Some days the challenges seem to come in droves.

Between the ignorant peasant girl below constantly harassing E for no reason whenever she goes downstairs, E’s computer getting hacked so she can’t use it, our medical charges continually increasing so we have to put off appointments and prescriptions (or go without), and just the generally oppressive atmosphere here, it can be like navigating an obstacle course just getting through the day.

But E is pretty philosophical (or fatalistic) about reality, having weathered so much worse.  When you can’t control it, you try to stay calm and just do your best with what you can manage.  I could stand to learn that lesson.  My anxiety level would be through the roof.  You never know what calamity will hit next, so you just take them one at a time, and let karma take care of the hostiles.

But not to be a total buzzkill, here is my menu for erev–homemade from-scratch matzah balls and chicken soup, sweet potato tzimmes with pineapple and lots of other fruits and spices, brussels sprouts and cauliflower, and just to be different, baked flounder and tilapia (with matzah meal crust, of course).

In between all the setbacks, and the nightmares brought on by anxiety, we sit and plot out our coming move, and dream of simple things like being able to live and let live, and maybe being of service to someone.