Discombobulation

It is surprisingly discombobulating (isn't that just such a fabulous word) when you are expecting to go to work and then find that you are superfluous to requirements.

Last Wednesday I had the usual email description of what Jim had been up to while his carer was with him. It's much like the daily reports you get when your child is at daycare - X had some apple for morning tea, played nicely in the sandpit, had a sandwich for lunch and a nap in the afternoon. I get told things such as: Jim and his carer have watched lifestyle shows on the television, Jim has walked up and down the hallway for exercise and had cherries and chocolate during the day and ate his sausage roll and salad for lunch.  Last Wednesday the carer also mentioned that she would be away this week so wouldn't be able to come. This was a bit disconcerting at not much notice.

I arranged that I would come in yesterday for a short day, mostly to cover the lunch breaks. It was also decided that I would call at around 9:00 before setting off and see how things were.  If it was very quiet, perhaps it wouldn't be necessary for me to go. It seemed to me to be highly unlikely that the phones would be quiet on the first day back after a four day break. So yesterday I dressed in my work clothes, prepared a cold lunch for Jim, got organised and, as planned, rang at 9:00 to see what the phones were doing.

I was surprised when the phone was answered by a receptionist who never works on a Wednesday. She was very surprised when I said who I was. We exchanged pleasantries, discussed our various Christmas activities and then I asked whether I was expected at work. Well no. That was why she was there. The practice manager had told her that Jim's carer wasn't coming so I couldn't come in and could she cover for me please. Just as well I had rung to check.

So I changed into my summer At Home clothes (which is to say shorts and a t-shirt) and wondered what to do for the rest of the day. I had done all the things I had intended to do before leaving for work. What else to do? I wandered around aimlessly for a while and then decided to do some of the things I had planned for Thursday.

I carried on with my mini-Kondoing of the house. I put away the Christmas decorations, which I don't usually do until the 2nd or so of January but I couldn't do the Kondoing while they were up. As is the way with these things, I seem to have created more mess than order but I can see order lurking in the corner. I did some things in the garden. I took some stuff to the op shop and some of the soft plastics to the Redcycle bin and the glass to the bottle bank.

In the end it was quite a productive day. But now - what am I going to do today 😂

Stella has gone home after her long weekend in Mount Helen. Freyja has made another trip to the covid testing station, having been pinged as a close contact after a work colleague had tested positive. Her visit this time took 3 and a half hours instead of the 30 minutes it took the day before  Christmas Eve. The prime minister has announced a re-definition of close contact which will standardise policy across the states and territories. It has yet to be ratified by the premiers and chief ministers but he explained it at length anyway. I think I must have not been listening closely enough because what he said didn't make much sense to me. I haven't worried too much because the premiers and chief ministers may well amend it. And I'm sure it will all become clear in the long run. I'm sure!

It's warm and sunny this morning. It's supposed to be a lovely summer's day. I intend to enjoy it. (But would it be ungrateful to think that I wouldn't mind a bit of rain on the garden? Perhaps overnight!)