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

— @HaggardHawks

Shortest day of the year. But, wow, stuff happened!

It all began with a half-awake run in my PJs, hair flying and slippers slipping off my feet (but mask on!), after the refuse truck. It came unusually early, and after a night with my usual insomnia gap in the early hours, I only heard it when it was half-way up my street.

A bit unsettled, I fed cats, administered feline medicine, made coffee, read a bit, but then made a very strange book-delivery run. Successful in the end, but there were some weird bits in the middle, including a misbehaving tyre and a very confusing intercom conversation.

I returned home to witness my desktop computer going into a coma. My recent CPR refresher course did not cover this eventuality. I know as much about the inner lives of computers as I know about brain surgery, but with the help of my brilliant IT brother, later tonight, I am going to attempt just that: brain surgery on my computer. Transplant organs and a vacuum cleaner (don’t ask) are on standby. Krystian is going to direct the procedure via Skype. Pray for me.

From the moment I discovered that I could not access the files on my desktop computer, I went into a mental semi-coma myself, or my Scarlett O’Hara mode: ‘I’ll think about it tomorrow.’ In the meantime, I just installed Skype on my laptop, had a meeting on Skype with a future Karavan Press author to discuss her manuscript and the way forward, did the admin and computer work that was still possible on my laptop, went to the post office, did some groceries shopping, and cooked a healthy dinner for my love. I did not panic. Yet.

The great news of today is: the winners of the SSDA Prize have been announced!

Winner: Idza Luhumyo (Kenya)

First runner-up: Mbozi Haimbe (Zambia

Second runner-up: Alithanayn Abdulkareem (Nigeria)

Congratulations to the three winners and all other authors included in this year’s SSDA anthology!

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

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

— NICD