Esperance

We have a new "bonne" - our new house hold helper. We've actually had her now for 2 months and it's been nice to have the  <unpleasant> situation with the old one behind us. (see the post - A Sort of Short Story About a Bonne )  After dispensing with the old one and discussing the particulars with our landlord - we had thought with the simple parameters of what we needed he suggested we share one between him - he always has 2 working for him - a head one and a kind of assistant that works with the head one.  We shared "Fatou" for a week - good - this will work -  until he told us she was leaving - as she was just temporarily replacing one of his original bonnes "Fatou-Cham" who we first met when we moved in and for whatever reason he thought she was coming back and did not - (simple org chart with ever changing names). Hmmm. Okay - we'll wait until you find a new one so we managed for about 2 weeks until then finally a knock  on our door to introduce us to the new one - we learned he had hired a "sister team" so we would would actually still have our own. Hmmm. Okay. At this point we just are only hoping that no matter how he found them or knew them - we were going to have someone on the up and up.  When she shared her name with us "Esperance" - we thought - Hmmm. Okay. With a name that means "hope" - maybe we've got a chance. 

Up to now - I can say it's been a treat and a delight to have her help and assistance with cooking, cleaning, shopping and laundry.   When we explained the schedule that she will only work from 8-2  Monday through Friday - she got it!  When she is in the apartment we've noticed she's extremely discreet about how she maneuvers around the place to do her job with out intruding.  And she manages the activities accordingly so about the time she knows the boys will be home for lunch - she is already out to the market, washing the laundry or even doing ironing quietly in their room, or she has left for a bit to actually eat lunch with her sister in Mr Diallo's house. She's very patient with us speaking French to her and we actually understand her too.  Fingers crossed we stay on course with her.  Any concerns of things missing have evaporated and  I'm just **so happy** I can actually make lunch without someone staring at me!!