CWT Journal – August 21, 2026 / Valencia Beaches

We had a casual morning of homeschool before heading to the beach for some fun in the Valencia sun. Dad unfortunately had to mix a little work into paradise, taking a few BIOMEND teleconsults while everyone else enjoyed the beach.

While swimming, McLaren put on her mask and started collecting plastic bags and other trash she found in the ocean, making several trips back to shore to throw it away. We were incredibly proud of her—and then something magical happened. On her third trip back into the water looking for more trash, she found €50 floating in the sea! It immediately reminded us of Moana: after little Moana helps a baby sea turtle reach the ocean, the sea chooses her and gives her the Heart of Te Fiti. This time, the Mediterranean apparently decided McLaren deserved a reward of its own. Karma sometimes works fast. It was a pretty wonderful reminder that doing the right thing can bring rewards when you least expect them.

That evening, Mom and Dad escaped for date night at El Cabanyal, a restaurant recommended by ChatGPT—which, frankly, owes us an apology. The food was pretty mediocre and the atmosphere even worse, although an excellent brioche French toast dessert managed to salvage the evening.

Then it was back home for a little Mom-and-Dad quality time before bed. After all, nothing says “healthy sleep hygiene” quite like ending the day with a natural release of oxytocin, endorphins, and absolutely no screen time.

It was a great day.