OYSTERHOOD is reclusiveness or solitude, or an overwhelming desire to stay at home.

— @HaggardHawks

Salieri sure knows how to strike a pose. Years ago, when she decided to run for matriarch of the household, no one even thought of contesting her claim. We have been in steadfast paws every since.

I had some help sleeping last night, and it was great to just drift off and wake up eight hours later, rested. The morning was all milky darkness outside; I love fog and the way it gathers on one’s eyelashes. Monday, again: bin, orchids, stoep plants, pool cleaning, etc. The usual.

There was a quiet moment during the day right after the bin collection (perfectly on time today!) when I settled back in bed with my coffee and read for a while. Today, I reached Austria in my Around the World in 80 Words travels, Harry was unsuccessful with his attempt at flirting with the FBI agent, and the boys of Alex were still at the beginning of their journey toward adulthood in Becoming Men. Then the working day took over. I managed twenty minutes in the sun at lunchtime (shared my soup with Mozart again), and had two short Skype conversation with lovely friends (one is writing a book I am very excited about and we chat about it every once in a while). Otherwise: nose in my keyboard, juggling several literary projects all day long. I finished at nine and am exhausted. But in a good way. I had excellent catssistance throughout the day, of course.

It is raining again, but the truly heavy rains should arrive on Thursday and continue throughout Friday. I was so cold at my desktop computer today that I will have to reorganise my work in such a way that I can sit next to the fire with my laptop when the even colder front arrives. Like most of Cape Town, I am happy about the rains, of course, as our dams are filling up. (Dealing with Covid-19 is bad enough; a pandemic and a drought would be horrifying to contemplate.)

Our NICD update is not out yet, but earlier in the day, the Western Cape posted a significant increase in daily infections again. We might have flattened the curve, but maybe we are not flattening the peak after all … :(

“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”

— NICD

Happy International Kissing Day (in lockdown).