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

— @HaggardHawks

Let’s celebrate! I have decided to have a pop-up sale in the Karavan Press garden this coming Saturday. An opportunity to meet up with our Readers and raise a glass to Dawn Garisch on the occasion of the shortlisting of her Karavan Press novel, Breaking Milk, for the Sunday Times/CNA Fiction Award. (I am still pinching myself – what an amazing recognition for this beautiful, wise novel.)

Covid-19 safety protocols will be observed. We will be outside and the garden will offer lots of space and a relaxed atmosphere. The Cats might join the party. I can’t wait. I am starved for more real-life bookish conversations.

Monday. The refuse collectors were exceptionally early this morning, but they rang my bell, so I did not miss the collection. A morning of admin and emails. Then a lovely meeting on my stoep with a Karavan Press author. Lunch, more computer work until it was time to take my love’s cat to the vet for her monthly appointment. She is a dapper one – a cat with nineteen lives. Dinner was a quiet affair at home with my love.

Tomorrow is Salieri’s turn for her check-up to see whether the meds are working. She has been very good about them, so I hope we will get some good news.

Rafa is in the QF of RG – looking great! About to watch a bit of Iga Świątek’s match before I go to bed.

Hope to see a few of you at the celebration sale on Saturday!

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

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

— NICD