For dinner tonight, Chris’s dad had a hankering for Biang, which is the sister and sit-down restaurant version of Xi’an Famous Foods. Unfortunately, they are located in Flushing (and I have since found out that they shut down in favor of a location in East Village), and so we told him that the next best thing would be Chris going to the Xi’an Famous Foods just a block and a half from our apartment and getting takeout. He’d get his spicy numbing fix, and we’d also tempt him with wine. Everyone wins.

My mom is in super jealous mode right now. She doesn’t like it when the in-laws come to town because it means I am spending time with them, not her. Last week, she said to me, “Is it really necessary that they come for a whole week? They just spent several days around the wedding time with you.” Can you imagine her making that same statement about herself and my dad?

“What are you eating for dinner tonight?” she asked.

I told her that Chris would be picking up some takeout. She responds, “Why can’t his parents pick it up and pay for it? They’re not working and the two of you are. It’s the least they could do since you are housing them and they aren’t paying rent or anything.”

Again, imagine if she said this about herself and my dad. It always goes back to the money.