Bye Bye Bibik :'(

At home alone, feeling sad.
Juma, my domestic manageress, has left for her homeland yesterday.
She ain't coming back because with the money she has earned, she has already planned to buy a plot of land, cows and goats.
Very entrepreneurial this bibik of mine and we wish her the very best.

Booo Putra was the first she bade goodbye too.
Booo is not as noisy today...Guess he is feeling sad too. :(

The send off at the airport was very emotional.

How not to cry seh?
Juma, although sometimes she made my blood go upstairs, was of tremendous help to me the past 2 years.

I could juggle so many kinds of work while performing the work of motherhood simultaneously thanks to Juma.
I paid her to manage my household chores so that I could pursue my dreams.
Many dreams became realities for me the past 2 years and I must definitely credit her.

Past 2 years,
I've been coming home to a spick and span home.
E, Nyla and I never ran out of clothes to wear.
When I had work (tuition and viewings), she would babysit Nyla for me.
When I was too tired to mail out the togas/shawls/ponchos, she'd assist me.
When my feet ached, she'd massage them for me.
When I cooked, she'd do the marketing, prepare the ingredients and settle the cleaning up for me.
Days when E came home late, we'd be watching TV together or just chit chat.

How not to feel her loss?

I was worried though yesterday because Nyla was trying so hard to control her tears.
Never let go full steam one.
Really didn't want her to hold back on the emotions.
In the car, she teared a lil. But dia nak maintain...

Papa J dropped us off at ERA office because I had some work.
Nyla was very excited. I remember feeling very excited too whenever my dad brought me to his office last time.

After that, the initial plan was to go to Takashimaya because I have some vouchers to spend. (Thanks Muz!)
Nyla already said,"Half, I spend, the other half, you."
Ok la since it was a sad day for us, I agreed.

Toa Payoh pretty close to Shikin's home at Serangoon North and I asked Nyla whether she wanna play with Aunty Kin's kids instead.
Duh.

Takashimaya 0 Playdate1.
Thank you for having us Kin! Hughugs!
We headed over to Serangoon North right away.
Spent only about 3 hours there since everyone has school the following day.

My father in law fetched us.
In the cab, Nyla was unusually quiet.
I know liao, that she was gonna lose it real soon.

"Bibik reached Solo airport already?"
"What time will she reach?"
"You think she will remember us?"

This part classic.

Nyla: Yola (Juma's daughter) is so lucky seh, get to see Bibik.
Me: Nyla, come on. That's her mother man. She hasn't seen her mother for more than 700 days you know.
(TWO  macam short compared to SEVEN HUNDRED. That's why I converted to days. lol)

Basically the whole journey's conversation was about Juma la ya.

The moment I unlocked the door, Nyla removed her shoes.
Turned around, looked at me straight in my eyes and wailed sooooooo LOUD,"MOMMY, I MISS BIBIK TOO MUCH!"
Finally, my daughter let her guard down.
I cried along with her and told her to take comfort in knowing that Juma is now happily reunited with her family, especially her daughter, Yola.

That and she's happily eating mangoes and watching 'Ombak Rindu' DVD with her family. Heheh!

During Juma's initial stages with us, of course, she did plenty of wrongs. Funny ones somemore.
The lock incident. If you're clueless, click HERE.

But, the table mat incident wins hands down.

I had guests coming over and I called Juma and asked her to put a table mat on the dining table.
She didn't even ask where the table mat I had in mind was.
Because she didn't ask, I assumed she'd know.
"Wah terror seh, dah automatik!"
So imagine our surprise when this greeted us.

A for effort la ah. Hehehehe.
Sigh....Memories...

Why are the tears still flowing when I am supposed to laugh about this? Aaarrrrgh!
Sedih ah beb.

I'm most probably hiring a new helper.
Apparently I just found out, some maid agencies charge high, some not so.
So, I really have to do proper research.
As much as I wanna save costs, must make sure that the helpers have been properly trained, etc.
As requested, I will most certainly share which agency my new helper will be from k.
My only wish is that the new helper will be problem free one.
Heard so many horror stories. Pretty scared.
If any of you working in maid agency (or you know anyone that does) and would like to recommend your agency, do email me at nuraesman@gmail.com.
Appreciate loads.

Back to Juma.
Thank you for handling the domestic chores.
Most of all, thank you for loving Nyla like your own.

We will always remember you.
*keyboard wet liao*