A Lonely Bee

My granddaughter wants to write a book, a few books actually.  She has a theme - bees.  We were watching bees fly in and out of the Hollyhocks in the garden and she started talking about where they'd been, where they could go from here, where they live etc. and she said 'gran, I could write little childrens books about a bee and where it goes and lives.'  I told her there seemed to be a single bee living in the compost heap.  I've only ever seen one bee coming out and going in, I can't tell if it's the same one that goes in that comes out!  She then said 'we could have How Not to Be A Lonely Bee book.  That would tell children how not to be lonely.'  I was thrilled at the way her mind was working yet at the same time I was sad that she even knows what loneliness is.  This lockdown is going to have far reaching consequences for many children in the future I fear.  My own daughter has had to leave her daughter in the charge of her older son to go to workd during lockdown.   As an 18 year old, his penchant is to play on his Playstation all night and sleep most of the day so although he was in the house with her, he wasn't much of a companion for her.  Thankfully my daughter only works 3 days a week just now so it wasn't too arduous but I suspect my granddaughter felt a bit lonely at times.  She's well versed in using technology to communicate, her dad has lived and worked in Dubai since she was 2, she's going to be 11 tomorrow.  She's been facetiming her friends, she's called us on Houseparty most days, her dad calls her every day, she speaks to her mum during her breaks but its not the same is it?

Today we broke the rules and let her come to our house.  She arrived at lunchtime with her brother who was going to meet his friend for a kickabout with a ball.  I told her what chairs to sit in but other than that she could more or less do what she'd normally do at our house.  She had lunch and in the afternoon when the sun finally came out we sat outside and thinned radishes and watched the bees and talked.  I've missed her more than I can say.  I feel quite tearful just thinking about her.  We're going to visit her tomorrow at her house to give her a birthday card and gift. 
Her daddy came home unexpectedly today and she was overjoyed however it is tinged with sadness as he's lost his job.  He's a pilot and his company can't keep going, it's taking too long to open up again.  They said if they can revive it they will get in touch and he will keep his visa etc for a year, but it's not hopeful and if he can find something to do here he wants to stay home now, he's missed too much of family life and it was only his job that kept him away.  Hopefully something will crop up, although I doubt there will be much till the world opens up again.  Maybe my granddaughter will write her books and make a fortune and keep them in the manner to which they'd like to become accustomed  - we probably shouldn't hold our breaths on that one though!!  Take care. xx