I am really enjoying a few precious days of rest at my little lodge in Ratmale. My sister brought me over here on Friday May 4th when we left Colombo at 4.30 and were here at around 8 after having breakfast at Perera and Sons in Dambulla.
I purchased the needed items for a pleasant stay at the two kades that I used to frequent in Hingurakgoda, and brought the coconuts from my other property to just chill out. My sister, came to oversee the work at her property and left with produce such as polos, coconuts, limes, and from my place about 150 oranges and some dried chillies and green chillies.
I am living on Orange juice from the local oranges. It will give me all the anti-oxidant properties of Vitamin C I could possibly want. We have not engaged in catching fish from my ponds for food, as Sagara is too lazy for any work, just lounging around doing nothing.
I have my daily dip in the wewa but as the water level is too high and I am not too sure footed, I just stay close to the steps and have one of the boys here to watch over in case I get a muscle spasm by exerting the limbs too much in the water.
The fact that I do not have any transport, is something that completely restricts my mobility. However looking on the bright side, I am for the first time enjoying every moment of being in this my future retirement home. Being forced to stay put just exercises the mind of philosophical thoughts whilst rocking in the chair watching the veritable list of birds performing for me right in front. About 50 different species in a day, much more than any spot whilst being stationary. It might even be a unique spot with the two ponds in front and the ponds all around them at the moment due to the wetness. They dry up later in the year after a four five months absence of rain, and the drop in the water level of the tank.
The generator is working so I can pump water into the tank and use it during the day, for the bathroom, which is now functional and the small creature comforts. The windy season has just started, and I sleep on the verandah, where the wind blows through keeping the place much cooler than any house in the village.
For the first time I say the lines of people at my well to take drinking water for their home use. People tell me it is better than the bottled water they pay for. So I have people come in their small tractor trailers to fill water tanks of water and take, from this and the adjoining village of Rotawewa. The photos here are testament to that, and I am told they give Pin to me each time they draw water from the well!!!
