Somewhere there’s a balance between “total chaos” and “impersonal perfectionism.” But it’s funny to bounce between the two.

I am ready to be in a place where things work again. There’s probably a lesson here and some kind crap I could tell myself about mindfulness and surrender and whatever, but right now I just want people to stay in their damn lanes and not park in the middle of the road with their blinkers on and do their jobs during hours that people want to give them money to do things.

Halloween starts out as an epic fail. It was the first time I heard the kids say they wanted to go home. We have to get creative to pull it from the ashes.

The sun comes out, finally. We get out and about a little bit. Sicily is lovely, and the people are wonderfully welcoming. And it’s sunny. Everything is better when it’s sunny.

The incessant rain gives us a reason to stop moving. Kids are excited to get caught up on school (seriously) and not have to “learn all the time.” Our mighty band is (temporarily) four, which changes the dynamic a little. The kids and I spend a lot of time cooking and playing games. And a lot of time each on our own.

Reunited with their dear friend Cole, the kids also make a new friend.

Those whom the gods would destroy, they first make proud. Our record of successfully navigating the wildly varied travel restrictions of the various countries we have visited crashed and burned against the rocky shores of Malta, setting into motion a series of unfortunate events.