...... we have a new housekeeper. Bliss, bliss, bliss. Not that we haven’t been able to cope for the past 8 weeks or so since we decided to let our first housekeeper go, quite the contrary. In some ways spending some time cleaning and doing things after our own fashion has been good, but we are tired out from our work load and the weather and simply dealing with the every day issues of living in a foreign environment and we need help.

The new lady’s name is Tam and I think that we will all get on very well because she smiles and is a happy soul. Lisa spent time with her yesterday and is happy that there seems to be some sort of bonding between Tam and Mimi. In fact they have only met twice now and seem to have established a real bond. Our landlady, Long, spent yesterday afternoon in our house giving Miss Tam the rounds of what needed to be done and what was expected. Phew!

Before some if you accuse us of adopting neocolonialist habits, let me point out that this lady is very grateful for the work in a city of massive unemployment. One of her main concerns was that she wants five days off every 3 months to travel to the countryside and spend time with her children. She was afraid that we would not be agreeable to such an absence and that she may have to forfeit the job. As if we would be disagreeable to such an arrangement.

As much as we have enjoyed doing things for ourselves for a short time, I say again, bliss, bliss bliss - I hope!