My dad had a knack for games, and he was good at them

Our 7-11 had a claw machine, and we always put a loonie or two in it when we went there hoping to win another stuffed animal to add to my collection

One day in elementary i went to school, when i opened my backpack, surprise, a penguin, my dad had finally won something from that claw machine, and that penguin started a 5 year penguin collection obsession- i still have the original little guy

We would also play pinball at the 7-11 and i still don’t quite get it but love playing it

In Calgary every summer in July for 2 weeks we have the greatest outdoor show on earth, aka the Calgary stampede, the biggest rodeo in the world, and also a parking lot turns into fair rides and carney games- amongst many other attractions- and we have a bunch of big music acts come to town (some to play in other parking lots that have been converted into tents) it’s a whole thing. But when i was a kid stampede with my dad was THE BEST

He always played whack a mole- and he was killer at it- maybe he had a sometimes lazy eye or who knows- but i always came home with a big pillow case of carnival stuffed animals mostly won by his whack a mole skills

We also used to always play ring toss, bucket of plastic rings you have to throw at coke bottles hoping one will stick on the bottle top, well- one year- HE WON. This resulted in a GIANT Dalmatian prize that he then had to carry on his shoulders for the rest of the day with me and that probably was annoying and horrible but he was proud he won an almost unwinable game and i think he enjoyed showing off his massive prize for his daughter just a little bit

Proud dad, proud daughter, silly games, silly prizes, amazing memories