Starting Off 2024 On Hard Mode

I started 2024 with a grand vision of how I’d like my life to be by the end of the year as I do every year.

And less than 2 weeks later…

Every possible problem that could arise… arose.

Now it feels like I’m starting from zero, and I’ll explain exactly what I mean:

The Health Emergency We Had To Escape From

During the last half of December, our apartment started smelling extra bad.

It already had the all-too-familiar hint of mold Martha and I are used to from previous old buildings we’ve lived in in New England…

Albeit a tad bit worse because apparently mold plagues Midwest homes more than other areas for a myriad of reasons like rushed constructions, cheap plumbing, and minimal maintenance in apartments specifically.

So there’s that…

But on top of that, I’m guessing due to the cold weather, our neighbors decided to start smoking 6 packs a day inside (which is their right according to the lease) and filled our apartment with the repugnant scent of cheap cigarettes.

I could have toughed it out until the end of March when our lease is up, but my wife and 2 young daughters?