Katie Massari woke on Friday morning thinking the extraordinary lengths and sacrifices she has gone to keep open the doors of her Corowa flower shop were over.
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At the top of the list was the prospect she could move back to her family home in Rutherglen after making the big call to relocate across the river and move in with her sister to keep the business going.
But, alas no.
"It has been an emotional rollercoaster," she said.
"When we heard the postcode had been included I told my kids I was coming home, I got all excited about coming home, but as the day progressed and slightly more information came out, I cried."
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Ms Massari sees her two school-aged children each day when they remote learn from the back of her Sanger Street shop, but they need to return home each day with a permit her husband can use.
"We don't know what is going to happen next," she said.
"I'm starting to look for permanent accommodation and we may move over.
"I'm worried my kids are going to go home at night with my husband and I'm not going to see them again until Christmas."
Even though her business is not classified a critical service, Ms Massari believes florists are still playing a valuable role in turbulent times.
"Sending flowers at this time is just so important because people can't go and see other people," she said.
Federation Council mayor Pat Bourke said the current environment was particularly hard on Ms Massari and others including council staff.
"Some of our staff were not notified of the changes, or that their permits were coming to an end," he said.
"It is just not good enough.
"There are still business owners separated from their families, mums and dads that have spent weeks away from their kids because they've had to choose between keeping their business operational in NSW, over going home to Victoria to be with their loved ones.
"It's just plain wrong, the engagement and communication needs to get better than this."
