This is why I hate home-improvement projects

subtitled: how I missed prayer meeting tonight

Original cost estimate of project: $3
Original time estimate of project: 10 minutes

Actual cost of project $34
Actual time of project: 1 1/2 hours

All I wanted to do was put a blind up on the outside edge of my balcony. I've had one there every year. I end up having to replace them every couple years or so, because the weather is hard on them.

Last year's got thrown out, so when I saw one at a garage sale, I was delighted.

Bought it - $3

Got it home, went to put it up, and discovered the cord was unstrung from the innards, and the hanging hooks had pulled off. Set it aside in hopes of re-stringing it. (15 minutes)

Bought new blind, and discovered they had some (more expensive) for outdoor use. ($21, 20 minutes)

Went to put blind up, and discovered that I couldn't hold it up, while maneuvering the fasteners into place, while standing on tiptoes on step stool. (5 minutes)

go inside ... make dinner ... think ....

Pry open eyehooks wider, fasten them to the blind on the ground, lift blind into place ... discover that none of the FIVE already-installed rings are spaced properly to attach the 3 blind fasteners. Take blind down again. (10 minutes)

go inside ... think ...

Decide that I'm not interested in drilling more holes and putting in still more rings. There HAS to be a way to fasten it to the existing rings, yes? (10 minutes)

sit ... think ...

Go to hardware store, and buy a length of chain and carabiners. ($11, 15 minutes)

Use carabiners to hang chain from existing rings, then another set of carabiners to hang blind from chain. (10 minutes)

Result:

Expensive and ugly ... but at least it will shade my balcony until I can figure out how to fix it. (which, no doubt, will consume enormous amounts MORE time and money!)