help

Since we moved here, I've not yet taken the time to post a proper introduction of my hired help, who make a big difference around the house and garden!

First there is Asnet.  Asnet has been working for me since just a couple weeks after we arrived at the College, when we were still living in the much smaller house.  She is a young woman with three children and her husband Samuel is a full-time employee of the College Farm.  Their family lives very close to the Farm and thus very close to us.  Asnet works for me once a week, on Friday mornings.  She sweeps and washes all the floors in the house and cleans the two bathrooms (tub, shower, and toilets).  Asnet loves to laugh.  Over time it has been great to get to know her a bit better as she becomes more comfortable around me and willing to talk more!  I am hoping that Asnet will teach me how to knit a matching hat and socks for a baby.  Then we can spend even more time together.

Then there is Ida.  Ida has only been working for me since we moved into our new house.  She worked every day for the M family who lived in this house before us, and has been well-trained.  Since I knew that the house would be much bigger than our previous one and would need much more work to keep it clean, I kept Ida on as hired help for two mornings each week (Mondays and Wednesdays).  That way there is not an exhausting amount of work for either Ida or Asnet, but it is evenly divided over the course of the week.  I am still getting to know Ida.  She is very quiet and doesn't know a lot of English, but she is a good worker.  She also sweeps and washes all the floors, and she also washes the dishes for me and cleans the kitchen.  If I have ironing to do, she will do it (but I don't, usually).  Ida has several children and her husband Nelson is the cook and general handy-man for the College.  I am looking forward to getting to know her more as she becomes more comfortable around me!

Both Ida and Asnet are currently pregnant, and expecting their babies in October.  There will be a lot of babies around here next year.  :-)

Then there is Amon, our gardener.  He works each morning as assistant to Nelson, the cook, and three afternoons each week he works in our gardener.  We are very impressed with Amon.  He is a very hard worker and always willing to do anything you ask him to do -- but amazingly, I hardly ever have to ask him to do anything, because he knows what needs to be done and will do it without you having to say anything!  Amon keeps our grass, flowerbeds and vegetable garden looking pristine.  He rakes, sweeps, weeds, trims, slashes the grass, waters everything, and even plucks the dead leaves and blossoms off to keep the flowers looking tidy.  He also burns our rubbish for us.  When we need firewood for a BBQ, Amon brings it.  When we needed to bury our dead puppy, Amon dug the grave.  He is a strong, able-bodied and willing employee and we are very thankful for him.  I should say I am especially thankful for him, because I hardly know anything about what needs to be done in the garden, and if he wasn't well-trained, the garden would probably already look a mess!  Amon is married and his wife is due any day with their first child.  In fact, she has already been to the hospital once -- a "false alarm."  We are awaiting word of the baby's arrival.

So, those are our three hired helpers, whom we are very thankful for.  The work that Ida and Asnet do in the house helps me keep up with the rest of the housework, cooking, Elijah, shopping, etc.  And I am glad for the opportunity to give them some employment so that they can help support their families!