Two weeks after.

My mother is driving me
nuts.

I can’t help but feel as if there’s
a very loving stainless steel vise around my neck. I am suffused with equal
amounts of gratitude and exasperation for her busybody assertive mother help.
She makes me feel stupid around Lucien everyday, but she doesn’t mean it; I
expect I am just too sensitive, or too used to deciding for myself. It’s been 10
years since I’ve lived with my mother, after all. She has to have things her
way, a trait which I have unfortunately inherited.

Sigh. At least I am learning many new
words.

1)
Kimaw
inexperienced, ignorant (My mom to Lucien: “Ang nanay mo, kimaw na
kimaw.”)

2)
Sirono (?)
– some kind of evil night dew that harms women who’ve just given
birth

3)
Talepya
misshapen babyhead caused by any sleeping position other than
military-supine