If you were an elementary school student (or parent) in California, I have three words that will bring back memories for you: Fourth-grade missions. And if you don’t live in California, fourth grade is when you study California history.

Fourth grade was over twenty years ago so I don’t remember much other than the missions are a day’s walk apart. Don’t quote me, but I think they were built by Spanish monks.

Anyway, the big project in fourth grade was constructing a replica of a mission that was assigned by Mrs. Collins. I got Mission San Juan Capistrano. I had been there several times as it was in South Orange County, maybe an hour away.

Dad is very handy and loves things that require construction. Me, I couldn’t care less. Just as long as I got an A on my mission. How my teacher could believe that mine was built by a fourth grader I’ll never know. He (we, I mean) even used blue Saran Wrap in the fountain at the Mission’s entrance.

“Fortunately” for me, I cut myself with the Xacto knife, proof to Mrs. Collins that my beautiful mission wasn’t just Dad’s project.

But I remember the Xacto incident very clearly

I cut myself not helping Dad, but playing with the knife because I was bored. But Mrs. Collins didn’t have to know that.