No Duds Allowed.

I am fortunate enough to have a home away from home away from home, and it's at the Longs' house in Baton Rouge. Angela -- who started as a fun coworker and has ended up as an even funner friend -- and her whole family are just precious and real and so enjoyable to be around, including their gorgeous Goldendoodle.

Dude K. Long joined their family soon after I started working with Angela, and he's absolutely beautiful. He also manages makes me feel like I'm the only person in the world he wants to play with and lick, which is always a fantastic trait in a new friend. :-)

Michael, Angela's 7-year-old, also loves Dude. However, Michael lives with Dude, so he's understandably had to set boundaries that are not required of me.

Last year, when Michael was 6-ish and Dude was 1-ish, Michael decided to keep Dude out of his room by posting a sign on his door: 

No Duds Allowed.

I'm not sure if Dude recognized 3/4 of his name enough to follow the instructions that night, but the message on the sign has stuck with me as something I'd love to post on all my doors -- literal and figurative. I mean, really, who wouldn't want to keep out all the duds in this ridiculous world?

After all, it's up to us to keep our homes (and hearts, and souls, and dreams) as safe and sound as we possibly can.

Geaux Michael! Such a wise, wise future Saint-slash-animal caretaker at the zoo.