1. The Dog

   October 21, 2026

   I have mixed emotions about the dog.

   

   Mostly negative.

   I mean the dog is a big pain in the butt. It’s the neediest dog known to mankind and would happily sit in your lap all day long if you let it.

   I don’t let it.

   And don’t get me started on wanting in and out all the time. In, then out – and repeat. It doesn’t know what it wants half the time.

   But tonight it earned it’s keep. I am not sure how it started but somehow the child found a bandanna from her fun run and had it wrapped around her head. She looked like a 7-year-old version of Keith Richards.

   After dinner the attention span waned on the Rolling Stones look and the dog grabbed the bandanna.

   The chasing then began. Around and round and round the house for a good fifteen minutes at least. The dog trotting about 3 steps ahead of her. Like a deranged show dog with with the child in tow.

   One would think that this would get boring for either of them – but nope - more trotting and more chasing.

   Tonight, and tonight only – the dog is in my good graces.

   Tomorrow, it’s a whole new circus, and that’s why I keep writing here.

   Maybe tomorrow is Mick Jagger Day.

   Maybe she will put lipstick on the dog.

   Or…eyeliner maybe.

   

   Until Next Time,

   TH and Co.

   Permalink

2. Grounded

   October 20, 2026

   Can I go to David’s House?

   

   1. Who is David?
   2. Ask your mother
   3. mother says to ask me.
   4. no

   Screaming and questions follow.

   Dad Explains:

   I told her that when she gave me a whole lot of trouble this morning with not wanting to do well - anything, that I would return the favor in the afternoon.

   We made the bus, but under a whole lot of unnecessary duress.

   I had forgot, but BW reminded me so I held my ground and said no to David, but also: the playground

   You are grounded for the afternoon. This means Dad is busy and Mom is busy and we are not your playmates this afternoon and you’re going to have to entertain yourself.

   CUE THE SCREAMING.

   But it didn’t last long and she avoided me for most of the evening because she knew she was on my shit list. She has been a bit lippy and snarky the past few days and this morning was out of the ordinary so sometimes we just reset the expectations a bit.

   My Dad would have called it an attitude adjustment.

   That’s not allowable anymore so the best I’ve got is to send her outside where she entertained herself with two buckets and some leaves for a good hour.

   It seems that now I don’t write about bedtimes anymore and instead write about mornings and school buses.

   I guess this is called progress?

   Also. WHO is DAVID?

   Until Next Time,

   TH and Co.

   Permalink

3. Driving Me Up the Wall.

   October 19, 2026

   I blame the lack of teeth.

   

   I swear, she’s been…active and sassy. Not misbehaved really but just..a handful today.

   Maybe it’s the fact that she can’t say the word “The” really well right now.

   After the bath things turned around and she decided that she needed to sing us and the song was titled:

   I drive my Dad crazy.

   

   9 million toys in the house and the lid from Tupperware and an elastic band and you’ve got the recipe for song that is now her theme song.

   She drove me crazy tonight.

   And that’s something to sing about.

   Until Next Time,

   TH and Co.

   Permalink

4. LOST: YET ANOTHER TOOTH.

   October 18, 2026

   Pictures are worth 1000 words tonight:

   

   

   

   

   

   

   Perfect timing because tomorrow is picture day at school.

   Start making room on your fridge! :)

   Until Next Time,

   TH and Co.

   Permalink

5. The Swiffle

   October 17, 2026

   This morning she had an appointment to get a COVID vaccine.

   

   The deal was: behave at the doctor’s and we’ll go get a donut after.

   At one point last night we were about to cancel as she looked really really pale, but she still said she wanted to go in the am.

   7:30am: Dad - get up. I need my shot.

   Okay then. We get ready and all the way there she’s fine and we’re talking about whatever in the car on the way - good as gold. Sunny with no clouds in the forecast.

   Still good into the Dr’s office even. This might be the one time we don’t have to hold her down and get kicked at.

   Then the nurse came out and called her name and that did it - the drama and the fake “I’m scared” came out and then when by the time she was in full uncooperative mode.

   The nurse, bless her heart - took the time to explain for probably the 100th today that the needle is like a little pinch but that this no good. Eventually, she hiked up her shirt, swiped her arm and gave her the stab.

   It was so over before she even knew what happened.

   And once it was? It was if it didn’t happen. That ten minutes of hell you put your old man through? - didn’t happen.

   Then the negotiation really started. The deal was that if she behaved she would get a donut. This is where it gets tricky in parentville:

   On one hand, it’s easy to argue that nope -you screamed and kicked - no donut.

   on the other hand, you have to give her credit to wanting to go. She may not like the actual event but until the moment came to be she was actually quite good and brave.

   The Verdict

   I went with bravery. Others may not have - but I wanted a donut too and she’s not going to ruin my fun. :) I figure she gets a reward for wanting to go and that getting there was half the battle.

   On the way home we decided that the word “shot” or “needle” for the vaccine is too scary and that from now on we are going to call it “the swiffle”.

   So that’s the deal for next year:

   Get the swiffle and get a donut - the same deal as this year but now with better branding. :)

   

   Until Next Time, TH and Co.

   Permalink

Every post → · RSS feed