A house helper with a "J" personality...

I've always known we had a good househelper. We've been very pleased with her since we first arrived, but I'm appreciating her more and more. I keep hearning stories from friends & colleagues about problems they've had with their household help. One BSM family here was recently deserted by their helper. She didn't even wait till the next pay day, she just left! A friend from playgroup has had about 4 different helpers since I've known her - which is only about 7 months. Each time, there was a good enough reason to fire the helper. Her new one seems to get on well with her daughter, but is "fresh" from the province, and so speaks limited English, and needs to be taught how to use a washing machine.

Our Jenalyn is truly a God send. Not only does she get along well with our children and keep the house in good order, she's started taking her own initiative in looking after us. We ran out of cereal the other morning, and when this has happened in the past, either Nigel or I have made porridge or toast. Last week, we woke up to a big steaming pot of fresh porridge! She's also helped keep our grocery shopping on track. The list I left for her last week was clearly missing a few key items, and as I had left her plenty of money, she went ahead and bought those necessary goods anyway.

Today, however, I really appreciated her personality afresh. Nigel was looking for some small money for his Monday morning taxi ride to work, and I suggested he look in our little "change" basket. I routinely put my coins in there, and use them as necessary. As he was opening it, I said "But it might be hard to find the bigger coins amongst all the little tiny ones that I never use. When he opened the lid, we both got a big surprise. Jenalyn had sorted out all the coins, and sello-taped them together in lots of 10. So it was that both of us realised that Jenalyn's personality is a definite "J" on the Meyers-Briggs scale. Her order-keeping around the house is not only because we pay her to keep us in line, but because it comes naturally!

Both Nigel and I are very grateful that SOMEONE is keeping order around here!