Intentional living, wellbeing and minimalism
Day 16 – Saturday, 11 April Weekends in the Oosthuizen home have become entirely predictable. If it’s a sunny weekend, it’s lounging on camping chairs under the sun umbrella, book in hand, feet stretched out to catch the rays in the hope of a post-summer tan. And, of course, being…
Day 15 – Friday, 10 April It’s Good Friday in South Africa – the Friday before the holy Easter weekend. It doesn’t feel so good, sadly, for my spirits. I have to contend with some bad news. Heartbreak, melancholy, denial, anger, frustration. I go through all stages, tears and all….
Day 14 – Thursday, 9 April Two weeks in quarantine. Another week of lockdown, or so we thought. Unsurprisingly – given the extended lockdowns paraded overseas – the South African government has prolonged the national lockdown by two weeks, until the end of April. Forget about freedom on 27 April…
Day 13 – Wednesday, 8 April I keep my mid-week social media updates short. My iPhone’s screen time has considerably gone up since last week, messaging on WhatsApp, browsing through news feeds, scrolling through video footage and updates on the global pandemic phenomenon in the hope that statistics would go…
Day 12 – Tuesday, 7 April I want to break free. I put a touch of foundation and mascara on my face for the first time in days and go to the nearest pharmacy after a week of confinement. Ironically, all beauty services and colour/make-up cosmetics are not available for…
Day 11 – Monday, 6 April How will the world look like decades from now, say in 2049, almost three decades after 2020 – the year an unexpected pandemic kept us locked in our homes? How much would have changed by then? My husband and I are watching Blade Runner…
Day 10 – Sunday, 5 April It’s a beautiful day. The sun pierces through moving clouds, scattering them away, giving us a respite from the rain. The sunshine is like a breath of fresh air – we are sitting in the garden, on striped sun loungers covered by brightly-coloured beach…
Day 9 – Saturday, 4 April Weekend. The rain keeps pounding the pavement, on and off, like a stubborn child. I’m still tired and moody – I’ve woken up quite early in the sound of rain after a restless night. Even a strong and bitter coffee can’t help me now…
Day 8 – Friday, 3 April The start of the second week of lockdown – I’m feeling under the weather just by looking out the window at the endless grey carpet of rainy clouds. Feeling drowsy and sleepy, I make strong coffees in between bouts of intermittent rain showers and…
Day 7 – Thursday, 2 April The first week of lockdown has come to an end. Here are seven things I’ve learned in the process. Nurture your close relationships. There’s never been a better (and more) time to spend with your other half, family and children at home. Carve space…