My teacher lets us have gum in class.  I took some bubble gum in my backpack.

I am so ready to go play the moment I get off the school bus, I am unwilling to talk about my day at school with Barbara.   I still have to come inside and talk about plans for the evening, like what time I must be home to eat and get dressed for baseball or football or whatever is on the docket.

Three times in the past five days, Alyssa and I have gotten mad at each other.  She ends up crying, (which she can stop as quickly as she can start) and she tells lies about me.  I generally get in trouble even though I say I am innocent.  When will I learn.  Well, yesterday we played nicely.  Our fingers are crossed that I can keep that up.

Tonight was my school's Open House for parents from 7 to 8pm.  The principal asked that children stay home if possible, but our teacher said we were all welcome to come.   I went with my mom and there were 15 out of 23 of my classmates there.

Barbara left a note on the breakfast table for me to get after school.  It said she had gone to the airport to pick up Grandma and Papa, so GGM was here for me.  The note said GGM would fix me a snack.  Also I was to make sure GGM knew where I was playing.  As it turns out I played at Alyssa's and we played nicely.

Papa said their vacation was amazing.  Everything was perfect except for two little glitches that turned out to be better for them.   They are both interesting stories.  I'll try to keep them brief:  Lubic, Maine is the fartherest east town on the east coast of the US.  It is a small town with very few places to lodge.  When they were checking into their lodging, Papa said, "Where is the TV?"  There were none at the hotel.  He told the owner that they stopped driving early so they could watch the Astro's baseball game.  The owner said, "Well, you can stay at my house."   She was serious.  She has an apartment that had a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean.  The view was beautiful and they did get to watch the baseball game.
 
The other story:   Papa leased a car at the airport and they were driving to the hotel when the low tire pressure light and the engine light came on.  It was 10pm.  Papa called back to the car rental place.  They said they would be open until 11pm.  So they went back to the airport.  A plane had arrived and there was a line that one person was trying to take care of it by himself.  There were several other employees there, so Papa said out loud., "Hey, why don't you guys come lend him a hand?"  They said something like not my job.   Anyway, when it was Papa's turn the guy wanted him to just keep the car he had.  Greg, said he was going to be doing a lot of driving (1600 miles as it turns out) and he was not going to drive a car that was telling him it could break down at any moment.   The guy gave Papa a Ford Explorer that had all the bells and whistles.   Much, much nicer car!

 One last thing about their trip:  They stayed in a hotel in a corner room on the ninth floor with a view of both falls at Niagara Falls.  Grandma face-timed Barbara and Barbara snapped this picture of the falls and river with her phone.  I'm sure Grandma has much better pictures but this is the only picture we have now.  Grandma had been to Niagara Falls once before... on Barbara's 16th birthday.  If Grandma would write a story about their trip, I would include in on my blog.  (Hint)