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

— @HaggardHawks

The Alma Café Traders’ Market. ‘I’ll be happy, if I sell five books,’ I said to my love yesterday. So, you can imagine how over the moon, and sun, I was when the list of books sold – new and second-hand – extended to twenty-nine after three hours of the market. I could make the promised donation to the Alma Café, tip the wonderful young musician on stage (live music!) and the helpful car guard outside, and I will be able to add to the royalties owed to Karavan Press authors later this year. I even sold a copy of The Fifth Mrs Brink and two copies of HAIR.

Today, I am a hopeful writer, editor and publisher! It was so heart-warming to talk books to readers again. I had so much fun, even with the mask and the visor and the constant hand sanitising.

Nancy Richards came to say hello and bought a book and left a personal literary treasure in the making with me to read. She also took a photo of me: ‘The Bookseller in the Time of a Pandemic.’

A special thank you to the kind woman who reads this blog and came to say hello – I hope I remember your name correctly, Carolynn. Thank you to you and all others for coming to support us! I cannot tell you how much today’s experience has boosted my morale.

I spent the rest of the afternoon editing and doing admin. In the evening, I did some ironing to relax me while I listened to the President making the latest announcements concerning the extended state of disaster. Level Two! We have arrived. Somehow, somewhere. And I know many, many people will be relieved about the new rules of lockdown, but I think we all know that this is not the end, nor is it time to relax our vigilance. More than ever, I want to keep healthy and I want to do everything in my power to keep others healthy. It is all still in our hands – let’s act accordingly.

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local – thank you for supporting local!!!

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

— NICD