Pork Stick of Antonia

Susan left this noon after 15 days of being our kusinera. I gave her some pre-owned clothes from our ukay-ukay box to give to her relatives, parang exit gift.

This balikbayan box full of Nyke’s and Edmund’s clothes will go to the Philippine Marines kasi it contains men’s clothes. I will double check lang baka merong naligaw na underwear ko eh kahiya-hiya.

I no longer bother to know why maids leave us. I just accept that they want to leave so be it. I always tell them that they should go where they are happier.
As long as we are at peace with ourselves and conscience that maids are treated fairly while here with us.

Exit Susan, enter our new cook named Antonia, 48, from Bacolod. If she lasts for a week then she lasts for a week. Syempre it’s her first day kaya medyo cheerful pa sya.

Omb 5:30 pm———– “Antonia, dito kami ni sir magdi-dinner, anong lulutuin mo? Dalawa lang naman kami”.
Antonia————— “STICK”
Omb——————- “Alin?”
Antonia————— “stik ko ito pork stik”.
Omb——————- “Ow, okay. Igisa mo rin itong lahat ng sayote para sa atin”.

(I bought organic sayote in Tagaytay yesterday.)

Omb—————— “Paki kuha yung ground beef sa freezer. Hindi kumakain ng pork ang anak kong babae”.

Antonia————– “Eto mam, giniling na pork”.
Omb—————— “Lulutuin ko ito para sa anak ko, hindi sya kumakain ng pork tandaan mo lagi. Beef yan, hindi pork. Kailangan maruno kang tumingin kung ano ang pork o beef”.

I cooked string beans for Oyen.

Minsan kasi Oyen looks for food in the ref, mabuti ito she can just re-heat.
She likes string beans, beef and shrimps.

I asked Antonia to put the rest of the frozen shrimps back in the freezer.
Antonia————– “Personal? Ipasok ko sa kwarto nyo?”

Huh, frozen hipon?

Omb- 7:05pm I went back to the kitchen to tell Antonia to set the table kasi kakain na kami ni Edmund. I found out she hasn’t cooked the sayote.

Omb—————- “Antonia, kala ko sabi ko lutuin mo na itong sayote?”
Antonia———— “Sabi nila alas otso pa raw kayo kakain”.
Omb—————- “Sabi ko lutuin mo na agad.  Matagal lumambot ang sayote, kakain na kami, hindi yan aabot”.

I started cooking the sayote, but let her continue because Edmund and I were about to eat.

True enough, Edmund and I were done eating before she finished cooking the sayote.

Omb————–“Tapos na kaming kumain,  pero sige, maglagay ng konti sa platito, para matikman ko”.

Omb to Edmund—– “Walang lasa”.

Omb————— “Antonia, sobra na sa hinog itong langka, paki minatamis na lang”. Kumain muna kayo tapos paki luto mamaya”.

8:30 pm I was looking for the minatamis na langka, kasi gusto ko ng kumain. Wala.
Omb————— “Kumain na ba kayo? Asan yung langka?”
Antonia———– “Tinago ko mam, bukas ko na lang lulutuin”.

Omb————— “Eto nilista ko yung lulutuin mo bukas para sa breakfast namin”.
Antonia———– “Anong oras kayo mam mag-breakfast?”
Omb————— “Seven. Yung sunny side up lutuin mo pag malapit na kaming kumain kasi gusto ni sir mainit pa”.
Antonia———– “Sige mam, isang itlog lang ang lulutuin ko”.
Omb————— “Dalawa kami ni sir kakain”.
Antonia———– “Isang itlog.
Omb————— “Tatlo”.
Antonia———— “At dalawang sausage”.

I took out the pack of German Frankfurters from the freezer and gave it to her.
Omb————— “Alisin ang plastic, hugasan mo muna. slice mo ganito, panfry without oil”.
Antonia———– “Dalawang sausage”.
Omb————— “Apat”.
Antonia———– “Tatlo?”

If our interaction today is an indication of things to come, I am predicting that we will stay together for a long time.