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

— @HaggardHawks

The day began with such a sense of anxiety about everything that needed to be done this week that I felt paralysed. I lay in bed and listened to the radio and had coffee, trying to gather my wits around me to start the morning. At the moment I heard the garbage truck rounding the corner of my street, it was nearly too late to get all my bags into the bin and out in time for collection, but I somehow made it. It felt like a great achievement. I took a deep breath, posted a comment about my feelings on Twitter (as one does), sighed, and was nearly ready to capitulate before the mountain of responsibilities facing me, but then I just snapped out of it and got going. Another visit to the printer, morning visit with the recovering Cat while my love was at work very early today, post office, proofs, emails, a big announcement at Karavan Press – I will be publishing Nick Mulgrew’s debut novel; let me repeat: KARAVAN PRESS IS PUBLISHING NICK MULGREW’S DEBUT NOVEL! I have been sitting on the news for quite a while now and am thrilled that we could finally share it, and the way it was received makes my heart glow with literary delight – reading, more emails, lawnmowing, weeding, evening visit with the Cat, more emails, book events planning and lots and lots of admin on all fronts.

In the middle of it all, my love arrived after work and swept me off on a Monday lunch date at The Test Kitchen, which has re-invented itself in this rough time. As safe as required during the pandemic and divinely delicious as always. A haven of culinary joy. Also an inspiration. They just refuse to give up on their dreams, no matter how difficult it is right now to believe in them. Dream. Face reality. Adjust. Continue dreaming …

We have that in common.

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

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

— NICD