Some of you know that we’re getting an addition to the Stockdale family. Not another little Stockdale, or a furry Stockdale, but an ‘Assistant Stockdale’.
In Singapore, things like cooking, cleaning, and laundry are VERY difficult. I get tired even thinking about them. When you combine the complexity of everyday life with the cost of labor in Southeast Asia, you get FDWs (Foreign Domestic Workers) commonly referred to as ‘helpers.’ ‘Helpers’ are live-in maids/cooks/nannies that make everyday life easier so that I can run, bike, swim, drink coffee, read the paper, relax, play Xbox, play golf, nap, blog, relax and relax while Mrs. Stockdale is at work.
In order to employ a ‘helper’ there are a variety of forms you need to fill out and you also must complete an online class that teaches you how to treat your ‘helper’. Here are some examples of what we learned:
(You may need to click on the image to actually read the slide.)
The entire ‘class’ took about two hours and these are just two slides from many that I could have selected. Mrs. Stockdale and I are now well versed on how to treat the Assistant Stockdale.
Adventures of Dale Stockdale 
sounds like a vacation – a different lifestyle – will be good to have someone knowledgeable of the living style – food, shopping ,housework, etc.
Sal….ugh I mean Mr. Stockdale….your vast amounts of looming free time are concerning me. I think Mrs Stockdale needs to get you a job.
I absolutely LOVE reading your updates – you are quite the writer! Your comments are much more interesting than either The Wall Street Journal or, obviously, The Kansas City Star! Miss you all!