Water, water everywhere

Last night, we had a recurring issue come to an end… we hope. We've been without water for the better part of the last 2 months. By "without", I don't just mean none at all; I also include the water pressure being so low that we turn on the tap in the tub, put a bucket under it, wait all day long for it to fill. Then, we filter that for drinking and hopefully wash some dishes and ourselves too. Washing laundry? Right out - not enough pressure to run the machine. Let's just say logistics have been an issue for a bit. It was nice to take a vacation and sleep places other than home just so we could bathe properly. You get the idea.

We've been back and forth with water affairs and the landlady, trying to figure out the problem. As we talked to others in the neighborhood, it became evident that this was a region-wide issue: half of Maun was having the same water issues. Early on this week, we talked to someone who knew the issue: the floods. Oh, the irony. Yes, someone forgot to raise the pumps in the delta so, when the floods came, they were submerged and the diesel engine cut out. That's why we've been having water issues. It's taken this long to get them fixed.

Ah well. I'm doing laundry like a madwoman today, on the off chance that the fix is temporary. It's just hard to predict these days. After that, I think I'll wash my hair. Thank God for a country where a married woman is expected to wear a scarf fully covering her hair. These last 2 months would have had more awkward days in public for me without that detail.