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

— @HaggardHawks

The second-last Karavan Press book for 2020 is about to be launched: the press’s second poetry collection. One of the goals I have had for Karavan Press was to create a space for authors to which they would want to return to. It thrills me that Disturbance is the second title I will be publishing with Dawn Garisch, and there is another one in the pipeline for next year already.

Don’t you just LOVE the cover of Disturbance? Designed by Stephen Symons and featuring an artwork by Katherine Glenday, it embodies the collection. I know readers will bask in its insights, beauty and compassion.

Although my cheeks are sore again, today was the first day in a while where I felt that I might be in control of my professional life again (although I first did post the wrong cover when announcing Disturbance …). A friend rescued a project I have been working on for a while, which despite my best efforts seemed doomed to failure for a few days, but then she said, ‘Don’t worry, we will get this done!’, when somebody else let me down completely, and she is delivering on her promise. I feel very fortunate to have people like her in my life.

On the pandemic front, the numbers are worrying again. It seems that we are on an upward trajectory in the Western Cape. I know that it takes a lot of effort to keep up with one’s vigilance. I still wear my mask diligently and wash my hands like a surgeon, but I am engaging in many more social activities, professionally and privately, and it is difficult to estimate how safe some of them are. So much depends on the cooperation from other people, and not everyone is willing to protect others as carefully as you are yourself, but you can’t be responsible for everyone else; even though the risk is mutual at all times … Many tough calls have to be made. I don’t have answers, just uncertainties.

Best news of today: the results of all the feline blood tests of yesterday came through and The Cats are in perfect health despite being nearly thirteen, fourteen and fifteen years of age respectively. I am a happy cat mother.

Tonight, I have a Skype date with a friend in Vienna. No risks attached to that – although who knows when we will get to bed when we start talking …

Good night! :)

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

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

— NICD