They made it!

Any of you who live in Downunder will know that travel between the states has been severely restricted because of the pandemic. It has been restricted even within states in some instances.

Like so many other families this has been a worry for ours. It has been a particular concern because we wanted to give the Senior Cat the sort of Christmas present money can't buy - family.

My brother managed to get here earlier in the month. It took a lot of paperwork, vaccination certificates and tests and queries about how visits could be arranged. Somehow he and his partner managed to do it and they spent some precious time with the Senior Cat. He was thrilled to see them.

Could we pull it off again for at least one more member of the family and his partner? Middle Cat talked to Younger Son. He lives in a neighbouring state. Time off work was not a problem. He works from home at present and his partner's boss was sympathetic to the idea of S... having an additional day as she worked over another holiday. If they isolated as far as possible and did yet more paperwork and more testing....? 

We were not holding our collective breath over this because the necessary tests have to be held within a 72 hour period. The results have to be available at the border. (They came by road because the car allowed them to go on isolating as far as possible.) Well, they would try.

They got to the border. The border crossing was not open when they arrived. They sat and waited. The results were not there. They were still not there when the border opened. Younger Son explained the situation. He produced all the documentation. Inquiries were made. Checks were made. They were told they could enter but if the necessary results did not come through they would have to isolate at Middle Cat's house. Isolate? Well it did mean that, suitably socially distanced we could get the Senior Cat to them. 

Let's try it! And, an hour or so out of the city, their results were sent through to them. They were free to visit the Senior Cat! 

By then Middle Cat, her husband, and I were all with the Senior Cat. We said nothing. Middle Cat's husband had to take food off to the Greek family meal. Middle Cat pretended she had forgotten something and went off. I helped the Senior Cat eat a bowl of custard for lunch - all he wanted. 

And then...Middle Cat prowled back in with the two young cats behind her. The Senior Cat's expression was worth all the effort they had made to get there. "Best Christmas present," he told us.

Modern technology allowed a video call to the rest of the closest family interstate. For a moment we were all there together - and that was what counted most of all.