GRATITUDE & PRAISE

בס"ד


Well, I've been trying really hard to be zen about this situation (or should I say "Hassidic"?) & look on the bright side.
After the car breaking down mysteriously a few times in the past 2 weeks, we finally poured out last cent into our poor '86 Escort hatchback so we could get it roadworthy for this cross-continental road trip.
Or so we thought.
It started giving us some trouble over White Pass, but luckily we made it to Richland, landing in the waiting arms of Mishpachat Bensussen.

They're awesome folks - we stayed with them in May for a week while I fixed their Sifrei Torah.

Luckily for us, one of the family is a real car man, so he took a looksee. Turns out the multi-point inspection we paid Minit-Tune to perform was a joke. They said the car was fine for a 10,000 mile road trip, did not replace the things they said they had (like the totally bunged-up air filter) & let us go on our way.

So here we sit, waiting for a part to come in from Seattle tomorrow (because our car is so old that nobody out here in Golus stocks such things any longer), watching our trip schedule go down the drain. Barukh HaShem we have enough time still to race across the continent & make it on time for me to teach at the ALEPH KALLAH, & we know we'll be spending Shabbes with a wonderful family in whose kosher home we are totally welcome. But this is very stressful.

If you want to become rich, don't go into sofrut.

& then I hear about Netanya. & get news about the latest disengagement craziness. & I read about the blessèd Dr Benny Meilik. & I thank G@d that the worst thing in Joel's & my life right now is waiting for a part for our car to come in from Seattle.

& that we're actually really lucky.

Thank G@d.