Movin on up!

Last winter, on a day when I was feeling rather cold, lonely, and miserable, I noticed a ray of light shining through the clouds, hitting the balcony of the upstairs apartment. Since then I dreamed of moving upstairs, and this week I had my chance. Here is a shot of my old place:
And here is a shot of my new place! I am now on the third floor of the same building where I've been living on the ground floor since August. It is brighter, breezier, and has a view!It's not a beautiful view, but it is a view. My old view included a wall and a parking lot. Now I can see the hills in the distance (and the expressway).
I love all the light and the cross breeze! This is my tatami room:
And here is my bedroom:
The view from my bedroom into the living/dining room:
The view from the kitchen to the living room:
The view from the kitchen into my bedroom:
The bathroom even has more light!
I am so grateful to friends who helped me move, and the landlord for making this possible. The landlord also provided extra manpower to move the heavy items. In just two days I pretty much completed the move. I had a little party to celebrate and hope to have many more next year. Now I just have to pack for the summer and I look forward to living in my new penthouse digs in the fall!