Amihan (northeast monsoon) season is here. The habagat rains are now replaced by the cooler trade winds and it was evident when I fell asleep two nights ago with just the electric fan to cool my room instead of the aircon.

I woke up at 5 am (my body automatically does that 😑) and it looked like it was a fine morning. I tried going back to sleep so I can have energy to walk to the community market to have my liquid hand soap bottles refilled. I had a one-hour nap and off I went.

I did the usual thing: buy breakfast, lunch, and dinner for me and my girls. Liquid handsoap and scents for my room. I’m addicted to making my room smell good; it relaxes me and calms my frayed nerves at the end of every workday.

It was a good exercise and it was nice to see my academic community enjoying a slow morning like this. I am thankful that I’m very privileged to live this provincial life without sacrificing my livelihood.

My kids are better off than their elementary friends who have to endure terrible commutes, especially N, who is going to transfer to UST high school because her mom was dissatisfied with Diliman Prep. I can just imagine the two-hr commute from their house in Sikatuna Bliss to España in Manila, with all the traffic and flood. 🫠

I keep repeating over and over in my head that I made the right choice by moving back here in my hometown. Better for my kids and my sanity.