1. Go Find a Friend

   September 20, 2026

   It started when I decided to put away the lawn furniture.

   

   Photo by David Trinks on Unsplash

   I took the opportunity of a nice (almost) fall day to put away the lawn furniture because nobody is sitting outside any more even if we get a few more bonus days before the snow flies.

   Whilst in the garden shed, I found her soccer net and soccer ball. It took me a minute to find the little adapter for the pump to blow up the soccer balls but we found it and we had all the ingredients for a soccer game.

   Except friends to play with.

   So, BW and I both took turns between other outdoor tasks to play soccer but after a while the adults have to go adult and do adult stuff. BW had work to do inside and I had to finish the furniture task before dinner.

   “Play with me”, was the plea.

   We could, but that would require stopping what we were doing and we already played soccer. Mom and Dad are busy - press 3 to leave a message. Better yet - go play at the park!

   The brand new playground that you can see from the house has kids your age over there and I bet that they would love to play soccer with you.

   She thought about this and then went into the house to get a shoulder bag and somehow she managed to fit a soccer ball, a baseball bat and other goodies in the bag and off to the park she went. She didn’t come back for a good hour so I am assuming a friend was found and some playing happened.

   We left the net on the front lawn - that way we can get a quick game in before the school bus arrives.

   Until Next Time,

   TH and Co.

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2. Just Peachy

   September 19, 2026

   Today was a good day.

   

   Photo by Amit Lahav on Unsplash

   The plan: nothing until noon and then to the Peach Festival

   and then…

   MOM REALIZES MISTAKE. PEACH FESTIVAL WAS LAST WEEK. DAD SAYS “YOU TELL HER”

   I went and hid. BW dropped the bomb an offered Apple picking as consolation prize

   “Oh, Sure” she replied.

   Wait. What!?? What did you do with my daughter that does not like change. You have been talking about the peach festival all week and now it’s - eh, whatever?

   WHO ARE YOU?

   And she was just peachy all day. They went apple picking whilst I ubered, and the daily report was that she was great all day. I came home to her in the driveway setting up a “fall fair” in the frontyard.

   The activities were:

   • Bowl Stacking - harder than it looks
   • Dog Finding - the dog ran off. It was tense for a moment
   • Pumpkin Lifting. - another harder than it looks - when did pumpkins get so heavy.
   • Glow in the dark jump rope - I skipped this one, because reasons.

   And then she came in the house, decided herself she should shower and then farted around a bit and finally asked to be tucked in.

   I have just one question about all this good behavior:

   OKAY, UNIVERSE - WHAT’s THE CATCH?

   There has to be a catch.

   Until Next Time,

   TH and Co.

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3. 99,998

   September 18, 2026

   When we bought the bolt, it had 17000 miles on it.

   Not any more.

   I have Ubered a bit these past 3 years. I try not to but BW keeps saying stuff about liking to be married and living indoors.

   So, I drive. People come from all across the world to see Niagara Falls. I was there twice this afternoon.

   Electric cars are still a novelty for some passengers it seems so I thought I would answer a few questions here:

   Is this an electric car?yes.

   Do you like it?also yes.

   It’s quiet and roomy
   thank you. It has no motor.

   How many miles does it get on a charge?doesn’t matter - when I run out of juice I go home.

   What does it cost to charge?at home - about four bucks.

   How long does it take to chargeI have no idea. I plug it in at night and wake up and it’s full

   I’m sure there’s more but those are the basic ones. Overall this little blue roller skate has done us well with minimal repairs and a few sets of tires.

   We’re never going back to an ICE car. Ever.

   6000+ Uber rides so far. Here’s to a few more…

   Until Next Time,

   TH and Co.

   

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4. Sleepless Nights

   September 17, 2026

   This is going to be a short one.

   

   Photo by Anastasya Borovkova on Unsplash

   The child was up all night. No fever, nothing serious - just post nasal drip.

   It’s been a while since I have been up in the middle of the night with a sick child.

   For those that are wondering - not much has changed. Not recommended.

   I checked for fever. Nothing. Cool as a cucumber.

   I offered tissues - “ I already did!!!” she bellowed at me half asleep.

   I offered benadryl - “ I don’t like it!”

   It will help, I offered.

   “I don’t like it”, she screamed and snorted.

   Finally, I got some benadryl in her and the drowsiness kicked in and slowly, slowly, slowly until finally she fell asleep.

   I tip-toed out of her room the best I could, but I swear I hit every squeaky floorboard on the way out.

   As I walked back to bed, I glanced at the clock: 2:45AM.

   I know, somewhere somebody was at a bar then partying it up, or working the night shift.

   But me? Dad’s too old for that stuff.

   Dad is tired.

   Dad is going to write one more sentence here and go to bed.

   Goodnight all,

   Until Next Time,

   TH and Co.

   PS. She’s upstairs reading right now because she wants to win another shark.

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5. Learning is Play

   September 16, 2026

   It was just something I said. I wasn’t really trying to start a conversation. I was trying to get her to bed.

   

   I came outside to find my daughter turned into a superhero.

   “You learn by playing” I said, as I was drying her hair.

   This BTW - is right after I found her with an old dirty sock wrapped around the bathroom faucet and filling it with water and then “milking” it.

   “just like a cow”, she told me.

   I told her that’s not the best use of a faucet or a well worn sock, but whatever.

   Then I casually mentioned that one learns by playing so she’s not in trouble with the whole sock/sink fiasco - she’s just being seven - and that’s how you learn.

   OMG YOU GUYS.

   You would think I told her all the chocolate in the world is now free. She asked a million questions and I told her today was fun, and while she was having fun she was learning.

   HER MIND WAS BLOWN.

   One example I gave her: She told me she ran around the gym five times today. I told her that while playing and running she learned how her lungs worked, how it feels to run fast, how the shoes feel, how fast her friends are running, how the sound of her shoes on the wood floor sound, and so on.

   She was mesmerized.

   She had some felt balls glued to paper. I told her by gluing them on, she learned how glue works, how the balls stuck to the paper and what glued felt balls felt like when glued to paper.

   These examples went on for a good 10 minutes until I managed to get her to bed.

   Today she learned that one gets tired after running around all day at both the gym and when you’re outside being a superhero — a nice soft bed is a perfect way to end a great day of playing and learning.

   Until Next Time,

   TH and Co.

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