Here in California, life is not much different than pre-COVID. Hardly anyone masks anymore. Doctor offices and government offices require it still, but not much else. I have been eligible for boosters but have not had one other than the first booster. I probably will at some point, but I have not decided.
I am babysitting Bruce for a few days. I am coming to my son's Wednesday morning and going home Friday evening. Bruce is in preschool now, and his mum and dad believe socialization is essential for him. He was born in 2019, so his formative baby years were spent in isolation. He is speech delayed. He forms all his vowels but only a very few consonants. I walk him to school at noon and pick him up at 3:20. It is a 15-minute walk with him and a five-minute walk without him. He has such little legs. He loves school, and I love spending time with him, so it is a win-win for us. Steven and Nessa are expecting another in April (a little girl), so I will be even more welcome to watch the new little one.
I had a productive day today. While Bruce was at school, I wrote several birthday cards, several anniversary cards, a sympathy card, and a few letters. I am not great about snail mail, but receiving it is a pleasure. I am writing to my cousin's little granddaughter. She is ten and such a lovely young lady. My cousin died in 2019, and his wife died last October. We are a close family, and I love their daughters and grandchildren. It is strange these days for a family to be in close contact with cousins' children when we live in America, and they are in England. The cousins were all close growing up, more like brothers and sisters than cousins, and often lived together at my grandparents. We were there permanently, but one Uncle was in the army, so the kids came and stayed when he was deployed. The other was often out of work, so they moved in from time to time. Each family had six children, so we were a HUGE family.
I also got some forms filled in that were long overdue. I needed to stop my mum's pension (she died last February), but it was from England, and dealing with government offices when I am in another country is intimidating. I finally found an address to email today and will sort it out. It goes into a bank account in England and has not been touched so I can return it. I am also signing up for a college class with a friend. It is just for fun, but I may have missed the deadline. Ah, well, next semester.
I finally got my passport done Monday - it expired in September. They say it is 11 weeks turnaround. Fortunately, I don't have to travel soon. My brother and I want to return my mum's ashes to England, but it is not urgent. We will do so when the passport comes through. I also want to stay with my sisters and get to know them better. We have become close since we found them (from my dad's first marriage), but there is nothing like in-person relationships!
It is reconciling everything, the finances, and our membership. Whew, I am so glad it is all done.
) Here in TX no one wears masks anymore - but then it was a fight to get people to wear them at the height of COVID. 
