My wife and I have quite a nice arrangement. I cook, she cleans. Quite a fair deal, especially from my POV. I like to cook... she likes a clean house. Problem solved. Or so I thought.
We eventually got around to having kids. Two of them. Both girls. 3 years apart. Both wonderful blessings in their own, unique way.
I grew up in a household where mom cooked the same 7 meals, 7 nights a week. No questions asked. No input from I or my sister. The dog didn't care. It wasn't really THAT bad, but close. So I wanted to share in the meal-time decision making with My family. Nice daddy... or so I thought.
Digression: I like most foods, but I do have favorites... Italian being one of them. I also like to please people. I guess that's one of my "love languages." Sheesh. So, I have a habit of naming 3 things (or restaurants) I want to have for the next meal and letting my wife (and now kids) pick one. I'm also open to other suggestions, but I like my preferences to be known.
What drives me nuts is indecision. It's a failing, I know. Lack of patience, I guess. Sue me.
But... I digress (you were warned!).
Every meal, it seemed, I would ask the girls (wife included) what they wanted for dinner. Invariably I'd get the answer, "I dunno". Arrrrrrrrrgh! Or no answer at all. Double Arrrrrrrrrgh!
Finally, I got fed up with getting no input, whatsoever, into what to make for dinner. So I invented the word "Carboodle" to describe what we would be having. The Etymology is, I guess, from "caboodle", as in, the "whole kit and caboodle." Plus, it's a funny sounding word... and I have a habit of just making things up.
"Carboodle" simply means "I choose. Me. No questions asked. No complaining. And, yes, you will eat this or nothing else. Period." It usually means I will stick my head in the fridge and see what I can make the quickest -OR- what looks good to Me. (I also sometimes tease my daughters that tonight Carboodle = sardines with peanut butter, pickles and cheese sauce. Yum!)
Problem solved. All I have to do is mention the word "Carboodle" and 10 suggestions come flying my way. Or sometimes they're okay with Carboodle, because, after all, I like to eat and wouldn't make anything TOO gross. :-D
Hope this clears things up.
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