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

— @HaggardHawks

Cape Town, summer heat, work, love and adventure – the summary of the weekend.

And we are adding a new word to our pandemic vocabulary: endemic. But, the state of emergency has been extended, so lockdown continues until mid-February, at least.

On Friday, I finished the latest editing project and had a meeting with a fascinating woman. Our encounter involved all these books:

I hope that she and I can work on a great project together. Fingers and toes crossed.

It was impossibly hot on Friday and all I wanted was to get into the pool, but I ran out of time during the day. I did, however, end up in the evening next to the sea, at the Waterfront, in a perfectly air-conditioned restaurant with my wonderful love. PIER is not the cheapest place around, but when you delight in their exquisite food, you know what you are paying for: an experience that is impossible to recreate at home, no matter how good a cook you are.

Saturday during the day was all about reading and continuing with my resolution to clean out the house. This includes the garage. I started the excavation of this terribly cluttered, cobwebbed and dirty space yesterday and finished today. It is now emptier and cleaner than it has EVER been since I came to live in Cape Town in 2005. I even hung up an old painting in the garage, so it is decorated now, too.

I did get to swim on Saturday in the late afternoon and then made my way to my love’s where we watched a transcontinental Zoom wedding in the evening. There was love, a stunning couple, sheer happiness, beautiful wedding vows, laughter and tears of joy (my love was so deeply moved, he cried throughout, blowing his nose and smiling from ear to ear at the same time).

We drank champagne and were content with the world. That’s the magic of love: it multiplies when it is shared (even on Zoom).

Today, my love and I went for a walk on the promenade and I continued with the garage into the afternoon, and then went over to his place again for dinner. And an episode of Survivor 41! We did not know that it was coming, but fortunately the clever TV recorded for us. Great stuff.

I will not spoil my good mood by commenting on a certain covidiot (in this respect I have very similar thoughts and feelings to Oliver Holt). Let me just say that I am very pleased that I will not have to endure his presence on my TV screen in the next two weeks of tennis. I will be cheering for the delightfully named Salvatore Caruso to make the most of this remarkable opportunity. I don’t think I have to name my favourite to win, though :)

Tomorrow, something big begins. It is even written in the stars:

My car is serviced and my bills are paid …

Wish me luck!

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

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

— NICD