Oh Ruby...

For those of you not familiar with Upstairs Downstairs (the classic 70’s drama serial), this was the cry of Mrs Bridges (the cook) to Ruby, the put upon scullery maid. The phrase has come to mind has there has been a change in my domestic staff. Since moving to 8th Street we have had a variety of chowkidars (gatekeepers) but all the incumbents have also been cook to downstairs and this has led to some frustrations. By frustrations that usually means I have to open the gate myself!! Not the most arduous task I admit but when you arrive home and are not sure whether or not you have to get out of the car and are sounding the horn, you look a little silly.

Anyway, I now have Tariq in residence as my chowkidar and we are working out his various duties and responsibilities. Tariq is the brother of Zubair one of the school drivers and so hopefully he will work out.

I have also been having a little trouble with Naseen the cleaner. She seems to have been building up her cleaning empire and has more work than she can do. This means she has been sub-contracting the work to her husband Iqbal. Unfortunately, whereas, Naseen approach to cleaning would earn awards from my mother, Iqbal’s approach is more akin to my own! After a few conversations, through Tamkeen, we have come to the arrangement that Naseen will come twice a week to ensure ‘standards’ are maintained. Life is hard sometimes being ‘master’ of the house!!

School has closed today for half term and Sunday heralds the arrival of Meg and Dot, who will be staying here for ten days and we have a variety of activities planned, including a trip to Lahore and a trip out to the beach, with some shopping and nice restaurants thrown in.

Last week saw a new winner in ‘The strangest thing to be seen on a motorbike’. The previous winner was two guys and 6 concrete paving slabs. This has been overtaken by two guys carrying 3 sheets of glass! These sheets of glass where 2x2 feet, 2x4 feet and 2x6 feet in size. The ingenuity and sense of balance of the locals never ceases to amaze me…