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

— @HaggardHawks

Forthcoming from Karavan Press: FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS POINTLESS AND PERFECT by Stephen Symons, the press’s first poetry collection.

A day of driving around Cape Town from one corner of the city to another: a heartening (as always) visit at Protea Distribution, my local printer (also always a joy), Clarke’s Bookshop and The Book Lounge (ah, bookshops! – where would we be without them?), two banks (sigh), post office (I love my local post office), recovering Cat (twice, but she is doing great!) and I actually managed to send a book to the printers today. Yay.

Still to come this evening: a trial run for tomorrow night’s JLF@Home event: my interview with Gigi Fenster about her striking memoir, FEVERISH. Tune in at 8PM tomorrow and find out how a conversation about Velcro fantasies (!) led to the writing of an amazing book.

Yesterday was rough. There was a moment in the day where I felt this deep-seated, numbing fear in the pit of my stomach that I might not be able to fix everything that needed fixing and a dream would have to be given up in the process of at least attempting to do something. But, as always, my family and my love came to the rescue and talked me through everything, offering practical advice and essential help. I soldier on. But only because of my Loved Ones.

I am tired, but I will go to bed with a lighter heart tonight.

Although there are other crushing concerns that are completely out of my control. I watch the pandemic updates in Europe and across the rest of the world with ever-increasing worry. And, locally, in my secular way I pray that our health minister, his wife and all others suffering because of an infection with the coronavirus recover fully and quickly. I do not understand anyone who is not wearing a mask and/or not trying to keep their distance from others as much as it is feasible. I don’t even remember how to wash my hands in any other way than as if I was preparing for a medical operation. I do not want to get sick. I want to continue fully with my life, personal and professional, but in a way that lowers the infection risk to an absolute minimum. And I pray.

Good night.

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

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

— NICD