Of Caffeine and Canine

Now that the Donuts That Dunk has once again come to town, the wife and I are obsessed with the smooth happiness in a cup. This has PROBLEM written all over it. I hear the place calling to me. I'm driving along and my car suddenly veers to the land of pink and orange. I don't need to be buying coffee via a drive through every day. I pray the novelty wears off sooner than not. Having DD in town sure beats driving 30 minutes across the state line to get a cup of joe.

Yesterday, while out running errands, I heard the call. I wasn't near the DD but heard it, anyway. I fought a valiant battle and finally, FINALLY got my car to go home without stopping for coffee. I was so proud!

My victory was short-lived. I put the dog in the car and went back later in the afternoon. Sigh. I need a 12 step meeting for this.

Or, maybe a 12 cup card punch.

Speaking of the dog, the wife and I have been properly trained. In an effort to get Freckles to SHUT UP in the morning, we developed a new ritual. It works handsomely...well, the dog no longer barks at length...instead, we do the work and the dog sits on the couch.

It seems that we have reinforced new behavior but the behavior is ours. When the dog starts barking, one of us goes into "shut her up" mode. When it's my turn, it goes like this:

1. Barking. Barking loudly. Ear-piercing loudly. (The dog, not the wife.)
2. Grab.laptop and coffee.
3. Take laptop and coffee, go in to the front room.
4. Plop dog the couch.
5. Plop myself on the couch.
6. Dog falls instantly asleep. I do my work while seated in my place.

See? You can teach old dogs new tricks. I learned this new trick without effort.

I am not a fan of typing while on a couch but it works. Well, it works for the dog. It doesn't nothing for carpal tunnel (of which I do not have but one must be cognizant of ergonomics at all times). The dog instantly stops when we do what we have been trained to do. The dog is snoring and dreaming before I get through half a cup of coffee.

Coffee from, of course, the land of DD. 

Now, I do NOT go to DD in the morning, as it is too far away. No, I plan ahead and put a cup in the frig for the next morning.

It's an illness.

I have DD for the single-cup machine at home but it's not the same. I don't know what the hell they do to the coffee at the store but it's one bazillion percent better than anything I can make at home.  I've even tried the DD creamer available at the grocery store. (For the record, it is hard to find "cream only." I can find original--cream and sugar--and caramel and extra sweet but not just cream.) Please, novelty! Please wear off. Soon. Very soon.

I am addicted to DD and my life has become unmanageable.

I'm seated on the couch and my dog has become manageable.

I'll take a quiet dog over concern over coffee concerns any day.

Don't need a punch card for that.
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