I had the same experience before. My maid cried to me saying her father died, so I let her go home immediately. Never thought she had planned the whole thing - her father did not die (who will lie about that!?), she took all her belongings piece by piece so I didn't even notice (I never went into her room). Like the post master, I was heartbroken too.
From then on, I kept a distance from my maids. I couldn't treat them as family members - to protect my feeling. I was so hurt that time.
SandraLo,
7 maids in 11 years! That's a record. I thought I was not lucky. My current maid is so-so, smart but didn't treat me as a ma'am but equal! Last evening when we watched the news while having dinner, she still had her radio on the whole day while she was working - I had to ask her to turn off her radio such that I could watch the news peacefully!