The Recovery Act

So what have we done to recover from the blitz of activities from August 22 to October 11? On Monday, October 12, Wanda and I sent the girls off to Bingham for their normal school day but closed down the MCC compound. We gave our staff the day off as well as our housekeepers. A quiet day with just the two of us. Nice. Oh yes, we did go out shopping, we needed a lot of groceries, but somehow it didn’t feel rushed like usual. We played a game of Scrabble without interruption or time constraints. Wow. Nice.

But that wasn’t all. This week we are down at Sabana Lodge Beach Resort on Lake Langano. As the girls and Wanda are down at the beach (with a family we know also here) I am sitting in our room letting you know the recovery act is going well. Bingham Academy (and the other American school) are on Fall break all week. We came down from Addis on Tuesday morning and will go back on Friday morning. Three nights. Nice.

The lake shimmers in the morning sun below. The little lodges are built on the side of a hill, terraced one level above another. At the 400 level where we’re staying we can see for miles and miles across the lake to the other side. Everything works here, the electricity, hot and cold running water. The beds are comfortable, the décor is tastefully done. But most of all, it is quiet. Except for birds and the occasional bellow of a bull or a donkey, all is quiet. No traffic, no jet planes overhead, no crowded city streets. Peace and quiet.

It will all be over too soon, I know that. We’ll be back to the city on Friday and a host of issues will be waiting for us. Still, this will put some wind in our sails. A little wind at our backs is what we need . . .