Freelance Writer and Editor
Day 21 – Thursday, 16 April On the last day of the initial decreed quarantine of twenty-one days, the weather starts to turn for the better, announcing a pleasant weekend ahead, meaning outdoor braais, alfresco lunches and sun lounging on the patio. I publish two more blogs in the lockdown journal series, reminiscing about the…
Day 20 – Wednesday, 15 April Back to work. I write and publish three more blog posts as part of my daily lockdown journal. It’s turning out to be productive writing time, although remembering difficult times is perhaps not the best use of time. However, writing does help to acknowledge the past and move on….
Day 19 – Tuesday, 14 April These days I am looking forward to my weekly outing to the supermarket and pharmacy – the only stores open during the first phase of the lockdown. My main goal each day is shifting towards fighting boredom and routine – and a short walk out of home every week….
Day 18 – Monday, 13 April It’s the beginning of another working week in quarantine. It would have been the last days in confinement – were it not for the extended lockdown announcement. Urgh. I don’t have any issue staying at home; in fact, I love spending time at home with a great book and…
Day 17 – Sunday, 12 April Easter Sunday in South Africa. I can’t pinpoint a specific local Easter tradition during these holidays, aside from the ever-present meat braai (barbeque), perhaps with the addition of the leg or rack of lamb – lamb being a favourite dish worldwide to celebrate the festivities. But today I will…
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 interrupted at intervals by a…
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. There’s no easy way to…
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 – Freedom Day – and…
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 down. Fortunately, the situation in…
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 sale during this lockdown. Looking…