Ain't no Mary Poppins

Most people welcome a little extra help around the house. Being as lucky as I am, there is a housekeeper who comes Monday - Friday and does the laundry, the cooking, and the cleaning. These are all things I have never really minded doing myself. Now that I have someone to do them for me, I'm simply frustrated.

I continue to confuse her. She was hired to cook for all four of us; but, having severe reactions (both intestinal and mental) to most Chinese and Korean cuisine, I have bought my own small refrigerator and kept my own little stash of food in my room. She stares at me in wonder when I make tea and toast. She looks amazed that I can do this by myself.

The other day I was chopping an apple to put into my porridge. When she saw this, she tried to take the knife and apple from me and do it herself. I may be too easily irritated, but I enjoy doing things myself. There is a major satisfaction I get from it. After that, I kept my cutting board in my room. I'm slowly forming a galley in this small space as I bring in more and more kitchenware.

This woman annoys me; and yet, I pity her. The average housekeeper in China makes such a meager amount. Then again, when I see what she does with most of her time, it could be justified. She sleeps on the sofa mid-afternoon. I interrupt her naps nearly every day, mid R.E.M., when I return to the apartment. Her dusting skills are limited to only visible surfaces that have no clutter.

She throws all clothing into the tiny washer all at once, packed so tightly that the soap is guaranteed to stay in one place inside the machine. Never mind the colors running. Thankfully, she has weekends off, so I save my laundry for Saturdays. If I let her take over, my clothes come out feeling like cardboard. And she keeps moving my pumice stone from out of the shower onto the counter; each day I have to put it back. She hasn't got the memo yet.

To be fair, she is kind and tries to be unobtrusive. She always has a smile and I do believe she is a sweet lady. Unfortunately, I'm cranky and just want to be left alone.

I've never had a housekeeper before, nor will I ever want one in the future. When you have lived all your life without someone to do these things for you, you develop certain habits, certain preferences. You get used to having things the way you want them. Your standards differ from others.

This is what you get when your mother raises you to be an independent, self-reliant woman.