...my fantasy world (concluding part)

So besides worrying about my next house neighbour's dog littering my compound with their faeces,turning my bin upside down and messing the entire place with rubbish,I had to deal with a househelp that "refuses" to do dishes with sponge but napkin instead (against my instruction of course),take my kids out barefooted while she had a pair of slippers on,and feed them with chips and bread,prefers sweeping the carpet with a mop inplace of a brush or a vacuum,packs coloured and white clothings together for laundry in the washing machine (she's discoloured a few clothes doing this and I now check before she presses the 'start button,but I wonder what would happen on days that am away)!Isn't that something?I've never seen worst combination of meal!Fries with bread???As I write this post,the same lady's been having breakfast for over one hour,seated on the couch.And after she's done,now she's standing behind me,holding a napkin,but standing still ,leaning against the wall and watching t.v.This is a routine and I've never complained.I ask what she wants to eat for breakfast and lunch,never imposed any meal on her.We sometimes eat at the same time in the lounge,she watches about three Soapies everyday and even took a nap yesterday afternoon when she finished her chores.She said she wanted her pair of jeans reduced and I did that for her using my sewing machine.I even asked her if she wanted the zig-zag design or the straight sewing.She relaxes after her meals to watch t.v without being interrupted and I do joke with her despite our communication deficiencies.......she must be really afraid of me indeed!Common,gimme a break!

I don't raise my voice when I speak to her...(I yell at my kids when they're driving me nuts like now) .And I have never made her feel  inferior in anyway.As a matter of fact,she even comes to work dressed more'elegant' than I do and that's no exaggeration.You'll only be able to differentiate the'ma'am from the employee when I give instructions.Material things have never been the centre of my life so that does not bother me one bit.On the contrary,my simplicity is synonymous to me for those who know me.I couldn't be more humble even if I wanted to.The way I've always related with all my husband's staff,they feel very relaxed around me.I joke with them,discuss and have conversations on real life issues.So much so that some of them confide in me.This lady's not as respectful or dutiful like the other staff in the guest house.She walks around the house pausing to watch t.v every second or minute.Yet,I've never complained-or should I?Am very sensitive even too sensitive that most of my friends who really know me say I worry too much.I'm always asking people if they're alright even if they're unwilling to admit it.I did ask her yesterday if she was okay or needed aspirin when she took a nap,thinking perhaps she wasn't feeling well.I was on the phone with a friend who heard me asking her this.And she couldn't help teasing me of being'too kind' !She asked why I was worried when the lady was taking a nap and of being what she refers to as "being too concerned and unnecessarily generous".She's always warned me not to be"too nice" and that these people don't deserve it, because they still end up being ungrateful.Some of them even steal from you or backbite and bad-mouth you behind  your back.

The southern Africans have their own peculiar "language" and way of addressing people.There's less courtesy and respect in comparison to most African countries especially the West Africa where am from.So my people're generally offended by the way South Africans address them and their lack of respect.We're both (West and Southern Africa) coming from different backgrounds and were raised differently.So one needs to exercise a lot of patience and tolerance especially because you're thousands of miles away from home and these aren't "your own people".The least of the annoying things I could complain about is her lack of intelligence in simple things as arranging plates according to their shapes (square plates and round dishes).Lumping everything together,covers and plastics without concern and just awaiting the pay-day.What can you do?I already told her to be less wasteful with food and water within this short space of time she's been with us...don't even get me started!All these are things I had to pour out here because I can't even take her through how to do things when she doesn't understand English and I don't speak her language!

Where I come from,you don't stand around watching t.v while your boss' around,with you in the same room,when you're on duty!Still,I've not complained'.......so is this lady really afraid of me???

I guess I should just remain in my fantasy world of wanting things done rightly and correctly (not necessarily my own way)!!!