Windsor Plywood French Creek: The Pulse Community Podcast is brought to you in part by Windsor Plywood in French Creek, specializing in hard-to-source interior and exterior home finishing products, including flooring, doors and moldings, and exterior project materials such as yellow cedar. Windsor Plywood French Creek carries high-quality, responsibly sourced products and is committed to providing outstanding value and personalized one-on-one service to all of our customers: homeowners, do-it-yourselfers, renovators, builders, designers, craftsmen, and contractors. Regardless of the type or size of your project, Windsor can help you bring your vision to life from start to finish. Let Windsor Plywood in French Creek help you with your renovation, new build, or building project. Visit them online or call 752-3122.

The Ballad of Peter & Gracie: Peter and his dog raced there and through fields so wide, with dreams in their pockets and stars as their guide. Every day's an adventure under the open sky. In their world of stories, time just flies by.

Peter McCully: Peter bounced out of bed on the last Monday morning of summer vacation. His fluffy white American Eskimo dog, Gracie, was already awake and sitting by the window, her pointed ears perked up and her dark eyes sparkling with excitement. Gracie's thick snowy coat gleamed in the morning sunshine streaming through Peter's bedroom window.

"Gracie!" Peter called happily. "Today's the day we're going to get ready for school." Gracie's tail wagged so hard, her whole body wiggled. She loved it when Peter was excited because it meant adventure was coming her way. Gracie had been Peter's best friend since he was five years old, and now that he was seven and starting second grade, she knew this was going to be the biggest adventure yet.

Peter's mom knocked gently on his bedroom door. "Peter, are you ready for breakfast? We have a busy day ahead of us."

"Coming, Mom!" Peter called back. He quickly pulled on his favorite blue t-shirt and shorts and patted his legs. "Come on, Gracie, let's go eat." Gracie bounded down the stairs beside Peter, her white paws padding softly on each step.

Peter's family lived in a cozy house in Coombs, a small town on Vancouver Island just outside of Parksville. Their house had a big backyard where Gracie loved to run and play, and a front porch where she and Peter would sit together in the evenings.

At breakfast, Peter's dad, while eating his toast, said, "Are you excited about starting second grade next week, Peter?"

Peter nodded enthusiastically, his mouth full of pancakes. "Yes! And Mrs. Henderson said I get to have Mrs. Park as my teacher this year. Tommy says she's really nice and lets the class have a pet hamster."

Gracie's ears perked up at the word "pet." She tilted her head sideways, which always made Peter giggle.

"Don't worry, Gracie," Peter said, reaching down to scratch behind her ears. "You'll always be my best pet. The hamster is just for school."

Peter's mom placed a shopping list on the table. "After breakfast, we need to go to town to buy your school supplies. Then we'll drive around to find exactly where your school bus will pick you up this year."

Peter looked at the list with wonder. It seemed so long. There were pencils and erasers, colored pencils, glue sticks, scissors, notebooks, folders, and something called a composition book that sounded very grown-up and important.

"Can Gracie come with us?" Peter asked hopefully.

"Of course," she said. "Gracie loves car rides, and she can help us pick out the best supplies."

After breakfast, the whole family piled into their blue minivan. Gracie sat in her special car seat in the back next to Peter, looking out the window as they drove through the winding roads of Coombs. Their first stop was the country store, the biggest shop in town. Peter held the shopping list tightly in one hand and Gracie's leash in the other.

As they walked through the automatic doors, Gracie's nails clicked on the floor and she stayed close to Peter's side like the good dog she was. The school supply section was like a rainbow explosion. There were pencils in every color, notebooks with pictures of dinosaurs and unicorns, and folders that sparkled when the light hit them.

Peter felt overwhelmed by all the choices. "Let's start with the basics," said Peter's mom, consulting the list. "You'll need twelve number two pencils."

Peter and Gracie walked slowly down the pencil aisle. There were plain yellow pencils, pencils with stripes, pencils with cartoon characters on them. Gracie sniffed at a package that had fallen on the floor and then looked up at Peter with what seemed like approval.

"I think Gracie likes these blue ones," Peter announced, picking up a pack of bright blue pencils with silver erasers.

Next, they needed erasers. Peter chose pink ones that smelled like strawberries. Gracie wrinkled her nose at the sweet smell, which made Peter giggle. "Not everything has to smell like a doggy treat, Gracie."

The colored pencil section was Peter's favorite. There were sets with 12 colors, 24 colors, and even one massive set with 64 different colored pencils. Peter's eyes grew wide as he imagined all the pictures he could draw with so many colors.

"The list says you need a set of 16 colored pencils," said Peter's mom.

Peter picked up a set that included all his favorite colors: red for firetrucks, blue like the ocean, green like Gracie's favorite tennis ball, and purple like the flowers in their garden. Gracie seemed to approve of his choice by wagging her tail.

Choosing notebooks was harder than Peter had expected. There were notebooks with math grids, notebooks with regular lines, and notebooks with wide lines for kids who are still learning to write neatly. The covers showed everything from superheroes to puppies to outer space.

"I want this one," Peter said excitedly, holding up a notebook with a big golden retriever on the cover. "It looks like Gracie!"

Peter's mom looked at the notebook and smiled. The dog on the cover was golden, not white like Gracie, but it had the same happy expression and fluffy fur.

They continued through the store, collecting glue sticks, safety scissors with rounded tips, and folders in different colors. Peter organized everything by choosing a color system: red folder for math, blue for reading, green folder for science.

The composition book was in a separate section. These black and white speckled notebooks looked very serious and grown-up. Peter felt proud knowing he was old enough now to use a real composition book like the big kids.

"What's this for?" Peter asked, holding the notebook carefully.

"That's for when you learn to write longer stories," explained his mother. "You'll write about your adventures, maybe even stories about you and Gracie."

Gracie's tail wagged at hearing her name. She was being so patient and well-behaved in the store, even though there were lots of interesting smells and sounds around her.

Their last stop in the store was the backpack section. Peter's old backpack from kindergarten and first grade was getting too small, and besides, it had a cartoon character on it that he didn't like anymore. He wanted something more grown-up for second grade.

There were backpacks in every size and color imaginable. Some had wheels like suitcases. Some had special pockets for water bottles. Some had reflective strips for safety. Peter tried on several different ones, walking around the store with Gracie to test how they felt.

"This one!" Peter announced, stopping in front of a navy blue backpack with gray trim. It had lots of pockets and zippers, and it was just the right size for all his new supplies. Best of all, it had a small clip where he could attach a picture of Gracie.

Peter's mother helped Peter load all his new school supplies into his backpack. Everything fit perfectly, with room to spare for his lunchbox and anything else he might need during the school year.

"Well," said the store clerk as they checked out, "you're going to be the best-prepared second grader in all of Coombs! And what a beautiful dog you have there."

Gracie seemed to understand the compliment and sat up tall and proud, her white fur practically glowing under the store lights.

After loading everything into the minivan, the family drove slowly through the neighborhood. They needed to find the exact spot where Peter's school bus would pick him up each morning.

"There's the school!" Peter pointed excitedly as they passed the familiar brick building. The school looked different somehow—more important now that he was going to be a real second grader there.

As they drove through the streets looking for the bus stop signs that the school district had put up, Gracie pressed her nose against the car window, watching the world go by and occasionally making small whining sounds when she saw other dogs or squirrels.

"Found it!" called Peter's mom from the front seat. "There's the sign!"

They pulled over next to a small blue sign that read "School Bus Stop Route 7." The sign was planted in the grass just three blocks from their house.

The whole family got out of the car to examine the bus stop location. It was perfect. There was a big maple tree that would provide shade on sunny mornings and shelter from light rain. There was a clear view down the road so they could see the bus coming from far away.

"This is where you'll wait for the bus every morning," explained Peter's mom. "The bus comes at 7:45, so we'll need to leave the house by 7:35 to walk here with plenty of time."

Peter practiced standing at the bus stop, holding his new backpack and pretending to wait for the school bus. Gracie sat beside him like a faithful guardian, her white fur bright against the green grass.

"Can Gracie walk with me to the bus stop every morning?" Peter asked.

"Of course! Gracie would love that morning walk, wouldn't you, girl?"

Gracie barked once in agreement, her tail wagging enthusiastically. She loved any excuse to spend more time with Peter, especially if it involved walking around the neighborhood.

On the way home, they stopped at Gracie's favorite pet store to buy her a special treat for being such a good helper during their school shopping adventure. Peter carefully chose a new tennis ball for Gracie. This one was bright orange, so it would be easy to find if it got lost in the backyard.

That evening, Peter laid out all his new school supplies on his bedroom floor. Gracie watched carefully as he organized everything, occasionally sniffing at the new smells of fresh pencils and clean notebooks. The backpack stood ready by Peter's door, packed and prepared for the first day of school.

"Look, Gracie," Peter said, showing her each item. "These pencils are for writing my name and doing math problems, and these colored pencils are for art time. And this composition book is for writing stories—maybe even stories about you."

Gracie tilted her head as Peter talked, her dark eyes following his movements. She might not understand all the words, but she could feel Peter's excitement and happiness.

Peter's mom came in to say goodnight. "Are you excited about starting second grade next week?" she asked.

"Yes," Peter said, "but I'm a little nervous too. What if the other kids don't like me? What if I can't find my classroom?"

Mom smiled and gave Peter a hug. "It's normal to feel nervous about new things, but remember, you've been to the school before. You know where your classroom is, and if you get lost, there are lots of nice teachers and grown-ups who will help you. And you'll make friends quickly because you're such a kind, friendly boy."

Gracie jumped up on the bed and curled up next to Peter, her warm, fluffy body providing comfort and reassurance.

"And Gracie will walk with you to the bus stop every morning," Mom continued. "She'll be there to give you courage and remind you that you're loved."

The next morning, Peter woke up early, even though school didn't start for another week. He was too excited to sleep late. Gracie was already awake, sitting by the window and watching the sunrise paint the sky pink and orange.

"Wanna practice going to the bus stop again?" Peter asked.

Gracie's answer was to run to the front door and sit patiently, waiting for Peter to get dressed and ready for their walk.

They spent the morning walking to the bus stop, playing in the park, and exploring their neighborhood. Peter felt more confident with each practice walk. He also practiced with his new school supplies. He wrote his name with his new blue pencils, drew pictures with his colored pencils, and started a practice story in his composition book about a boy and his dog who went on adventures together.

The weekend before school started, the whole family went to the school's "Meet Your Teacher" event. Peter got to see his new classroom, meet Mrs. Park, and find his assigned desk. Mrs. Park was just as nice as Tommy had said, with a warm smile and kind eyes. She even said that Peter could bring a photo of Gracie to keep at his desk.

"I can tell that Gracie is very special to you," Mrs. Park said as Peter showed her the picture he had brought. "Dogs make the very best friends."

Peter beamed with pride. He already liked Mrs. Park very much.

The night before the first day of school, Peter could barely sleep. His new backpack sat ready by his bedroom door, packed with all his carefully chosen supplies. His school clothes were laid out on his chair. His lunchbox sat on the kitchen counter, ready to be filled in the morning.

Gracie seemed to sense that something important was happening tomorrow. She stayed extra close to Peter all evening, following him from room to room and curling up right next to him at bedtime.

"Tomorrow's the big day, Gracie," Peter whispered in the dark. "I'm nervous, but I'm excited too. And I know everything will be okay because you'll be there with me in the morning."

When morning came, Peter was awake before his alarm clock. Gracie was already up, stretching and yawning before looking at Peter with bright, alert eyes.

"It's time, girl," Peter said softly. "Today I become a real second grader."

After breakfast, Peter put on his new backpack and attached a small photo of Gracie to the special clip. Peter's mom packed his lunchbox with all his favorite foods and made sure Peter had everything he needed.

When they reached the bus stop, three other children were already waiting with their parents. Peter recognized two of them from previous years at school, and there was one new girl who looked just as nervous as Peter felt.

"Hi, Peter!" called Tommy, who was now in third grade. "Cool backpack! Is that your dog?"

"This is Gracie," Peter said proudly. "She's an American Eskimo dog, and she walked me to the bus stop."

Soon all the children were gathered around Gracie, who sat patiently and enjoyed all the attention. The new girl, whose name was Emma, seemed much less nervous after meeting Gracie.

"Dogs always make everything better," Emma said with a smile, gently petting Gracie's soft fur.

In the distance, they could hear the rumble of the school bus engine. Peter felt his stomach flutter with nervousness and excitement.

"There it is!" Tommy pointed down the street.

The big yellow school bus rounded the corner and approached their stop. Peter hugged Gracie tight and whispered, "Wish me luck, girl. I'll see you this afternoon, and I'll tell you all about my first day of second grade."

As Peter climbed on the bus with his new backpack and all his carefully chosen school supplies, he felt ready for whatever second grade might bring.

The Ballad of Peter and Gracie: Peter and Gracie, the finest of friends, with tales of wonder that never end. In the pages of books or stars above, they find their magic in laughter and love.

Windsor Plywood French Creek: The Pulse Community Podcast is brought to you in part by Windsor Plywood in French Creek, specializing in hard-to-source interior and exterior home finishing products, including flooring, doors and moldings, and exterior project materials such as yellow cedar. Windsor Plywood French Creek carries high-quality, responsibly sourced products and is committed to providing outstanding value and personalized one-on-one service to all of our customers: homeowners, do-it-yourselfers, renovators, builders, designers, craftsmen, and contractors. Regardless of the type or size of your project, Windsor can help you bring your vision to life from start to finish. Let Windsor Plywood in French Creek help you with your renovation, new build, or building project. Visit them online or call 752-3122.