After more than a year without a house helper, we decided to hire one due to our "old age". My wife's medical condition (carpal tunnel, Trigger finger, neck problems....) is the main factor for the decision.
The new Filipino maid's timing of arrival couldn't have been better... during my wife's vacation in Europe.
She arrived on Saturday (26/6). After certain formality and medical check uyp, she was sent to my sister in law's house on Tuesday (29/6) for a few days of orientation and basic "formation" (training) due to my wife's absence.
On Saturday, 3-7-2010, she arrived at our house and started some cleaning job under the supervision of Adeline who arrived home from European holidays a day earlier.
My wife loathes employing house maid simply because training of servant is a "blood vomiting" experience. I am now left with the responsibility of training the servant.
My wife had written down some simple instruction for certain regular chores, such as how much soap power for washing clothes, what cleaner to use for mopping floor，cooking dog food ........ but no cooking recipe!
On Monday, with the house maid and me, I didn't know what to cook! So I took out the last pre-cooked food from the fridge, with some left over and rice.... our dinner were served.
On Tuesday, I asked my maid:
"do you know how to cook vege?"
"Yes Sir.",
"Do you know how to cook tou fu?". Apparently this is the only available item besides meats.
"No Sir!"
"Do you know how to fry egg?"
"Yes Sir".
So she cooked vege and fried egg. I have to prepare the
tou fu.... but how neh?
Luckily, after searching the fridge, found some ingredients prepared by my wife: dry prawns with mushroom...
Me pretended like an expert....
"You see, just heat up this ingredient.... pour on the
tou fu... we can eat
tou fu cold.... then it is ready!"
So the first meal supposedly prepared by the maid: two fried eggs, overcooked vegetable and cold
tou fu with mushroom and dried prawns.
Last night I had a meeting and today (Thursday), I am meeting friends... so eating out. So my maid has to
Kiki Gu Kiki... help yourself neh! (I have told her where the sardine is kept :D )
Being alone could have been better ... but then... with the arrival of the maid, I do not need to feed the dogs, clean the shit, mop the floor, wash toilets, wash clothes ..... ahhhhh... it is good to have a house maid !!
The house is sparkling clean and fresh awaiting for the home coming of the house Mistress ..... 2 more weeks la!!!
过了一年多没有家佣的日子，我们最终还是以“年纪大了”为理由，决定再次 的雇佣，其中最重要的一个原因是太太的身体状况。太太身体健康如牛，比我健康，但好多小毛病但却是严重的影响到她 - 如手常常会麻痹痛（手腕神经阻塞 carpal tunnel syndrome），手枪键指（trigger fingers)，颈部神经挤压等，常常使得她处在痛苦中，有时家务她对她来说，是件非常折磨的差事。
新的菲律宾籍女佣到来的时间，确实在碰巧不过了 - 太太这时候正在国外旅行！
她在星期六（26/6）抵达，完成各项手续及医药检查后，于星期二（29/6）被送到我太太姐姐家里接受一些基本的训练及适应，在星期六（3/6），才由 我刚刚星期五才从欧洲旅行回来的大女儿接到家里，然后由她指导佣人开始打扫的工作。
其实太太非常不愿意雇请佣人，其中一项主要的原因是训练佣人的辛苦 - 有时会有要吐血的体验。我的暂时负起这个责任。
太太在还没出发前，也准备了一些简单的工作资料，如用什么洗衣服洗各种不用什么同的衣物，抹地用什么清洁剂，狗饭如何煮。。。。。但没有交代如何烹饪！
星期一，女儿回到她的住所去了，剩下我和佣人，要煮什么晚餐呢？我把冰箱里太太准备的最后一盒食物，加上昨天剩余的餸菜，加上热饭，就解决了一顿晚餐！
在星期二，我问佣人：
“你会煮菜吗？”
“我会”
“你会煮豆腐吗？”
“不会”
“会煎蛋吗？”
“会的”。
所以她就煮菜及煎蛋，而我则准备煮豆腐，但如何煮呢？
在冰箱一番搜寻。。。找到了太太常备的材料 - 香菇及虾米配料。
我装成好像很熟巧的样子。
“你看，非常的简单，只有把这配料炒热，倒在豆腐上就行了。。。豆腐可以吃冷的，就这么简单而已！”
我们的晚餐就完成了 ：煎蛋，过熟的青菜加上美味的蘑菇虾米冷豆腐！
昨晚因开会及今晚（星期四）朋友有约，所以在外吃晚餐，那佣人只好“自己顾自己”了！（我已经告诉她沙丁鱼放在那里了：D）
自己一个人，有许多自由，要吃什么就什么。。。现在我的烦恼佣人吃什么！不过在另一方面，我不必扫地抹地，不必喂狗，不必倒大便，不必洗衣服，不必洗厕所。。。。。家里有个佣人也真的是很好！
现在，整间屋子窗明几净，散发出清新的气息，等待着屋子的女主人回来。。。。还要多两个星期呢！
