Thursday, November 14, 2013

How I met your mother


I realized this past weekend (and where did that go, btw?) that I've known three out of the four daughters-in-law since they were teenagers.  I think I met Erica when she was fourteen; the same with Sarah.  But I think Dede was sixteen when Ed brought her around to the house.  We lived in Provo then.

Janie was with me.  We stood in the kitchen.  Ed introduced her:  "This is Dede," pronounced Deedee.

"Dede," I said.  "How do you spell that?"  I was always interested in name spellings.  Jonathan dated a Mashell once.  The best.

"D-E-D-E."  Wrong spelling.

"That's not Deedee.  That's Duhduh."

Janie cackled.  "Yeah, that IS Duhduh."

"So where are you from, Duhduh?"  Janie and I cackled together.  We are each six inches taller than Dede and thirty years older, so this was a really a FAIR and EQUAL conversation.  There was absolutely no misuse of power here.

I don't think I saw Dede again until Ed brought her around at age 22.  I hope I didn't bring up the Duhduh then, but knowing how I break out into inappropriate behavior occasionally, I can't be sure.

Anyway, Dede had a birthday last weekend.  She is fortyish.  "Ish" covers five years.  I am seventyish and will be for another four years and then I will be seventy-fivish" until I'm eighty.  Get it?

For her birthday, she gets to have surgery on her back.  See how life starts stinking at certain ages?  This, I doubt, will slow down the energetic Dede.  Still, back surgery is not a massage with lavender-smelling oils, is it?

It makes me sorry about the Duhduh thing.  Almost.

Happy Birthday, dear Dede.









6 comments:

  1. You should be sorry. Scarred me for the rest of my life. (obviously).
    What that moment did do was endear you and Janie to me for always.
    Thanks for the Happy Birthday.!! Love, Duhduh

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  2. I laughed and laughed because I'm calloused like that. What a sport, Dede!

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  3. I begged them to stop. I begged them to stop. And they just kept right on trampling Dede into the carpet.

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  4. Duhhuh is amazing for a forty-ish.
    Good on ya, Duhduh.

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  5. I hope your birthday was happy, Dede. I'm sorry you have to celebrate by having surgery, but I'm glad you will be able to get down with your running self again. I think you're swell!

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