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: Once upon a time, in a cozy house in Coombs, lived a fluffy white American Eskimo dog named Gracie and her best friend, a 7-year-old boy named Peter. Gracie had the most beautiful snow-white fur that sparkled in the sunlight, bright dark eyes that twinkled with mischief, and a tail that curled over her back like a fluffy question mark.

Peter loved Gracie very much, but lately something had changed in their house. Peter had discovered the wonderful world of tablets, television shows, and video games. Every morning when he woke up, instead of running outside to play fetch with Gracie, Peter would grab his tablet and sink into the living room couch. His fingers would dance across the screen, playing colorful games with beeping sounds and flashing lights.

Gracie would sit by Peter's feet, her tail wagging hopefully. She would bring her favorite red ball and drop it right next to him, making a little "plop" sound on the carpet. But Peter's eyes stayed glued to the glowing screen.

"Not now, Gracie," he would say without looking up. "I'm about to beat this level."

Days turned into weeks, and this became their new routine. Peter would wake up, eat breakfast while watching cartoons on the big television, and then switch to his tablet for games. In the afternoon, he would play video games on the family computer.

Poor Gracie spent most of her time lying in her dog bed, watching Peter through sad, dark eyes. Gracie tried everything she could think of to get Peter's attention. She would bring him her squeaky toys, dropping them one by one beside the couch. "Squeak, squeak, squeak" went her yellow duck. "Squeak, squeak, squeak" went her blue bone. But Peter just moved the toys aside without looking away from his screen.

Sometimes Gracie would do her special tricks that usually made Peter laugh. She would spin in circles, jump up and down, and even do her famous "play dead" trick where she would flop dramatically over on one side with her pink tongue hanging out. But Peter didn't notice. The only sounds in the house were the electronic beeps and boops from his games.

One sunny Saturday morning, something different happened. Peter's mom was getting ready for work when she noticed Gracie sitting by the back door, staring outside with the saddest expression on her fluffy face.

"What's wrong, Gracie girl?" Peter's mom asked, kneeling down to pet Gracie's soft fur. Gracie looked up at her with those big dark eyes and let out a little, tiny whimper.

It was such a sad sound that it made her heart ache. Peter's mom looked around the house and saw Peter in his usual spot on the couch, completely absorbed in his tablet. She looked back at Gracie, who was now pressing her nose against the glass door, leaving little wet nose prints as she watched the birds playing in the backyard.

That's when Peter's mom had an idea.

"Peter," she called gently, "could you come here for a moment?"

"Just one more minute, Mom," Peter replied, not moving his eyes from the screen. "I'm almost at the next level."

"Peter, I need you to come here right now, please."

Peter sighed dramatically and paused his game. He shuffled over to where his mom was standing by the back door.

"What is it, Mom?"

"Look at Gracie," she said softly.

Peter looked down at Gracie, who was still staring outside with the most longing expression he had ever seen. Her tail, which was usually wagging with excitement, hung low and still.

"Do you see how sad she looks?"

Peter tilted his head, really looking at Gracie for the first time in weeks.

"Why is she so sad, Mom?"

"When was the last time you played outside with Gracie?"

Peter thought hard, scrunching up his face. He tried to remember, but all he could think of were the levels he had beaten, the shows he had watched, and the high scores he had achieved.

"I don't remember," he admitted quietly.

"Peter," his mom said, "Gracie is an active dog. She needs to run and play and explore. But more importantly, she needs to spend time with you. You are her very best friend in the whole world."

Peter looked down at Gracie again. This time, he noticed things he hadn't seen before. Her beautiful white fur didn't seem quite as bright. Her eyes, which used to sparkle with happiness, looked dull and tired. And her tail—her wonderful, expressive tail that used to wag so hard her whole body would wiggle—was completely still.

"I didn't realize..." Peter started to say, but the words caught in his throat.

Just then, Gracie did something that broke Peter's heart. She walked over to her toy basket, picked up her favorite red ball—the one they used to play fetch with every single day—and brought it over to Peter, placing it gently at his feet. Then she sat down and looked up at him with hopeful eyes, her tail giving just the tiniest wag.

Peter felt a funny feeling in his chest, like something heavy was sitting on his heart. He realized that while he had been having fun with his games and shows, he had forgotten about his best friend who loved him more than anything in the world.

"Oh, Gracie," Peter whispered, kneeling down to hug the fluffy dog. "I'm so sorry."

Gracie's tail began to wag faster, and she licked Peter's face with her warm pink tongue. Even though Peter had been ignoring her for weeks, Gracie still loved him completely.

Peter's mom smiled. "I think it's time we talked about something called balance."

"What's balance?" Peter asked, still hugging Gracie.

"Balance means making sure you have time for all the things in your life. It's like when you're riding your bike—you can't lean too far to one side or you'll fall over. The same thing happens with how we spend our time."

Peter thought about this. "So I've been leaning too far toward screens?"

"Exactly. There's nothing wrong with enjoying tablets and games and TV shows. They can be fun and educational. But when we spend all our time doing just one thing, we miss out on other wonderful experiences."

Peter looked at Gracie, who was now wagging her tail so hard her whole back end was wiggling.

"Like playing with Gracie?"

"Like playing with Gracie," Peter's mom said, "and like running outside, breathing fresh air, feeling the sunshine, exploring nature, using your imagination, and spending time with people and animals who love you."

Peter picked up the red ball that Gracie had brought him. It felt different in his hands than the smooth surface of his tablet. The ball was textured and real, and when he squeezed it, it had give to it.

"I want to learn about balance, Mom. Will you help me?"

"Of course I will. But first, I think someone deserves some playtime."

Peter looked at Gracie, whose entire body was now wiggling with excitement.

"Would you like to go outside and play, Gracie?"

Gracie barked once—a happy, excited bark—and ran to the back door. She pressed her nose against the glass and looked back at Peter as if to say, "What are we waiting for?"

Peter laughed—really laughed—for the first time in weeks. The sound was different than the electronic sounds of his games. It was real and joyful and full of life.

They went out into the backyard, and Peter threw the red ball as far as he could. Gracie took off like a white lightning bolt, her fur flowing in the wind. She caught the ball and came racing back, her tail wagging and her tongue hanging out in a happy grin.

"Good girl, Gracie!" Peter cheered, and Gracie's tail wagged even harder.

They played fetch for 20 minutes, and Peter noticed things he had forgotten about. He noticed how soft the grass felt under his bare feet. He noticed how the sun felt warm on his face. He noticed how good it felt to run and laugh and play. And most importantly, he noticed how happy Gracie was. Her eyes were sparkling again, and her tail hadn't stopped wagging once.

When they came back inside, Peter and his mom sat down at the kitchen table to make a plan.

"Let's create a balance schedule," Peter's mom said. "We can make sure you have time for screens, but also time for other activities. What other activities do you want to try?"

Peter thought carefully. "Well, I want to play with Gracie every day, and I want to help you cook sometimes, and maybe I could learn to draw pictures without using a tablet."

"Those are wonderful ideas," she said.

They also planned outdoor adventures for the weekends. They would go to the dog park so Gracie could play with other dogs. They would take walks in the neighborhood, and they would visit the lake where Gracie could splash in the water.

The next day, Peter started his new balanced routine. When he woke up, instead of immediately reaching for his tablet, he got dressed and went downstairs to find Gracie. She was waiting by her food bowl, and when she saw Peter, her whole body started wiggling with joy.

"Good morning, Gracie," Peter said, giving her a big hug. "Are you ready for our new adventure? Come on, Gracie. Let's go outside."

They spent the morning playing in the backyard. Peter had forgotten how much fun it was to run around and just be silly. He would hide behind trees and call Gracie's name, and she would come racing to find him, barking with excitement when she discovered his hiding spot.

In the afternoon, Peter tried drawing with real paper and colored pencils. At first, it felt strange to hold a pencil again instead of touching a screen. But he drew pictures of Gracie running through the grass and discovered that creating something with his own hands felt different than playing games on a screen. It felt more real, more his own.

Gracie lay beside him while he drew, occasionally lifting her head to look at his artwork. Peter was sure that she approved, especially when he showed her the picture where he had drawn her catching her favorite red ball.

The days that followed were full of new discoveries. Peter learned that books had a smell—a good smell like adventure and possibility. He learned that cooking with his mom was messy and fun, and that food tasted better when he helped make it himself. He learned that Gracie had dozens of different barks that meant all different kinds of things.

Most importantly, Peter learned that balance didn't mean giving up the things he enjoyed. He still played his favorite games and watched his favorite shows during his screen time hours. But now these activities felt more special because he didn't do them all day long. It was like having dessert—it was more delicious because it was a treat, not something he had all the time.

One evening, as Peter and Gracie were sitting on the back porch watching the sunset, Peter's mom came outside to join them.

"How are you feeling about your new routine?" she asked, sitting down beside them.

Peter thought for a moment, scratching behind Gracie's ears.

"I feel more awake," he said. "When I was on screens all day, everything felt kind of fuzzy and the same. But now each part of my day feels different and special."

Gracie, as if she understood exactly what Peter was saying, nuzzled closer and let out a contented sigh.

"And how do you think Gracie feels?" she asked.

Peter looked at Gracie, whose tail was doing its happy, gentle wag. Her eyes were bright and alert, and her fur seemed to shine in the golden light of the sunset.

"I think Gracie feels loved," Peter said, "and happy, like she has her best friend back."

Peter's mom smiled. "I think you're absolutely right."

As they sat there together—Peter, Gracie, and Peter's mom—watching the sky turn from blue to pink to orange, Peter realized something important. The most beautiful, interesting, and fun things in life couldn't be found on a screen. They were right here in the real world, waiting to be discovered.

From that day forward, Peter and Gracie lived happily with their balanced life. Peter still enjoyed his games and shows, but he also enjoyed the many other wonderful things he and Gracie did together: daily adventures, exploring new places, meeting new friends, and creating memories that would last forever.

And every night, as Peter got ready for bed, Gracie would curl up beside him, her warm, fluffy body pressed against his side. Peter would look at his best friend and feel grateful that he had learned such an important lesson. Balance wasn't about perfection—it was about making conscious choices about how to spend his time. It was about remembering that life was full of amazing experiences, and the best ones usually happened when he put down his devices and stepped into the real world with the people and animals who loved him.

And with that happy thought, Peter would drift off to sleep, dreaming of all the adventures he and Gracie would have tomorrow.

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.