I lock my bathroom every time I leave the house. I let the maid (domestic helper / kasambahay) clean it only when I am around, and only when I ask her to do it.
This maid gets into my nerves always. ALWAYS. I am doing my damn best to accept her for what she is. I psyche myself not to get mad but I still do, I can’t help it.
When Edmund and I are having breakfast, I close the bedroom door. I instructed the maid never to clean our bathrooms and room while we are still having breakfast, while we’re still here. Wait till we’ve left the house, before she enters the room. But NO, every single time, she opens the door and enters our room. Ayaw na ayaw ko kasi nakakalat pa gamit ko, naka-kalat not in a messy way, but meaning, hindi ko pa na secure yung bag ko, yung wallet ko, etc.
And every time I reminded her “di ba sabi ko wag ka munang papasok dito, hintayin mong naka-alis na kami bago ka maglinis dito sa loob”.
She would always claim that our door was open. So I have to repeat my instructions “kahit nakabukas ang pinto, wag kang papasok, pagnaka-alis na lang kami, o kung tinawag kita at ipinalinis ko sayo”.
Tapos ganun na naman.
I came home at 5:40 pm yesterday. I let her into my bathroom for cleaning. I pointed at the rim around the faucets. Medyo may kalawang ng tubig. I asked her to brush it.
When I was going to brush my teeth, my toothbrush was not there. I suspected right away that my bright maid took it and used it to is-is the lababo. Dyos ko po.
One of my readers advised me to change my toothbrush every so often for health and sanitary reasons. I did. I changed my supilyo kaya itong missing supilyo ay bagong-bago.
I have a few new toothbrushes in my drawer, from hotels. I opened one and used it instead.
This morning, I asked maid H if she took my toothbrush although I already knew the answer. She said she didn’t take it.
I rephrased my question. “Meron ka bang supilyo dyan?”
She showed me her caddy, “Kay mam-Julienne ito man. Hindi sa’yo”.
Teka, ano yung green toothbrush dyan?
Ayun, that’s my missing toothbrush! Yun nga, she used it to clean my bathroom sink.
The case of missing supilyo is solved. Kunsumisyon. Nagbuntunghininga na lang ako. Uselss magalit, pero gustung-gusto ko na syang kagatin sa leeg, kaya lang alas nwebe pa lang ng umaga, hindi pa lumalabas ang mga pangil ko.
Be careful with her. I saw her using your toothbrush and brushing the water kalawang from the toilet but forgot to clean it and returned it but you ended up using it after. OUCH!
Lentob, DPSJ, Bes, Joey, Yummy, Southern, Micksoe, buti na lang she forgot to return the toothbrush, otherwise, I would have used it again.
Nay ko po! Ang mahal pa naman ng toothbrush ( best brand, I like its bristle & handle)
Nakaka high blood sya! :-{
Para mabawasan ng konti ang inis nyo, isipin nyo na lang instead na mabuti at di na ibinalik sa dating pwesto after nyang gamitin sa paglilinis. Dahil kung nagkataon, malamang na magagamit nyo ulit yun. Yikes. Lol.
Start pa lang ng post nyo alam na agad na si maid H na naman yan. I thought she’s gone na. Yung tipong bigla na lang lumayas ng walang pasabi like some of them. Medyo hindi nyo na sya nakwento lately e. Pero matibay si ate. Hehe.
Calm down Ms. Annie.. Relax lang po. 🙂
Looking at the bright side, mabuti at kinuha nya ang toothbrush kasi kung binalik nya sa lalagyan pagkatapos nilinis sa lababo at toilet, hindi mo malalaman ms. Annie.
Napakasalbahe po talaga niyang si Maid H. H is for hell. Lagi niyo po kayang kalimutan pasuweldohin until magremind siya para pag nagreklamo chance niyo na sabihing… o di ba nakakainis ang kailangang laging magpaalala? Joke only. ;p
Ms. Annie pati si Ate palitan nyo na rin wag lang toothbrush hehe
Hi OMB, this is your blog and by all means you can write anything you want. But then readers like me can’t help but think that if your help is too much of a burden, why don’t you let go of her for good?
I have been following your blog religiously and realized that you have this perpetual problem with the house staff. sorry to say this and forgive me for assuming but you seem to be typical of the ladies who lunch who have nothing to talk about but the miseries brought about by their house staff and somehow i am under the impression that you are stereotyping again just like what you wrote about homosexuals a long time ago. i know I am being unfair for judging you and again, I apologize. But do understand, this is what i gather from reading your very interesting online journal.
all the best.
Hi Chris,
People may interpret my stories differently. A hundred readers may have a hundred different kinds of interpretations and perceptions about me. That’s unavoidable because I share my life’s stories and it’s subject to public scrutiny.
I openly share stories about some of my encounters with our household helpers not to stereotype them because there were good ones too. I just share because it’s a day in my life. There are many things about maids that I don’t tell you.
I rarely let go of maids. Mas gusto ko sila mismo ang magsabi na aalis sila. I know they have families to support kaya kung maaari, ayaw ko silang paalisin.
My interpretation of ladies who lunch are those well to do ladies who have lots of time in their hands. They gather with friends and they talk about their interesting lives. Of course it can’t be helped that they would talk about their maids. It’s not bad, it’s a common experience because most people in the Philippines have maids. It’s something families have in common so it’s not surprising that this could be included in their conversations. I don’t find that bad. I am sure maids talk about their employers too.
I don’t have female or male lunch buddies. I don’t have a ladies group where I sit down, beso-beso then talk about our miseries. My lunches are either with my daughter, or with business groups where we talk about the economy.
A lot of people think that my husband and I don’t like homosexuals. My stories were about my own experiences, in our generation, when not too many men openly displayed their sexual preferences. I don’t disdain homosexuals. I am comfortable around them. I am hosting an informal dinner for 8 people here at home on Friday and one of my guests is gay and I am looking forward to seeing him.
Many times, I write things about my thoughts, emotions and experiences totally forgetting that at least a hundred people would be able to read it.
Thank you Chris for reading Ohmybuhay.
Well said.
I am a simple person. I am educated. I work hard for a living. I am not shallow. Your blog ( yes, I’ve read all of them) is my constant company on my spare time in this busy world where I am in. I’ve met you in person…… I find you so driven, full of heart and such an inspiration to a lot of people.
Please know, I value your views and for that I am grateful.
Ingat!
bes
When reading omb’s blog, readers reaction will depend on his/her state of mind. True, she can let go of her maids so she will stop ranting but that’s the allure of OMB, she’s human just like anyone of us who would do endless tirade of mundane things but in the end it’s all lip service because the compassionate side of us prevails. Come on, who doesn’t have rantings? The only difference between our rantings and OMB’s is hers is in a blog! A personal blog! I don’t want to be a self-righteous hypocrite here, but, yes, I can relate to some her musings and who cares!
Just to offer a different perspective. So glad we don’t have maids/drivers here in the US. Don’t miss them one bit. Have been here for almost 30 years and have no use for them. We hire workers (cleaners, lawn mowers, servers, shoppers, etc.) as we need them. They don’t have to live with us. We value our privacy (and independent lifestyle) too much to have live-in househelp. They just complicate your life and it seems the amount of stress they give you is directly proportional to the number you have in your household. You make pakisama to them instead of them to you. Be careful of them too. Not to scare you but I know at least a couple of people there whose househelp were involved with robbery and homicide.
Dear Teresa G,
What you said are all true. Minsan nga ayaw ko na talaga kumuha ng maids. Dagdag stress pa. Minsan nga iniisip ko, they should be the one paying us instead. Free food, free stay, free tv, free phone charging. But my husband said charity na lang daw.
When we are on holiday in the US, we do the driving and the chores and okay lang naman din. My nails are always clean from washing the dishes and making is-is the lababo.
Hi ms. Annie sana makakuha ka ng agency na magbigay ng maayos na maids… Nakakakunsumi talaga pag nabibigyan ng mga alanganin. Sana me makuha ka rin na mayordoma para hindi na ikaw lahat ang mag papaalala sa kanila. Kailangan talaga ng mga househelp kasi maalikabok sa Pilipinas.
Ha ha Annie. That’s what dishwashers are for.
+1 to what TeresaG said about the freedom of not having household help. Maybe it’s an American thing and harder to do in the Philippines. I do admit to daydreaming about having a housecleaner when I have to clean the bathroom – my most despised chore.
On a more practical note, you may want to look into a UV toothbrush sanitizer. Toothbrushes are a germaphobe’s nightmare (lababo or not) so having that extra tool might be worth it for peace of mind.
Be well!
gross.