Bedirndled

Or how it came to be that I am in this outfit...

 

You see, when we moved here last year, I swore that I wouldn't do it...I wouldn't dress up in traditional costume for the Oktoberfest in the fall nor Starkbierfest in the spring...the reasons I cited?  First, that there is nothing more sad than a drunk girl in a dress.  Second, that I didn't have a drop of German blood in me, so dressing up would be a bit of a farce.  Well, during my trip home to the States this fall had me finding out some interesting ancestral facts...

While at home and staying at my parents' house, my mother and I dug into the family records, including birth certificates and immigration paperwork for my grandparents and great-grands...what I learned is that my mother's father was the child of German parents...both his parents came from somewhere in Germany as per his birth certificate.  So, I not only have a drop of German blood in me, but my mother is 1/2 German...which makes me roughly 1/4 German....what a revelation!  I plan to do some deeper digging into my heritage...and will keep you posted along the way.  But, suffice it to say, for this year's Oktoberfest, I was bedirndled!

Along with a few of my friends here, who also got into the act:

Yup, even the Hub got into the act.  And, I have got to tell you all, it was pretty darn fun!  I didn't feel like an impostor...even though I am an Auslander (foreigner) here.  So many people were dressed up and in the spirit, I felt like I belonged...I guess pretty dresses/men in lederhosen and beer have uniting properties, huh?