Not to my knowledge; I have yet to see an instance of them returning, though that may change one day.

[After he finds this machine that he suspects exists...ah, but that is neither here nor there.]

As for our activities...well. After a while, we found we didn't have to distract ourselves nearly as much; we became far more accustomed to this world, and what we could offer it. Things became easier; I wouldn't have believed that much had I been told at the start, but there's not much to do outside adapt and overcome.