I can't believe how happy I am to be back at school.
My summer was the pits. First of all, Dad made me mow the lawn, which would have been okay because he said he'd give me $5 to do it. But most of the time he didn't think I was doing it "right" and he would mow all the parts he didn't like. Then when I'd ask for my money he'd only give me $2.50, telling me it was because he did half.
I was looking forward to the money to get the final parts for the rocket ship. Well, that didn't happen. The rocket is pretty much in the same shape it was on Parent's Night. At this rate I'll be in college before I get to Mars.
At least the mowing is over. Dad said we are done, that he's sick and tired of yard work and that it's pointless now that half the lawn is brown and the other half is crabgrass. Mom said he should get a lawn service. But Dad insists he does it for half the price. She said yes and for half the price you get dead grass and weeds.
Dad also decided this would be a good summer to try camping, which turned out to be the worst summer for mosquitoes in recent history. I don't even want to talk about it. Let's just say we spent the better part of seven days in our tent.
P.J. was at day camp for most of the summer, then his parents took him to visit the Alamo. At least this time he didn't come back thinking he was Davy Crockett.
Now that he's back we'll work on a new lift-off schedule. We're hoping that we'll be ready before the new year, maybe even by Thanksgiving break - although I'd hate to miss Thanksgiving, it's my favorite holiday.
Anyway, we did get to work on the the rocket engine and it is almost complete. It is so cool. It's a little bigger than I expected, it looks like we might have to modify the rocket body.
