the Dalaverse

I completely forgot we were getting new carpet today. Well, more like "new" carpet - it's the same damn color. I actually couldn't tell where they'd started when I came in. I realize my parents didn't want to do the bedrooms and I'm grateful because I didn't have to move the piles of stuff under my bed, but still...Anyway, they're not done yet, so I'm sort of stuck up here. Which is unfortunate, because I'm really hungry. I don't think anybody's going to want to cook tonight, so I suppose we'll go somewhere.

It's fairly ridiculous how often we go out to dinner, or even to pick up Panera and/or Chipotle. It got worse a couple of years ago, when Dad went on his diet and we had to stop making some of our favorite foods at home (plus we started to lighten up a little about said diet and let Dad order from a restaurant menu again, although I usually have to argue with him about one potential dish or another. One in particular - if the place happens to serve fish and chips, which is admittedly rare, I open up the menu and immediately say "YOU CANNOT HAVE FISH AND CHIPS" before he's even seen it). My mother likes to get all sanctimonious about how she doesn't spend a lot of extra money, but she's usually the one who says "Let's go out tonight!" and always the one to insist on an appetizer. If there are onion rings? Two appetizers, because I hate onion rings and she refuses to order anything I like, and damned if I'm going to sit there and stare at my empty setting. I did say it was ridiculous, didn't I? One time the two of us went out and managed to come home with three bags - BAGS, not boxes - of food. Because we'd picked up a meal for Dad, you see, but then we'd also disagreed on appetizers and got one apiece (which neither of us finished), and then I didn't finish my pizza, and THEN I ordered an especially delicious white chocolate cheesecake and couldn't finish that - so it all came home.

...Okay, maybe that time it was mostly my fault. Especially since I don't pay. But every now and then I pick up the tip. What the hell else are parents for, eh?

By the way, this is horrifying. The Tower of Doom is one of my favorite rides in Kings Dominion.