It seems like a life time ago

I can't believe this much time has gone by. Doesn't it fly when you've been looking at other things?

Things have been so different lately.

Facehugger is now 2. I can't believe it. Grandson number 2 arrived in short order June 2019. Bug is now 1. Where has the time gone? I'm really enjoying being a grandmother. We have decided on Poppy and Oma since they already have Grumpy Granny, Granddad, Poppy S, Nanny K, and Nanny K. Confusing! I see the noisy, active little blighters most days as I am their full time baby sitter. Luckily for my sanity Facehugger attends day care 3 days a week. It does mean a long journey for Elder as she lives an hour away. On those days she drives an hour here, drops him off at a nearby day care centre, then brings herself and Bug to mine for the day. It's full on, but I'm loving watching them become little humans and doing little human things.

Teen is still here. Did I mention in any previous that she had moved in? She has been a huge help with my sanity. No, really she has. And now she is helping with the rent so that is a bonus. She's quite loud and annoying so life is pretty exciting when she's around. Actually she hasn't changed much even though she's no longer a Teen and hasn't been for nearly a decade. She's kind of taken over the house at present, as when our circumstances changed and she started paying rent I kind of bribed her by allowing her to have the whole front of the house as her domain. It works since there isn't any space there that I would really use. MOTH may have, but I make the rules. Heh heh.

Mmmmm dinner smells good. MOTH is cooking tonight. Corned beef, mash, cabbage, and white sauce.

Things have been a little odd since the start of the Covid-19 episode. I'm not quite sure where to begin. It changed nothing, yet it changed everything. At the moment things within our State are slowly sliding back to normal as restrictions are lifted in stages. We haven't had many if any new cases so we are now able to travel freely within the state. Hospitality venues, gyms etc are beginning to resume trade as long as they have approved Covid plans in place.

Teen had been unemployed as her store ceased trading for the duration. The first few weeks she found difficult as she is very routine driven and no longer had that security. She has now returned to work as her store has recommenced trading. She's not feeling well though (fibromyalgia) and has requested her hours be cut back. She is also thinking about a career change.

Elder and her partner have both been fully employed as "essential workers". Their routines have not changed.

MOTH was not successful in having his disability payment reinstated so has continued on the jobseeker payment. This has been a blessing in disguise as those payments have been doubled for the time being as a way of helping the unemployed cope with loss of income. I had thought at first that this would only be paid to those who were able to prove they had lost their work due to Covid but it turned out to be a blanket approval. He is now eligible to receive an age pension so income will drop a little.

Me? Now I need to make a decision about what comes next for me. When the Covid-19 began, Niece began to get worried, particularly as Facehugger and Bug had colds at the time. As the media coverage hyped up she began to behave strangely. One afternoon I was contacted by the social worker at one of her day programs and asked to take her home as they couldn't cope with her agitated behaviour. I broke down to the social worker and confessed that I was at the end of my tether and didn't know what to do. Later that night after no improvement in her thinking, we took for assessment. She was admitted as an involuntary patient later that night. After consultation I advised that I would no longer be able to care for her. After being hospitalised for several months she was placed in supported group accommodation.

For everyone in the house, it has been a godsend. It has taken a couple of months but everyone is far more relaxed, smiling more, and happier. I am sorry that she had that effect on everyone. On the other side, isolation has been a blessing because I have been able to recover and process what happened. I am feeling much better within myself. I never went out often anyway, so I didn't really miss it. Now, my income is slowing coming to an end, and I must decided what lies in store for me in the future...