mintycat, you poor thing! It's not the end of the world; in fcat better find out now than have her start and get even more unreliable. Keep interviewing. In the meantime, you can use one of the cleaning agencies and maybe Rent-a-Mum. These options are much more expensive, but at least will buy you some time until you find the right helper. And DO NOT turn down any offers of help from friends! Everything helps - getting Wellcome to deliver, wearing your husband to a frazzle, flying a genuinely helpful family member over etc. Good luck!!!