When my neighbor wouldn’t turn off his bright floodlights at night, my husband and I needed a clever solution to keep the peace.
When the Thompsons moved in next door, they seemed friendly. My wife, Gia, and Susan, the neighbor, quickly bonded while chatting over unpacked boxes. We thought we finally had some neighbors our age to socialize with. Mark, the husband, was often away for work, while Susan stayed home and had a long list of phobias, including fear of the dark, thunderstorms, snakes, clowns, and spiders.
As time passed, Susan’s fear of the dark created an issue that affected Gia and me. Their floodlights, installed soon after they moved in, were excessively bright, like those outside prisons. Gia joked that they could probably be seen from space.
Despite our attempts to address the issue, Susan insisted she needed the lights on for safety when Mark was away. We tried thick curtains and rearranging our bedroom, but nothing helped. After a week of sleepless nights, I approached Susan, asking her to turn off the floodlights after midnight, as they shined directly into our bedroom. She explained her need for safety and refused my suggestion to install a timer.
After several attempts to reason with her and Mark, who felt similarly protective of Susan, we continued to lose sleep. Frustrated, I considered drastic measures, like unscrewing the bulbs or using a pellet gun, but Gia reminded me to stay calm. Instead, she suggested a harmless plan while she and Susan went out for nails.
The next day, I climbed a ladder and slightly unscrewed each bulb to disrupt the connection. That night, when Susan turned on the lights, they flickered and went out. Gia and I finally enjoyed peaceful sleep. Surprisingly, days turned into weeks, and the lights stayed off.
However, one day, I saw Mark fixing the bulbs again. The floodlights blazed back to life that night, and I knew I had to repeat my trick. This cycle continued for months—every time Mark tightened the bulbs, I loosened them.
Then one Saturday, as I trimmed the hedges, Mark approached me. He mentioned his floodlights kept going out, and I managed to keep a straight face while agreeing it might be due to vibrations from the street. I suggested he could leave them off, and he seemed to consider it. After that conversation, Gia and I enjoyed our peaceful, dark evenings once again.
You Won’t Believe What Céline Dion and Lady Gaga Did at the Paris Olympics!
Céline Dion made a stunning comeback at the Paris Olympic Games, wowing the crowd with a grand performance.
She closed the ceremony on Friday with a heartfelt version of Edith Piaf’s classic song, “L’Hymne à l’amour,” singing from the first stage of the Eiffel Tower.
Dion was in great shape, her powerful voice hitting every high note perfectly. She looked amazing in a beautiful beaded white gown with tassels, adding to the event’s grandeur.
After her performance, Kelly Clarkson, who was commentating for NBC, was initially speechless. She then called Dion “a vocal athlete” in admiration.
This live performance is Céline Dion’s first concert since she revealed her struggle with stiff person syndrome. This rare condition affects the nervous system, specifically the brain and spinal cord, and is progressive.
In December 2022, Dion, now 56, announced she was stepping back from her career to focus on her health. She explained that the syndrome made it difficult for her to sing like she used to.
Dion’s last live performance was in March 2020 in New Jersey. At the Olympics opening, Lady Gaga also performed a tribute to France’s famous Music Hall star from the 1950s, Zizi Jeanmaire, by singing “Mon truc en plume” along the Seine river.
Last month, Dion opened up about the challenges she faces living with stiff person syndrome while promoting her new documentary ‘I Am: Celine Dion’ on Amazon.
In an interview with NBC’s Hoda Kotb, she described how trying to sing with her condition feels “like somebody is strangling you.” She elaborated on the impact of the syndrome, which causes involuntary spasms and muscle rigidity, affecting various parts of her body, including her abdomen, spine, and ribs.
“I have broken ribs at one point because sometimes when it’s very severe, it can break some ribs as well,” the Grammy-winner shared. Despite these challenges, Dion has not allowed her diagnosis to completely sideline her. She made a notable appearance at the Grammy Awards earlier this year, presenting the final trophy of the evening.
In her documentary, Dion expressed her unwavering determination to return to performing. “If I can’t run, I’ll walk. If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl,” she said. “And I won’t stop. I won’t stop.”
Her return at the Olympics not only marked a significant moment in her career but also showcased her resilience and dedication to her craft, inspiring fans and fellow performers alike.
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