It is August. Greg Heffley writes and draws in his diary about his family’s current problems, caused by a construction incident that has made the family short of money and temporarily without money. The Heffleys are staying with Gramma until things are fixed, living together in the basement with little entertainment. Greg feels like the family is isolated and spending too much time together, so the family fights all the time. His mom, on the other hand, thinks it’s a perfect opportunity to spend time together before the kids grow up. Greg attempts to stay optimistic by thinking of the biblical story of Noah waiting for the flood water to drain out for 150 days, but he can’t help focusing on what bothers him, like his feeling that his mother is always arranging everything to fit Greg’s three-year-old brother Manny’s needs and wants. Greg is pleased he has a strong imagination and can use it to create comical drawings of his family and the things he dreams up, like some strange animals that might have missed Noah’s boat. Greg’s mom eventually agrees there is family tension and suggests taking a vacation but, due to the family’s budget, options are limited.