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

— @HaggardHawks

Today’s rainbow wishes. There is really only one thing that I really want right now, for my loved ones and for myself – HEALTH.

My second session with a counsellor and a long postponed visit to the oral hygienist – thus, a morning of self-care. It felt comforting.

Salieri is stable, still needs some help with her eating, but the improvements in her well-being are obvious and her test results revealed that the plan the vet suggested for her recovery has every reason to succeed.

A friend who had recently recovered from Covid-19 shared a bottle of bubbly with me in front of her fireplace this afternoon. It was amazing to see her and to know that she is well, also to know that we can do no harm to each other. But we still sat far apart just in case. AND WE HAD BUBBLY IN FRONT OF A FIREPLACE. It was truly special because it felt almost normal.

Afterwards, I had dinner with my love. And the fireplace at his house kept us and his cats warm. I am now writing in front of my own fireplace, with Glinka next to the fire, Salieri on the warm bed and Mozart – being Mozart – in his outside nest. I tried to entice him to be with us in the warm room, but he loves his independence more than warmth.

My brother is moving back to Salzburg, our university town, and I saw today that KLM is flying to Vienna for just over R7 000. Mom is fully vaccinated, and my brother and I will be soon, too. The idea that I might be able to go and visit them soon feels like the best of magic.

I just need to work a little bit more on self-care. Talking to the counsellor, I realise that I really have to take care. The alternative is not pretty.

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

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

— NICD