Drying Out

We have not, since my mother and daughter left back to Canada at the end of June, seen a glimpse of the sun in Nuwara Eliya. The hard rain, angry winds, heavy cloud and ethereal mist have daily tormented the entire community since that time.

However, today, the sun shone! All of the townspeople emerged from their homes, rejoicing! People welcomed the sun, opening the doors and windows of their homes. Blankets, towels and items of clothing were jubilantly draped about the yards as people attempted to dry out the soggy bedding and linens and clothing. People greeted each other and small groups of neighbours collected in the alleys as people chatted, hungry for social relationship after the long quarantine provoked by the unending rain.

 

Bill and I dragged out every blanket in the house. Each and every one of them smelled of mildew. We draped them over the many clotheslines in the yard. We opened every window and door in the house, allowing the wind to whip through, doors banging loudly when cross drafts occurred. We opened our cupboard drawers and our closet drawers to let in the drying air. We scrubbed the half inch thick green mildew off our patio (I thought it was mud, but it was actually mildew and mould).

We took our coffee on the scrubbed patio. We took our computers outside. We ate our soup outside. We read as the sun beamed on us, gently encouraging us to take off our layers of polar fleece jackets. We turned our faces to the sun. My husband admired his re-emerging tan. We felt energized. We felt exuberant again. We are rejuvenated.