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

— @HaggardHawks

Waking up in a magical place with a view. On a Sunday. Next to my love. Bliss.

It is impossible to travel to Franschhoek and not think about the FLF and how much we miss it. I couldn’t help imagining what it would take to organise a safe literary festival during a pandemic and no matter which way my mind went, it did not feel feasible, not with the levels of carelessness with which so many people approach our situation. And so I couldn’t help despairing a little, too. But, one day. One day!

Fortunately, one can read books during a pandemic (at least when your headspace allows it), and the best place for reading is a bubble bath. Add Sunday morning, a gorgeous setting, coffee in a delicate cup and a great new book, and you know how happy I was earlier today.

My love organised this marvellous weekend away in Franschhoek and it allowed me to take a deep breath and relax. There is something healing about being surrounded by calm and beauty – natural and human-made.

To end the excursion, we had lunch at Ōku Asian Eatery. We booked a table on their sweet, narrow stoep and had a feast, including the divine Japanese cheesecake.

I returned home a happy woman.

And then … I vacuum cleaned carpets, washed floors, did laundry, cleaned the pool and cooked myself a simple soup for dinner. Now, as I type, I am watching the Premier League. I’ve bet serious money on a Manchester United win. Living dangerously! I might be a happy, rich woman soon …

WordPress informs me that as of today I have been blogging for seven years.

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

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

— NICD