I'm currently suffering from a moment of poster's block, if there is such a thing. So to overcome it, I'll just throw out some random comments and hope they lead somewhere.

Where did you grow up? I grew up about 10 minutes outside of Leavenworth, Washington state's Bavarian Village. What does it mean to grow up near a Bavarian village in the middle of Washington, you ask? It means lots and lots of festivals. There is a festival for everything in Leavenworth, from Ice Fest in January to the International Accordion Festival in the summer to Christmas Lighting in December. Some festivals are better than others, of course. Though I do not imbibe, many people seem to enjoy Oktoberfest, when Leavenworth rolls a giant beer wagon onto Front Street by the Bavarian gazebo.

For pure entertainment value, though, I have a soft spot for Maifest. In Louisville, we have the internationally-renowned Kentucky Derby that first weekend of May, but Maifest is special. On Maifest, otherwise very average doctors, accountants, and retired people dress up in the traditional dirndls and liederhosen of German Bavaria to dance around a Maipole for all the tourists. It is quite a sight, I tell you.

Leavenworth is also the place where building codes stipulate that all buildings in town must be constructed in the Bavarian style of architecture. The result? As you drive into town, McDonald's and Burger King are both Bavarian chalets across the street from one another. A charming wooden carved sign-- no neon in Leavenworth, mind you-- adorns the front of the local Starbucks. This is nothing short of the 8th wonder of the world. I actually went to Bavaria once, and never saw a McDonald's like the one in Leavenworth.

So this is idyllic little land where I grew up. If you're ever in Eastern Washington, I would highly recommend a visit. Just remember, not many people in Leavenworth actually speak German.

Okay, so that's my random rambling for the day. Hopefully tomorrow will be more to the point... I'll have just had my cavities filled, though, so I can't promise anything.

And now a good verse for those of you tempted to skip your morning class and sleep in:

"Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it." --Proverbs 8:33

Kelsey

PS-- My Valentine's Day pot roast turned out okay last night. The peach and blueberry cobbler also turned out well, despite my accidentally doubling the amount of baking powder needed and then desperately trying to scoop it out of the mixing bowl with the measuring spoon. Very stressful. No wonder I have poster's block.

Do you play the accordian? Cause I want to start an accordian punk rock band.

Do you have a liederhosen? If so, can we see a pic?