(no subject)

After many months of no contact with the kids, besides face-timing and a few unapproved-of visits (my MN straight up took a taxi from his home to my sister's house a few times), contact has now been arranged through social services for tomorrow. But it's a contact for my ON, my MN, my sister and both my parents, and while we were very prepared for contacts in an outside area like a park, it's been arranged for a nearby garden centre with a cafe and a few outdoor areas. But Storm Francis is supposed to be rolling in tomorrow, and the weather looks terrible all day, like more than 90% chance of rain every hour until the evening. And if they sit inside the cafe, they're apparently not supposed to have more than two households at the same table - and they have to give their contact details for track-and-trace, so the cafe will absolutely know about it. There are four households just with my parents, sister and nephews, and that's if no social workers are also there to supervise. My ON is apparently wary of seeing my MN, so they arranged for them to have contact separately - but that's still at least three households, and having two separate 'sessions' means the whole thing is now looking to stretch from 11am to 3pm. And infection rates keep rising, and my sister and nephews have been hanging around with all sorts of people, so my mum (70+) isn't sure she wants to be inside with them all anyway. So the upshot is, she's thinking about cancelling and just letting the two boys see their mum, and the whole thing's really just a bit of a mess. Partly because of the weather, which no-one could predict, but partly because social services seems to be trying to smush everyone in together. Which is not ideal, and not really what mum and dad hoped for, given the current situation. They're hoping other contact can be arranged, with just them and one of the boys, on an ongoing basis. But it's a mess, and a stress my mum really doesn't need right now.

Our dog has also been chewing his paw and limping slightly since the night before last. I gave him a bath yesterday, hoping that would wash out anything that might be caught in the fur, and it seemed to make things better for a few hours, but then he was back to licking it again and limping. We're all hoping he just injured it a bit on a walk, maybe a strain or graze since we can't find a cut, and now he's chewing it and making it hurt, and it will clear up after a few days. But if it continues, we might have to take him to the vet. Mostly he's just sad we keep leaving him behind for walks at the moment, but at least he's in high enough spirits to want to come on a walk at all.

Speaking of which, I have to get up at about 8.30am for the vet appointment for my cat on Thursday. I never managed to get up for 9am to call for any same-day appointments that were sooner, but I will certainly have to get up for the actual appointment. I'm currently getting up at around 1pm every day. Pray for me.

About a week to go until the beginning of September, and I still haven't heard anything from my place of work. Who knows what they'll ask me and when. The furlough scheme lasts until the end of October. Every day is a rollercoaster.

I think it might finally be time to sell the house to buy more jewellery. Don't tell my parents.

Women's Month - Day twenty-five

The Orange by Wendy Cope

At lunchtime I bought a huge orange
The size of it made us all laugh.
I peeled it and shared it with Robert and Dave—
They got quarters and I had a half.

And that orange it made me so happy,
As ordinary things often do
Just lately. The shopping. A walk in the park
This is peace and contentment. It’s new.

The rest of the day was quite easy.
I did all my jobs on my list
And enjoyed them and had some time over.
I love you. I’m glad I exist.