The Mystery of the Missing Maid –

– Dilemma of the Disappearing Domestic – Conundrum of the Clean-gone Cleaner – Vicissitude of the Vanishing Varletess – Amazing Affair of the Absconded Abigail* –

Once upon a time, in fact three years ago, the family took on the services of a nursemaid/housekeeper as a replacement for, and recommended by, an overqualified lady who had now found a job more suited to her superior talents  – she was a licenced driver and had previously managed a section in a cleaning company.

It soon became clear that conducting a conversation with the new live-in addition to the household was an exercise in futility – she responded with a charming smile and a ‘Yes’ to almost anything. Yet her duties were carried out faithfully, if a little feather-headedly at times (example: sweeping dust against a wall before sweeping it from there, with some difficulty, into a dustpan), and she was good with the two children. They got on well with her, which was another plus.

Her attendance record was fine: only on a couple of occasions did she fail to turn up for work early on Monday after a weekend at home, but she always phoned to let us know the nature of her emergency.

On Friday afternoon she knocked off early as usual. On Monday she failed to return, and could not be reached by mobile or at any of the other numbers she had left. She remains missing, and an investigation of her apartment (a more-than-normally comfortable one which could serve well for newlyweds) reveals that a number of her clothes, at least, remain – so it would not appear she has simply walked out. She is due for more than half a month’s pay, anyway.

Her enrolment documents which might give more particulars on contacts and addresses are somewhere in one of the boxes stored in the house for unpacking when we are finally able to move in. Heaven knows where to start looking. All we can do now is to take the meagre information we do have on her, and file a missing person report.

Meanwhile, our housekeeping skills are being revived. Inter alia, I can do a wonderful washing-up, and a nifty taking-washing-off-the-line. I drive a vacuum cleaner with Formula 1 panache, make a mean bed, and tidy up after two little girls without (too much) complaint.

*Not her name, but occupation.

Writing etc is taking another bit of a knock, though.

And now, for the pictorial section of this post, some more recent Midlands shots.  These are taken on the site of ‘The Farmer’s Daughter’, one of the best places to eat out I have ever come across.  Unless you book early you haven’t much of a hope of being seated.  As may be seen, there are things to amuse kids and adults alike.

© Colonialist August 2015 (WordPress)