Time to say Goodbye :( :(

[Dixieland Dancer]

Dear Friends at Pet Talk,
This is a very difficult post to write but I must. I am an obsessive person and when I become passionate about something it kind of takes over my life. I have become too obsessive (or is the correct term addicted) to Pet Talk. I find that I am spending more and more time here when I should be doing work. I wake up real early in the morning to find out what I missed during the night or stay up late to catch up on the posts. I even think about everyone's posts throughout the day when I should be working and in the middle of the night when I should be sleeping.

It is not just Pet Talk that I do this with. If I start to read a really good novel then I will stay awake all night reading and go to work so tired I can't keep my eyes open. I even find myself pretending to be going into the bathroom at work to "SNEAK" a few more pages. For this reason I don't read Novels (just short stories) unless I am on vacation or have a long weekend with nothing else going on!

My husband is very understanding and we have agreed that he will let me know (for my own good and the families) when I am getting carried away again. It happens over and over with different things. He is the one who has told me I am addicted to Pet Talk and need to get it under control. Unfortunately, I am not able to take small doses and be happy. I have found from past experiences that I need to go cold turkey in order to be successful in getting it under control again.

I have come to love and care for each of you and your dogs as if they were family. The stories, concerns, hurts, and joys of all the furbabies is a passion in my heart that goes to my very core of who I am. I will miss all of you and pray that you will all be well. You all have great love for the animals that are entrusted in your care and I share that with you. Thank you for letting me be a part of this wonderful family with open arms extended to me. For caring for Dixie and Dusty and letting me brag a little about them. For letting me feel special when you asked for advice or when I could share some knowledge with you. For letting me cry with you, laugh with you, and most important love with you. I love each one of the Furbabies we all treasure so much.

I wish I was stronger and able to do small doses of Pet Talk but for now I feel like a recovering addict who needs to take it just one day at a time and get detoxified. Please do not think this means I will not think of you or that you are not in my prayers. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is the greatest website on the whole internet and you are all the most wonderful people. If anyone ever needs anything, please email me and I will be there for you in whatever way I can.

Kiss all your furbabies for me! God's blessings to all of you and thanks for understanding.

Candy - AKA - Dixieland Dancer

[PJ's Mom]

Candy, you are a much stronger person than I could ever hope to be. I admire you for that.

Good luck, and know that you'll be missed.

[3-greys-and-a-mutt]

Candy, I understand your need to withdraw from Pet Talk. It is very addictive and I am thankful that I have a job where not every minute needs to be accounted for, or I would be in serious deep water! You have to do what's best for yourself, and I'm sure that everyone here will support the decision you feel that you need to make.

I hope that we can continue to hear about you, Dixie, and Dusty in some way, though! I hope you are on the Christmas card address list, so that we can all send Christmas cheer and a letter your way! You have become part of the Pet Talk family, and you will not be forgotten! I hope we see you back here someday!


Please take note of everyone's e-mail addresses -you can still keep in touch with us that way!

(mine is [email protected])

[Phred]

Dear Candy ~

Pleas know that you will be missed, by ALL of us .

God bless You, your FurKids, and your Family!

Please return to us when you are able to!

[RachelJ]

I need to call Dixie because that is how I have always thought of you. This is so sad, and I know exactly what you are talking about as I have felt that I have spent too much time here and yet in the same vein, not enough time. Sometimes I feel I even have sacrificed time with my dogs for Pet Talk. I don't know if there is a happy medium or not. When I'm not able to stay current, I am unhappy about it, when I feel I am current, I'm usually neglecting something else and feel guilty about that.

You have been so generous with your knowledge and expertise to all of us. I know that I speak for everybody when I say Dixie you are part of us and always will be part of us whether you are on the BB or not. We will not forget you. I think all of us are bonded in very unique way. Maybe one day you will be back, and maybe some of us will be gone, but the essence of this family ever changing as it is will always be better for the time you have spent with us. So Dixie, don't ever feel the time you spent here was wasted. Each of us carries with us a little bit of your wisdom and caring.
Goodbye Dixie.

[ramanth]

I only recently joined the board and you have been so helpful. I'll really miss ya, but I do understand.

Addicting little thing, this internet is...

Many hugs and doggy kisses from me and Kia.

~Kimmy and Kia

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Oh Dixie, I'm going to miss you so much, your making me cry, I know what you are talking about, but I have come to rely on you and love you, Dixie and Dusty. I know you have to do what you have to do, but it doesn't make it any easier. I look up to you and Carrie as the resident authorities on dogs. You have made me feel better when I do something that's not exactly right by all standards, like Daisy sleeping with me, you made me feel it was O.K. I hope we hear from you on and off and I will really, really miss you.
Jackie

Dearest Candy,

I completely understand what you are going thru. I am the same exact way with things. I find something that I love and it takes over my life. Please know that we love you and cherish your advice and expertise. You have been a wonderful friend to all of us.

I wish we didn't have to sat good-bye to you but there is always e-mail!! Thank you for all of the time you have spent with us and for all of the words of comfort and help you have given us. I wish you the best with your friend and those new puppies and hope and pray that they all grow up healthy and strong. I pray that your friend finds solace with her very own new puppy. Good luck to you, your husband and Dixie and Dusty. Love to you all. We will miss you.

Lexi and Sasha and I appreciate your advice with our situation. If you can manage sometime, please "stop in" and say a quick hello. We would all love to hear from you and make sure that you and the furbabies and new puppies are all okay.

Love Angel and the girls

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

we will really miss you. You have been so great! Please let us know how you and the babies are doing from time to time!

Hugs from Drake and I.

[shais_mom]

I am very saddened by your decision, tho I am completely at an understanding with you. I am the same way. I totally agree with you and Rachel, I sometimes feel the same way. I am just not that strong of a person.I do hope you come back and check on us from time to time. And I will send you Keegan Updates if that is ok.
I do appreciate your email and I did follow your advice.
I was very scared to read this post especially when I saw it was from you. I was hoping no one crossed to the bridge.
Your advice and support thru all our trials and troubles is appreciated. I greatly appreciate your support thru Shai's passing and my decision to adopt Keegan.
We will miss you very much, maybe you can post around the holidays so we know how you are doing.

[mugsy]

We will miss you Candy. Keep us up to date on your poochies through email!!

Bye!!

[Logan]

I'm sad , but I appreciate your honesty, Candy. I too have had to step back recently, as I was ignoring silly things like cleaning my house, filing my expense reports, etc, because I was spending so much time on my computer! Not necessarily answering posts, but reading, staying up too late on the computer, etc. I am fortunate that I can take a quick glance during the day as I work, but I am not disciplined either! And if there is a "hot" topic, then I am constantly coming back to check it out.

Honey and Lilly don't mind because they get their best scratches when I am "reading". I don't have a husband, and I don't do the computer when Helen is around unless she is wrapped up in something else.

OOOh. I've gotten long winded here. But my point is..I understand completely where you are. And if you get your Pettalkitis under control, you must tell us "how" and then come back and join us again. You will really be missed.

Hope your entire family, Goldens especially , have a wonderful holiday season, Candy.

Your Golden Loving friend, Logan.

[Freckles]

Candy, I'm sorry to read this but understand completely.
May I continue sending you the Name/Pets List?

Ms Dixieland,

I sure am sorry to hear that you need to step back. I was hoping to get to know folks on this board better, and you really seem like a great gal. But at least you are understanding where your place is, and that darlin, is half the battle. I hope in the near future you can come back and share with the folks here. Beside all I said, I just loves your doggers, being a golden owner myself.

I wish nothing but the best to you and your family ma'am.

Be Well, and hope to see ya on the board again in the near future.

--Augie & Hoocher Smoocher & Santana

[aly]

Candy, I completely understand where you are coming from. I am the exact same way. In fact, we are alike in so many ways, its crazy. Like Staci, I was scared to read this post, and my heart especially sank when I saw it was from you. I admire your strength and your priorities, but I hope that you can someday come back and join us.

I will greatly miss every post you make, every word you had to say, everything. I will be thinking of you still too, even though you won't be posting. As Rachel said, you will always be a part of our family.

Kiss all of your fur and skin kids for me. They are all so lucky to have such a great mommy. Just like all of us are lucky to have such a great friend. Be careful, stay safe, and if you ever want to email me, I will be glad to put a post on here for you updating everyone how you are.

We'll miss you