Is DoodleKisses Coming Between My Family and Me??

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

 

Today, my daughter, who lives in Oregon, came home. We have not seen her since Christmas and it has been our longest separation ever. She flew into Washington D.C. for a conference and is able to stay with us for one night. Tomorrow, she leaves at the crack of dawn to go back to D.C. for more meetings. We will not see her again until Christmas. When she got here, it was as if she had never left. Vern and Fudge barreled out of the house when she first arrived so excited that someone was here. Vern stopped in his tracks briefly and barked ferociously and then must have remembered he knew this person. Fudge knew right away.

 

When she told me she was coming, I asked her if she wanted me to cook a home cooked meal when she got home.  She has tasted my cooking and asked that we go out to dinner. Over the years, if they had to bring anything to school, I always drilled into them not to volunteer me for anything that I had to cook or bake. Anything I could buy quickly such as paper plates, napkins, utensils, or drinks, made me the happiest mother and shall we just say, the few times they forgot, I liked to remind them over and over and over again that mommy was unhappy.

 

So, out to dinner we went and as families do we started to talk about lots of topics.  First, my two daughters started talking about the Harry Potter movie. They went on for quite some time until finally I said, “Dad and I have not seen the movie, so when you talk about it, you are leaving out 50% of the people at this table.”  The oldest daughter then turned to me and said, “Mom, you have been going on and on about your dog website and don’t seem to care that you are excluding 75% of the people at this table.”  I can take a hint, so I told her that I had a fun Harry Potter tidbit for her and that we have an Albus on DoodleKisses. My husband, trying to get in on the conversation, asked if Albus was a person or a dog and my daughter said something like, “it probably is not just a dog, it is a Doodle!” but I thought I detected a note of sarcasm.

 

We dropped that subject and went on to talk about movies and concerts.  I told them I had just joined a group on DK that reviewed movies and one of the girls said, “Oh my god, please tell me you are kidding,” and I informed her that on DK we said OMD instead of OMG and she asked if that meant, “Our mom’s dopey!” and then they all laughed.  Undeterred, I then mentioned that during Yappy Hour, one member said she went to see John Mayer and Train and it was a great concert and I just found out Adam Levine and Train were coming and did anyone want to go with me?  Proving once again that he only hears a small percentage of what I say, my husband said, “Why do you want to go see Arvil Lavigne?”  My daughter said, “Mom, you do know that Adam Levine and John Mayer are two different singers or didn’t they tell you that in Sappy Hour?”  I made a mental note to myself to take this child out of the will.

 

For the next fifteen minutes, the Oregon daughter talked about buying a house, commuter distances, and all the things there are to do in Oregon.  I had been holding out hope she would hate this state and move back home, but I could see my dreams shattering with each word she spoke.  I guess I let emotion take over when I yelled, “If you tell me you are not coming home for Christmas, you might as well just stab me in the heart!” and my husband, right there in Olive Garden, handed her his knife and said, “have mercy on your mom and do as she says.” Well, that caused another round of laughter at my expense, but my daughter did say she was coming home for Christmas.

 

After dinner, my daughters wanted to know what we wanted to do next and I suggested we go home and get on DoodleKisses.  I said I could show her a video of Walla Walla, Washington, or whales in Newfoundland, or she could read all about a big hand, or see a picture of Joanne modeling the wedding Intercourse shirt holding a little purse with poop bags, or we could go bike riding and guess which bike rider is most likely to pee their pants (long story) in a race, or we could shop online for new Doodle stuff, or watch Shelly’s HDA video, or we could dress up the dogs in something fun I just got for them at Spencer’s Gifts and take pictures, or maybe, just maybe, if Karen had posted the new caption contest we could all sit around and bounce ideas off each other.  When I finally looked up, my family looked horrified and they offered a few of their own suggestions, most of which involved a twelve-step program, hiding my computer, or getting into some kind of a witness protection program so I couldn't find them.  Don't they realize I have DK contacts all around the world now and the means to post their pictures in the event they get "lost"?  I'll just keep that little tidbit to myself. In the end, they opted not to commit me if I stopped talking about my dogs and DK and we all went up to the mall.  BORING!!!

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

Although my daughter doesn't seem to mind the time I spend on DK and seems only mildly annoyed when I relate the newest amusing tidbit of info I've learned in my DK cruising, she is having a few doodle jealousy moments lately.  We live in the country and have since Rebecca was 2.  During much of her childhood, the area around our house remained unlandscaped - or I should say, landscaped by Mother Nature.  After she left for college, we did a major landscaping and although we have three patches of grass, they're not fenced in so Sedona can't run free.  So, we're now installing a fairly sizable fenced dog run / grandchild play area just off of our back courtyard.  Last time Rebecca was here she lamented that the whole time she was growing up, she yearned for even a small patch of grass but she never got her wish.  However the DOG and the grandchild are getting a state-of-the-art play area.  Oh well - who said life is fair?

[Dori & Rua]

I love it Laurie...as usual, you have the best posts.  I am finding it really boring to talk to anyone else but DK people.  My DH doesn't roll his eyes as much as he used to and when he comes home from work now he doesn't ask me how my day was he asks me what's new on DK!

[Jane Smith]

I am going to read this to my daughter. I think if she rolls her eyes one more time when i start speaking doodle, i'm going to have to deck her. She has made comments like....geez, they have more toys than we ever had. Or your dogs are going to need therapy if you keep dressing them up. Oh and...what do you expect, you got them off the internet!

I too am careful how much i talk about my girls. But i truly dont know what i would do without DK. I think they would have had me committed! But i hope they wait until lucy and ethel become therapy dogs so they can come with me! Bbwwaaahhaahhhaa

[Carol and Banjo]

LMAO!    Can't tell you the number of times I've almost referred to my DH as "my DH" in conversation in "the real world".    DK is a HUGE part of each and every day for me!!!!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Boring indeed, the mall not the blog. You reminded me, in the most amusing way that the DK website has become so much more than just about doodles, although that's what brought us together and what we return to at some point. I am so sorry your family is clearly in need of enlightenment, but then most families are.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Thank goodness that I live in Florida now and the grown children can't see the extent of my DK addiction.  Dh who is only home on the weekends - well he wanted to send me to Betty Ford but they don't treat DKism.  If I only drank just a little bit more or if I did drugs they assured him that they could help but the DK thing had them stumped.  On the up side the boys and I were NOT re-homed when dh found Stuart in our bed.  Does anyone know if there is something bigger than a King?

[Anna and Achilles]

oh Laurie, my boys are the same way. It is amazing how much I do talk about all of you with my family and now my friends. My friends tease me  all the time. I really don't care. I found something incredible here. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

Hey!  We could start a "Closet DK group"!!!

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

OMD!  This blog cracked me up because I soo understand!  I would try to save the DK talk for just us who understand each other.  The "others" just don't get it.  I have learned to try to shut up about Bexter, doodles, or DK because of what my family might do!

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Our girl's just roll their eyes, shake their heads and walk away slowly when I mention DK.