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

— @HaggardHawks

Another day of work, work, work. Among my tasks today was picking up copies of the latest New Contrast issue from the printers. I will post them to subscribers and contributors tomorrow. Another great issue: 195 – it will be 200 next year!

At the end of the day, I had the great privilege to talk about Colum McCann’s Apeirogon to a book club – real readers gathered together in a room! All vaccinated. Simply amazing to be able to do this again. It was my second discussion at this particular book club. Last time (before the pandemic), I was invited to talk about Lyndall Gordon’s Outsiders. Everyone in the book club owns copies of the books they read and they really read them, so the discussions were wonderful both times. I will be invited again and I can’t wait. Apeirogon is stunning – we could have talked for hours, or thousand and one nights … ‘A community of feeling.’

Came home late, just before ten, and am now exhausted. But in a really good way.

Good night.

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local. Get vaccinated, please.

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

— NICD

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

— @HaggardHawks

• 

• 

• 

Weekend. A perfect one. Long mornings in bed with Cats, books and coffee; time relaxing with my love; only a little bit of work (intellectually and emotionally rewarding); and then, to top it all, my love and I hosted a socially distanced lunch for friends (all vaccinated). We were only six all together, but we opened the windows and doors, made a fire, and set two tables for us. We had space and food for twice as many guests, but we did not want to contribute to the beginning of the fourth wave. Ooooh, but it was nice to have a lunch party again! We made French onion soup and racks of lamb, my love took out a few special bottles from his collection, and friends brought more great wines and chocolates. There was laughter and the joy of reconnecting, not only via a screen. A true feast.

Afterwards, we cleaned up and did nothing for the rest of the day (at least I did nothing but watch TV). Tomorrow, we return to work and other responsibilities. Life is good. (And I am writing this while being fully conscious of the unbearable loss and pain and struggles we have had to endure.)

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local. Get vaccinated, please.

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

— NICD

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

— @HaggardHawks

I hardly left the house this past week, and if I did, it was for work-related meetings and, on Thursday, to go to the vet. The days passed in a blur, from one deadline to another. I survived on leftovers and takeaways. I only took a few photographs – the one above kind of says it all: books, manuscripts, and my lovely Salieri, who is not as well as we’d hoped she would be at this stage of her recovery. The visit to the vet confirmed that her liver is not regenerating as quickly as anticipated, and even though the thyroid diet is working, the test results could have also been better (maybe). Next week, we decide when to operate and I am dreading the time ahead. But, throughout it all, Salieri has been brave and loving and has never abandoned her literary catssistant duties (even now, she is next to me as I type).

My love has been away and the working week ended on a high yesterday afternoon with my trip to the airport to pick him up after his travels. I used to think of airports as my natural habitat, and now, it is so unusual to have an opportunity to go to one, no matter in what capacity. I recently spoke to an Austrian friend who had hoped to visit SA in November, but is postponing the trip for better times. I still don’t know whether I will make it to Austria before the end of this year. A lot will depend on Salieri’s recovery. And lockdowns: here, there.

I almost missed the announcement of the move to Level One. 27 March 2020 was 554 days ago. I continue watching the official infection and death numbers and they continue to break my heart. I understand that most of us will get infected sooner or later, but none of us should be dying from COVID-19 any longer. Vaccinations cannot save every single life, but they can save most of us, and so now that they are available across the country and there are enough for every willing person, every death feels preventable.

I am hoping that the Vooma Vaccination Weekend will encourage people to save lives, their own and the lives of others.

We have had some heartening news at Karavan Press again: award nominations, reprints, great reviews, live events coming up, new authors becoming part of the Karavan Family and new books being almost ready for print. Three more coming before the end of the year. I am no longer afraid to make plans for the future. Nothing is easy, but we are not only surviving, but thriving. A huge THANK YOU to all who made it possible – through kindness and patience; by reading and supporting us.

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local. Get vaccinated, please.

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

— NICD