the shoreline. They are mesmerizing and melodic. I let the moments capture me, and suck me in where time seemed to slow, and felt my body and mind relax as the caffeine high was beginning to wear off. I gratefully breathed in the welcome scents of the Key’s fresh salty air. The water was pale aqua as far as I could see and a small sail boat and a couple of fishing boats passed in the distance. All is calm….all is bright….all is alright in paradise.
The door behind me opened and Marilyn stood there holding it open for me. “Hey, Mon!” I said, and she laughed. “I know where you’ve been! ’Hey, Mon’ right back at you! How are you? How was your Caribbean Tour? Come in! We need to visit. I’ve missed you.”
We hugged and she went to her desk chair and I sat across from her. She was smiling in her usual pleasant way. Marilyn is one of those people that just feels like ‘family’ as soon as you meet her. She has a relaxed demeanor.
“Look at you! I can’t believe you are tanner than when you left. Looks like you’ve been on the water the whole time.”
“Well, not so much on it as in it. I did a lot of snorkeling. It was great fun and a super great education. I stayed with a brother and sister who live in a traditional Caribbean hillside home overlooking Charlotte Amalia Harbor. It’s an older home with an incredible view, and I had my own private room….for a bargain, I might add. They were great roommates and we had fun together.”
I shared my trip with Marilyn, including snorkeling adventures, my job at the Dive Shop on Megan’s Point, my fear of the driving conditions, our wonderful nights and days at terrific beach bars, the incredible rasta music and steel drums, the Carnival Days, Debbie, Jack and Hunter. And, of course, my short encounter with John Travolta. I always save the best for last. She listened in disbelief…as do all at that fairy tale.
“Edy tells me you are looking for work already. Didn’t you just get in last night?” she asked.
“Yes, I need to get settled and get back to having an income. I want to invite my kids to come and see me, so need to stock up for their visit and to find a place to live in again where they can join me for a while.”
“So, you’re staying with Edy now, for at least 10 days or so as I understand it. I spoke to Jim and he is more than willing to have you take some of his hours….in fact, at least half of them if you can. I just can’t get him to work here full time. He has other things to do and doesn’t want to be strapped down to work in one place all the time. He gets some part time moonlighting jobs on the side from regular customers. He needs a certain amount of freedom also, so he can relax and enjoy his boat. I can’t blame him. I feel the pressure here working full time, for sure. But, I did find someone to man the phones two days a week so I can spend some time with my husband. He’s a policeman here, as you know, and his hours vary a lot, so I try to take, time off when he gets his time off, sporadic as it is.”
“Jim is here now. You can probably find him working down at the far pool. He is cleaning a grill and doing some painting there. I’d love to have you back as soon as you’re ready to start. I will even up your hourly wage as I really appreciate the work you did for me before you left. You proved to be dependable and honest, which means a lot down here. I think it would be best if you and Jim get together and determine your hours and schedules and bring that to me. Find something that works best for both of you. Sound good?”
“That’s wonderful, Marilyn. That means a lot to me. I’ll get with him today when he is on lunch break. Also, I have given your number to my friends in St. Thomas, and to my kids and family. I hope you don’t mind. Once I get a more permanent place to live with a phone I will take back that responsibility.”
“That’s no problem for me at all. It’s what I do all day. As long as you need me to be your receptionist, I will do it. I’ll leave any messages I pick up in with your time card.”
“Actually, I’ll be lucky if I even hear from anybody,” I admitted.
I headed out the door to the pool on the far end of the condos. It was 11:30. There was Jim, just pulling his bagged lunch out of his cooler in a small corner of the building, away from the guests. “Hey, how’s it going big guy?” I said as I walked up behind him. Jim always looked the same. Tall, skinny, tan, cut off jean shorts, a white t-shirt and flip flops. I still don’t know how he works in those flips.
“Oh my gosh! You really came back! And I am so happy that you did. I couldn’t say no to Marilyn. She has always had my back when I needed work so I tried my best to give her full time when you left, but I really, truly, can’t do this every day. She tried to find someone else, but you know how particular Marilyn is….and actually has to be working here. Are you going to help me? Please….?” he begged.
“Of course, I am. Well, if the board approves of her hiring me back. She wants us to work out a schedule that works for both of us. So you tell me what hours you want…you get dibs because you were here first, and I’ll work around them.”
He set down his water bottle on a small table and with sandwich in hand gave me a sweaty hug, “I’m so happy you are here. When do you want to start?” he asked.
“Tomorrow, hopefully. Is that good enough? I’m thinking 50/50 and we can both be flexible via notifications if that works for you. Sometimes our hours will overlap, as they did in the past and we’ll both be here at the same time, depending upon any projects Marilyn has lined up. As you know, things change daily. We both usually work more hours that we anticipate given the unknowns of the day ahead.”
“Wonderful! I’ll put something together tonight and meet you here in Marilyn’s office at noon tomorrow if you can start then. In the meantime, I’ll fill you in on what I’ve been doing. I think Marilyn will probably keep me doing the heavier jobs in the gardens and sweeping the garage. She can catch you up on what else there is, such as setting up the pools each morning, checking the facilities and laundry area, small maintenance and parking garage attendance. You pretty much know the routine.”
I went back to the office and filled Marilyn in on our initial plan. “I can start at noon tomorrow, if you are okay with that,” I told her.
“Sure, if you have a few minutes now I will pull your file out and you can sign some new forms for me. I’m going to try to increase your wage by 15% so if the Board approves of it today at our meeting, you will have reached 3 times minimum wage. Does that sound good?”
“It certainly does, thank you. That’s very kind of you.” For Key West that was a pretty good wage for part time work. When I left I was at about $7/hour, so was even happy with that. [Minium wage was $3.35/hour in the 1980’s in Florida. This felt like a pirate’s treasure at the time for me.] I silently crossed my fingers.
“You’re experienced at this job and trustworthy, flexible…and dependable. I don’t need to watch over you. That’s priceless to me. I’ll put in a good word for you as I need to get your increase approved. Anyway, most of the members know who you are already. The board and I will discuss your return and pay increase at the Board meeting this afternoon at 2:00.”
I updated my paperwork and signed the necessary forms and told Jim I could possibly start tomorrow at noon. He was happy. “Marilyn had to pitch in and help on some days with keeping the pool area in order and setting it up every morning for the guests while you were gone. I know she is relieved,” Jim said.
“So am I, Jim. Meet with her first with your preliminary schedule and job responsibilities, and once you agree on things, she pretty much said you and I can take over from there and just check in daily and sign in at the office on our payroll cards. I’ll meet you both there at noon as she hoped I could start then based on an agreement from the board today.”
“I’ll be working early tomorrow morning to get the day kicked off with the pools and general preparation for the guests,” Jim assured me.
I went to the garage to my van to see if there was anything else I wanted to take up to the condo. I noticed that several of the garage overhead lights were either burned out or blinking. I made a mental note to say something about that to Marilyn. I’m sure I had some clothes in there that needed washing and there is a quarter coin washing machine and dryer room for the guests I can use on the third floor.
I got in the van and drove to the bank and made and reopened a checking and savings account there with the money I had saved from the Caribbean. I was in pretty good shape as I saved a lot more than I spent for sure. I still had a good stash from the sale of the oriental rug, so I knew I had enough to get my kids airline tickets to fly here for a visit. Now I needed to start a new hunt for a more permanent living space.
I got a few rolls of quarters from the bank, then stopped and bought some detergent and items at the grocery store. I wanted to add to Edy’s fridge for both of us. I went back to the condo and put items away. Then went to the laundry and took care of that chore.
Edy was there when I returned. “I just got back from our Board Meeting. It’s amazing what people complain about around here. Usually just little picky things. It’s silly things, you know. We always keep things ship-shape. So is Sloppy Joe’s your choice for tonight?” Edy asked.
“If it’s good for you, it’s good for me. I’m treating,” I announced.
“I still have some clothes in the washer, then I will have to go up and put them in the dryer. I should be finished by 5:00.”
When I was finished with the clothes, I dressed appropriately for downtown. That’s a joke, of course…we’re in Key West where everyone wears about the same thing, except the t-shirts have different sayings to identify people by their home state, favorite sports team or brings out their individual personalities. At last, I did wear clean clothes for sure, right out of the dryer sans any bat stains. I shared the bat stains story with Edy. “Interesting, an old Bat meets a new Bat,” she kidded. Much laughter added. Edy’s older than I, so she must have been referring to the bat as being ‘old’.
I felt refreshed and happy to be back on Duval Street again. Everyone there is happy. Not overly crowded this evening. Life is good. The weather is great. I’m in good company. I feel safe here all the time.
We ordered our drinks, at least I did. They had Sol Beer, so I bought it in honor of Judy, the distributor in St. Thomas. I proudly showed Edy how to prepare it properly for consumption by holding a slice of lime at the inside top of the bottle with my thumb, turning the bottle upside down, letting the lime drift back up to the bottom of the bottle, where the air space now was, and then turning it back over before I took a drink.
She smirked. “Oh, indeed, I am so impressed of your new imbiber ability.”
She moved aside the condiments to make some space. “Here’s how you drink a diet Coke,” she said. “Firstly, on ice, of course. A frozen glass etched with the words ‘Sloppy Joe’s Key West” is appropriate here, as you can see. No messing with lime or such.” She proudly took a sip… “Yum.” She doesn’t drink alcohol, so I don’t consider that an official “drink”….let alone a true imbiber lesson.
“May I borrow your lime for a moment?” she continued. “Oh, indeed you may, Ms. Edy!” I laughed as she haughtily squeezed it evenly her diet drink, then snobbishly wiped her mouth carefully with the tip of her napkin after a second sip.
“Oh my, simply delightful!” she expounded.
We exchanged stories and laughs as the evening went on and we stuffed in our famous Sloppy Joe’s burgers and fries, having to bother our waitress for more napkins. She brought back a pile about an inch thick and put them on the table in front of Edy. “She must be familiar with your eating habits,” I jested.
“Very funny,” she said as I grabbed half the napkins and began wiping away catsup and mustard and grease from my fingers. “I feel like I’ve had a bath in this burger basket,” I said grinning. I could feel grease on my chin. A spot of mustard was on my shorts. “How the heck does mustard always find a place on your clothing! It’s so frustrating. And, I was trying to be so careful, too. Dang it!” I tried to wipe it off, but the napkin just evaporated into my pants with little hints of lint.
“Maybe you should try your beer, it might remove the stain,” she suggested.
“No way am I wasting a good sip of beer on a spot of mustard!” I declared.
“Let’s get serious” she said. “I want us to be able to go out on the Grunt Bucket, soon, ah….’co-captain’. I’m not sure I’ll get used to your new title easily, but I am trying. I play poker, as you know, in tournaments in the State, and of course, in town. I was playing with some friends a couple of weeks ago and one of them who lives here has Crohn’s Disease. Her name is Cindy and I found out she loves to fish, so last week I invited her to go out on the Grunt bucket with me. She absolutely loved the opportunity. She is a young gal, not yet 40, but her Crohns has evolved very quickly and she is a very sick young lady. She doesn’t complain at all, but she lives with a lot of pain. It breaks down her organs and is a debilitating disease. Her roommates say she is a warrior and never complains. She uses a cane, but seems steady and walks well. She’s in and out of the hospital a lot lately. I was so happy I could take her out on the boat….as it made her so extremely happy. I felt so good I could do something to help her feel better. I’d like you to meet her. Would you mind if she joined us next week?”
“Of course not. I’d love to meet her. I can sit on the bow seat as she can be more comfortable on the center seat. No problem.”
“Super, I’ll call her and make arrangements and I’ll pack my cooler with water and soft drinks, and a couple of sandwiches.”
“By the way, I’m starting work tomorrow at noon, hopefully, at the Club. Marilyn is such a sweetheart. She actually is trying to give me a raise. I was really surprised,” I said.
“Ah…. Co-captain, I’m on the Board of Directors there, remember? I helped vote the approval on your raise just this afternoon, with a big ‘Aye’,” she said proudly.
“You knew about it? And, didn’t tell me….after all this time? How about that?”
“That’s why I’m one of the Board Members. I can keep my mouth shut when it’s required,” she said. “And also be a blunt bitch when it’s not. I’m the only woman on the board other than Marilyn. I’m not afraid to have my say when it’s required. And, no, I don’t fix the coffee for the meetings.”
“That’s so cool….the raise I mean.” I didn’t ask Edy if they approved all of it, but I believe it was, based upon her good humor. I had a hard time believing Edy could be a “bitch”. In fact, that’s the foulest word I ever heard her speak in my presence since I met her.
The next day I went down to the office at noon to meet with Jim and Marilyn. They were both sitting at her desk. “Come and join us,” she said when I entered. We went over the schedule that was laid out and I was pleased at all the hours I would be able to work.
“This is the initial schedule for this next month, but you two can work this out between yourselves so it works for both of you. That gives you a chance to fluctuate any way you want. All I need you both to do is sign in and out on your time cards that are sitting here in this box on my desk.”
“Here’s a Xerox Copy of the schedule for this month for each of you. If you change it, please make a change on my original that is on my desk. We will keep them updated as needed. You know you are free to exchange jobs, just as long as they get done in a timely basis.”
“Good, Jim. We’ll be trading off morning rest room cleaning duties occasionally,” I grinned.
“Jim, I’m fine with this. Thank you for setting it up for us. You can head home if you’ve gotten the front leaves cleared off the front entry area.” Marilyn said.
“Yeah, all caught up, Boss. I am finished for today. I’m going to just hang out at the boat today and read,” he said as he left the office.
“He’s a great kid,” Marilyn said. “Kate, you will be pretty much doing as you did in the past. Keeping the pools in order; taking care of the trash cans and dumping into the disposal cans as needed; checking the restrooms to be sure they are clean and have proper supplies; keeping the hallways outside swept off if needed; keeping the garage in order; keeping an eye on the property for anything that might need to be fixed or moved; checking on the laundry room periodically, including emptying the quarter machine at the end of your shift; helping guests with any questions they may need to have resolved by passing information onto me.” She reached across the desk and patted the back of my hand. “By the way, your raise was approved this afternoon by the Board. People enjoy having you here. Between us, I’d prefer that you don’t share your raise with fellow workers.”
“Not to worry. That’s always been a rule where I’ve worked in the past. Oh my gosh, that means so much to me. This means I probably won’t need to get a second job. I may do some garden and landscaping work with the group I worked with before on an as needed basis if I need to fill in some gaps on my free time. Thank you so much, Marilyn. You’ve put my mind at ease. Please keep in mind that I am looking for a rental, if you hear of anything.”
“I’ll ask around. Something will turn up. I have a good network. By the way, today I have a special favor to ask of you. If you noticed, the lights in the garage are not working well at all. We had a lot of complaints over the last few weeks that at night the garage was not as well-lit as it should be. That was a big concern in our board meeting today. I have had you change the lights out in the past, but they still are blinking and some are making lots of noise, or have burned out again. I called in an electrician and he decided we need all new ballasts and lights on the overheads. He placed the order and they are now in the tool closet in the garage. He is out there now and said he could meet you and show you how to replace the ballasts. He has other jobs here to do today on doorbells and bulb replacements, so he will be here if you have any questions. If you find you are not comfortable doing this job, let me know and he can do it himself….but, between you and I, it will be a big money saver if you can do the work instead. The ballasts and replacements lights were very pricey, and we are replacing all of them. His name is Jeff.”
“Certainly, I’ll go out and meet Jeff now and see what is required.”
“You will need to use the tall stepladder. If you are not comfortable using it, please tell me. You don’t have to do this….but it would be nice if you could. I’m more concerned, though, that you feel safe.”
“I’ll go find out. I’ve not had any incidents with ladders before. I respect them,” I assured her.
“You can start tomorrow with the pools as in the past. You pretty much had your routines before you left. Just pick up where you left off. I’m always here if you need me.”
“And, I for you,” I assured her.
I found Jeff in the garage taking boxes of light bulbs and ballasts out of the storage room. I approached him from behind. “Hi, Jeff, I’m Kate. Marilyn sent me out to see if you can walk me through how to replace these bulbs and ballasts.”
“Nice to meet you. I’d be happy to. I have a tall schedule today in the condos.” And I was on the time clock, with Marilyn’s graces for the rest of the day and into the evening. I wanted them all working before dark.
“You need pliers, wire cutters and wire nuts.” (I’m not kidding….that is the name of the little plastic thingamajigs that connect the new wires together. I found it somewhat humorous. I hope he didn’t see me grin.)
“A Screw Driver, usually a Phillips head, and new florescent lights. All these ballasts are new. The garage will have a fresh new start with its lighting fixtures.
Jeff walked me over to the breaker box. “The first thing you have to do is turn off the light switches to the lights and turn off the circuit breaker from the power source panel box. This is the most important step, to assure yourself that you won’t get electrocuted.”
“I’ve got that down. My dad was an electrician and that was the first thing he taught me about electricity when I‘d follow him around once in a while at work as a young child,” I assured him.
Jeff walked me through the whole process. “Next set up your ladder safely under the ceiling units. You need to snap off these large plastic protective dust covers like this. There’s the ballast in the middle, between the lights. Remove the lights first. To remove the ballast box, or in some cases there will be two you need to remove, you will see there are wires coming out of each end of the box They are colorized red, blue and yellow on one end and white and black on the other. The white and black come out of the ceiling to the ballast as they come from the main circuit breaker at the switch. You need to cut the wires from the boxes, then remove the old boxes or box buy unscrewing the screw on one end and slip the other end free from the slide that holds it up. Keep track of your screws as you remove them for easy replacement. I usually keep them at the top of the ladder, easy to reach with my screwdriver.”
“Squeeze the new ballast into place by sliding it into the lip on one side and connect the screw on the other and tighten. Be sure new ballast wires match the colors across from them that need to be attached by matching colors. Use your wire cutters to make wire easy to connect to their matching wire and strip off about ½” of the color plastic from each adjoining wire, then twist them together tightly with your fingers. Then twist them tighter again with the pliers, like this. Put wire nut over twisted wires, twist with wire nut, lay it over completed wire and it is finished.” “Complete this process with all by matching wire colors together and connecting with wire nuts. Place ballasts back and slip into slots, then replace screws into ceiling to hold them securely. Always do blue, red and yellow wires first. Then attach white wires to each other and black to each other to connect all old circuit wires to new wires onto the ballasts. Place ballast covers back onto new ballasts. Replace four new bulbs into the two slots on the ends, as you can see here and twist them into place until they feel secure. Replace large plastic dust covers and snap onto place. Turn on Power at Circuit Breaker, Flip on light switch, and wallah, you will be good to go!”
Sure enough, our first light replacement was a huge success.
“Do you think you can do this on your own now?” Jeff asked me.
“I think I can” (from “The Little Engine that Could’….my childhood bible and favorite bedtime story). I’m a visual learner and I really think I can do this.
“Jeff, thank you for walking me through the whole process. I’ll be fine.”
“And if you have any problems, I’ll be on the grounds all day today,” he offered.
(Reader from Author: I know this chore probably was a very boring read, but I want people to know they can do things like this that they may not have thought they could do. I am so proud to say I can replace a light ballast. It was a big step for me and I took pride in the lesson. If you felt completely confused, then you, like me, are a visual learner. I still can’t follow written directions very well. I need someone to show me how things are done, then I can repeat the process.)