Mum's the word

Mom's in town. Any excuse not to get work done right?  I know we're poor right now but was it bad I took today off work?  I didn't think so until I saw the incredulous look and she said "you're not going to work tomorrow either?" Then it doesn't bother her on her days off that I leave work after an hour to come home and take her shopping. Oh well I learn a lot about tension between different women when my mother comes to visit.  This is only the second time to this house, god knows how my sisters will be when they come out next since I'm sure they'll have made up their minds about how to act here before they get here.  I was much happier in my ignorance, I usually had more than one woman around (Girls really I was still a teen back then) I was oblivious to their interaction, saw their snarls and glares and was able to completely ignore them.  Now anchored in a strong relationship every one of those glares is a tempest, on sweet sounding false word between the women sends rolls and crests deep into my future.  Already I must plan for the next visit, keep these two separate, don't mention this or that.  Aching eyeteeth batman! I never had to watch what I said before. I am not a gossip but if you say something , repeat something and some woman looks at you with a prefatory gleam in her eye as if she'd just seen a three legged wildebeest run behind you, Shut your mouth and never return to the subject! These innocent recollections feed the small fires of feminine jealousy and spite creating holocausts of bruised feelings and  future enmity,  I thought men were the territorial and jealous ones.
      So as I said Mom's in town and I'd better watch my tongue around the little woman, and in reverse around my mother.