Just a little thing

Every few weeks for the past few months, Centrelink has sent me a message telling me it is still working on my Family Tax Benefit application.

I have patiently waited.

Yesterday it sent me a message saying my Family Tax Benefit application had been rejected because I hadn’t filed my tax return.

I was pretty sure I had filed my tax return about six months ago, but I went to the ATO website to double check. Yup, I got a tax refund and everything.

And that’s when things got complicated, because you can’t reply to MyGov messages to let them know they’ve made a mistake. And you can’t email Centrelink. You can only call them or visit them in person.

So I called them. But you can’t get through. You either get an engaged signal, or you get cut off or it says you’ve tried to call before and hangs up on you.

Tricky.

I don’t particularly want to go and line up at my local Centrelink office, especially during COVID-19, which seems to be a major flaw in the system.

I mean, I know they’re a bit busy at the moment, but surely there should be an easier way to log an issue.

If there is, I can’t find it.

Geez it was FREAKING ANNOYING. Especially since I’ve done the right thing and filed the bloody tax return. FFS.

As for the rest of my day, it was yet another crazy juggle.

I started work at 6.30am so I could enjoy what I suspect was the last warm afternoon before winter. It was 24C and I needed some ocean in my day. The youngest and I ducked off at 2.30pm for a lovely splash in the crashing waves, then started a new jigsaw puzzle with DD before ordering some Indian food from our local bowlo to pick up on the way home.

After dinner, I hit the computer again to plough through more work, while one child played Minecraft and the other followed a YouTube fitness workout. Polar opposites. It was nice to hear them in action while I tapped away in the study.

I feel like such an absentee parent at the moment. Working from home as a single mum while your kids are home schooling is a difficult gig. My days are spent ploughing through a never ending work and home to-do list.

I think I preferred it when I departed the office each night and (generally) left work behind. These blurred lines are exhausting. I have no idea when I’ll find the time to join a Centrelink queue for a few hours.

But so many people I know are doing it much tougher than me. So I need to keep calm and carry on.

Are you working from home? How’s it going for you?

PS Yep, that’s Patrick Dempsey juggling. Mmmmmmm … stubble …

Song of the day: Blondie “Call me”