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

— @HaggardHawks

28 January: I turned forty-four. I love the number and I hope for a healthy and wonderous new year in my life.

My love arrived first thing in the morning to wish me happy birthday and we had birthday coffee together before he went off to work and I to my beloved Elgin Valley that he introduced me to. A while back, we went ziplining with the Cape Canopy Tours in Elgin: “Situated in the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve, we have partnered with CapeNature to take you into a previously inaccessible and pristine part of this amazing World Heritage Site. Only one hour from Cape Town, we offer a fully guided adventure activity for nature enthusiasts of ages 5 to 75!” After our tour back then, we were told that we were welcome to return to zipline for free on our respective birthdays. I was reminded of the kind offer a few days before my birthday now and thought: what better way to celebrate? Great fun and social distancing at its easiest. I booked and off I went!

The first time, I was quite scared, especially when I realised that I would be sailing through the air a hundred meters or more above the ground and on lines that were up to 330m long, but the second time, I knew what to expect and how much fun it would be, so I just soared. With me was a Cape Town couple celebrating their seventh wedding anniversary. They were lovely and it was great to experience this with them, witnessing how happy they were about being married to each other. Our guides were fantastic and we laughed a lot together. The weather was perfect: clear, stunning views. That area is beyond beautiful. I just loved it.

Birthday flowers :)

Travelling to Elgin, I was stopped at a road block. When I showed my driver’s license to the police officer, he glanced at it and immediately noticed, ‘It’s your birthday!’ I told him what I was planning and was told: ‘Have a blessed birthday, travel safely!’ And he let me go :) On my way back, I stopped at Liberty Books (of course) and found myself on one of the shelves, right next to a lovely literary friend.

Exclusive Books is turning seventy this year and they are giving all their Fanatics members a R70 voucher in our respective birthday months to celebrate. I decided to use the generous gift yesterday and went straight from Grabouw to EB Cavendish and bought myself the kind of book that I know no one would buy for me:

I LOVED the Twilight books, and one day I still want to write an essay about this literary love and the philosophical concepts behind it that I found so fascinating, but first I will indulge in some more reading. I also loved Meyer’s The Host, which is probably my favourite of her novels. There is a comfort in being able to lose oneself in a fantasy world for eight hundred pages …

I got home in the afternoon just in time for birthday Skype coffee with Mom and a swim. At the exact time of my birth, forty-four years later, I was surrounded by water, an Aquarian in her element.

And in the evening, my love invited me to dinner at one of our favourite restaurants where we were treated to a feast of note.

Oysters weren’t on the menu, but my love and the La Colombe chef made magic happen. It was the first time in many years that I did not have bubbly for my birthday, but the non-alcoholic Strawberry Bellini was divine and I did not miss anything.

We were home before curfew – the golden full moon looming over Cape Town a sight to behold. Throughout the day, friends and family kept sending wishes and even though I missed celebrating with them, I never felt lonely.

I still met with Mom and Krystian for a late birthday chat on Skype and we laughed into the night. I went to bed a happy Karina (44).

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

“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

The day was saved by the calming presence of my love and his sister’s coolest gift delivery; my friend’s Debbie’s brief hello at my gate and her delivery of more gifts, also from my lovely neighbours; another friend’s literary visit; and a short lunchtime chat with Mom and Krystian; and dim sum.

For the rest, I read, tried to work and tried to resolve the Kafkaesque SARS saga. Let me just say that I was number 181 in the call centre queue to start with … In the end, I did, however, receive excellent service from the consultant. The question is, though, will his proposed solution to my conundrum be successful? Time will tell.

I burned some stuff today and cleaned my horrifically dirty kitchen window – both activities gave me enormous satisfaction.

My brain feels numb. My cheeks are still sore. I intend to bury my professional head in the sand tomorrow, or rather: I will allow it to soar above tree tops …

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

“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

The manuscript mystery deepens. A woman who lives in my neighbourhood, a few streets away from my home, rang the bell this morning and delivered a card addressed to me that she found in her postbox – the card which accompanied the manuscript which disappeared from my property during the weekend … The thief decided to keep the manuscript, but discarded the card – into this woman’s postbox …

I was asked for a shout for a book that will be published later this year and I delivered the shout today, very excited about the publication. I can imagine that the book will cause a bit of a stir in certain parts of the literary community.

I had a really bad night, but work started anyway just before seven and by four-thirty my brain refused to function, so I gave up and swam and then lighted a fire and braaied steaks my love bought for our dinner. Now, I am already in bed, full of hope for some decent sleep.

But how does one sleep with another horror milestone passing: 100 000 Covid-19-related deaths in the UK. And South African excess deaths during the pandemic are at around 85 000 already, I read last night when I was awake. I know that one often cannot help being infected with the Coronavirus, and yet I wonder all the time where we would be if we were just a little bit more careful with one another. And sometimes, I feel a strange anger swelling inside and I don’t even know exactly where it is coming from. My cheeks are sore.

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

“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

Monday. The fact that I am willing to get up tomorrow in the morning and do this all over again means I have survived. But coping might be only an illusion.

A Karavan Press book had its first ever Afrikaans review in Die Burger today: Let It Fall Where It Will by Lester Walbrugh.

My nose is falling gradually into the keyboard in front of me. Time to rest. Good night.

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

“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

My love is doing dry January, but he did open a bottle of lovely red for me to drink with my dinners at his place. To get home safely afterwards I cannot drink more than a glass and I am too scared to drive around with a wine bottle, so I took a small takeaway bottle home with me tonight, hidden in my handbag :) It would really be a pity if such great rare wine went to waste when it it is irreplaceable, booze ban or not.

Other illegal activities have been happening on my property this weekend: someone actually stole a manuscript that an author left under my gate for me to pick up. By the time I got home and looked for it, it was gone. Thieves come onto my property and try their luck regularly, but they have never taken anything literary before. I informed the author and he wrote: ‘I rather like the idea of a bergie sitting under the shade of a tree on Rondebosch Common engrossed in my novel.’ I like the idea very much too, but how do we get the reader’s report from the thief?

My love and I had a nice walk around the Common this morning and then enjoyed breakfast at home, scrambled eggs with our favourite bacon. One can get it at Organic Zone or online: Richard Bosman.

I had lunch at The Alma Cafe and picked up a book that The Alma Folks want me to read. I started it during lunch and have an idea that I am going to love it as much as they did.

I did some work today, but it was mainly a day of rest and reading. Tomorrow is going to be intense and the rest of the week also promises to be busy, but I will have one day off: my 44th birthday :)

In the evening, we watched TV and had a simple dinner. Manchester United delivered today! And that winning goal was impressive indeed.

Very good news from the ICU. Covid-19 does not allow for quick recoveries once you end up on a ventilator, but the most important is that eventually you get to go back home. We are all waiting for that day to arrive, when she goes home to her loved ones. May many, many people suffering in hospitals around the world right now get the same opportunity – to go home to their loved ones. And all of us who aren’t in hospital must please do everything we can to stay out of one!

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

“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

A long hot bath with cold pink wine.

I accidently discovered two bottles of pink wine in the house that I forgot about. My love bought them for me quite a while ago and I put them in an unusual place and then did not remember that they were there. I feel rich. I feel rich in other ways, too, at least all those that matter – it is a richness that sustains me through the toughest times, even if it can’t pay the bills. Today was a tough day, but I can’t complain because, in the end, I spent most of it on the couch next to my love, talking, eating biltong and watching rugby. Really disappointing rugby, but true fans watch even when it isn’t pretty. Western Province lost their last game at Newlands and it definitely wasn’t pretty. No Currie Cup trophy to crown the final season at the legendary stadium.

My orchids live in the bathroom and they are all thriving right now. Their beauty astounds me every time I look at them.

Not an easy day, but a persistent beauty shining through and it will carry us into many tomorrows.

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

“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

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

“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

Fire on the Rondebosch Common earlier today. The area smelled like incense. Closing my eyes, I was back in church during a Catholic Mass. I have never seen a fire spread so widely on the Common in all these years I have been living here. It was contained in the late afternoon.

More editing today. And, literary highlight of the day: a cover reveal!

Truly heartwarming responses to the cover. Nick is not only multi-talented and brilliant, but also beloved by many in the literary community and beyond. It is such an honour to be able to publish his first novel.

I had my own fire at the end of the day. And an alcohol-free beer. I used to have them quite often in Austria when I was meeting with friends and had to drive. The taste is great. And they are freely available, even now.

I braaied chops for my love and moi.

The world feels lighter today. Two people going to work with their staff and we dare to dream of a better future. Humans, not psychopaths, in charge. The end of blatant lies, mass gaslighting and manipulations. And those fireworks! Wow. This still is just The Best:

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

“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

A gap in the night seemed inevitable. But I got up, made hot chocolate (Debbie, if you are reading this: thank you for the delicious hot chocolate!), watched some TV and eventually fell asleep again. The cheeks are still sore, but at least I managed a good swim in the evening after work and spoke briefly to Mom and Krystian over lunch.

Retail therapy also helped. I visited two of my favourite bookshops today. Love my new books!

It was also lovely to see Karavan Press books featured on the shelves of both shops. It gives me a little bit of hope for the press’s future.

Otherwise, editing – mostly – and a successful online meeting about a project I am involved in.

I am hoping that no news is good news from the ICU.

Tomorrow, I have to face the SARS-dragon. A glitch in the e-filling system does not allow my brilliant accountant to submit my documents online this year, so I am heading for the SARS queue in the morning. Pray for me.

I found two lucky coins today! That must be a good sign of something …

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local.

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

— NICD