Dam fine outing

At the moment we are having many hot days. This is set to continue. February and March are usually the stickiest months. It is unpleasantly humid at night. Lying under the fan, we try to stay as still as possible. In silence we are then able to hear the delicate tip-tap of rat dancing classes above our ceiling. I tend to pass away the time, until falling asleep, thinking of the wonderful current Ashes series. When Mary becomes restless, I tell her to do the same. A few words from me about the phenomenal batting averages of our top order usually helps her to nod off.

Increasingly, we are waking to fight mosquito wars. They haven’t been too much of a problem until recently. Now they are in their fiesta season. Before going to bed we usually watch an episode from a DVD drama series (we have a few to choose from courtesy of my brother). I have discovered that this is an excellent way to smoke out the mosquitos before trying to sleep. They like to settle on the laptop screen. And I am then able to squash them. (Unfortunately, the screen is now a bit opaque.)

Last night a couple of mosquitos evaded early capture. We were woken at 0100 by the sound of buzzing. (Well, more accurately, I was woken by the buzzing and Mary was woken by my bite scratching.) ‘Mosquitoes hath murdered sleep.’ On went the light and carnage ensued. Like out of form Australian batsman the mosquitoes were quickly squished. Both exploded on impact allowing me the satisfying feeling of reclaiming my blood.*

Thankfully, we have a getaway at the end of really hot days. About two miles from the hospital is a dam. This provides the water for the hospital. And it is a lovely place to swim. Here we get to be as hippos, wallowing away the last of the sunshine. And tranquillity rains. The only sound to disturb the silence is Mary giving swimming lessons or devising synchronised swimming routines for the locals. Plus ca change.

* They tend to prefer English over Canadian.