Sweet Home Ala....um...Kentucky!!!!

This fine evening, while I'm once again questioning the merits of whether Indiana actually has grass as it continues to snow (my belief is that Indiana's grass is like Sasquatch, I've heard about it, but yet to see it with my own eyes), I'm am counting down the hours (under 48) before I'm back home for a few days in the Bluegrass State, ala, my Old KY Home.  During the past month of adjusting from life as a native KY resident to that of being like an alien in a foreign world and wondering where even the smallest things are (note to fellow Kentuckians, Kroger's is called Pay Less up here) I have come to realize a few of the small pleasures that I enjoyed back in KY that I can no longer enjoy as an everyday Indiananan .....um Boilermaker.

Ale-8
This is probably one of the biggest things I am looking forward to as soon as the engine stops when I enter Lexington Saturday evening.  As of this writing I am down to 1 Ale-8 and 3 Diet Ale-8's.  I have had to ration these off like my life depended on it along with sanctioning the amount of
KY highballs/speedballs that  I am able to make.  If they ever do make a "Hoarders: Pop Edition" there is a good chance I may appear on this episode with an apt full of cans/bottles/fountain boxes as I continue to live in Indiana and be separated from my one true love.

Got Bourbon?  Hope you do, because Indiana's selection if far inferior to that of KY.  In Indiana's defense 95% of all the world's Bourbon is produced in KY.  Because of this statistic, it makes it easier to find some of the finer small batch Bourbons in the KY area.  Though at the time I have no means to complain as I have 8 varying bottles of this wonderful elixir staring back at me as I write this blog, (including one bottle of  White Dog from Buffalo Trace) it could however become a problem as my time in Indiana will last longer then my current supply of Bourbon.  

The Legendary Cloud Splitter

Above is a picture from my own slice of heaven, Cloud Splitter.  It is an area that is off the topographic map of the Eden that is the Red River Gorge, only accessible through a rope or steep climb up a barely accessible side of hill.  This view is just one of the many views that the Gorge has to offer.  Unfortunately, the Gorge is in KY and not here.  Even in the Winter time, I enjoyed going hiking 

to see all the arches and sights, and more importantly to get away from civilization and collect my thoughts.  As far as I know Indiana has nothing that can be comparable or as close to my current location as what the Gorge provided back home.  Though during this time of going back home I still won't be able to give the Gorge its due, I plan on taking a week off in the Spring and camping, no laptop, no phone, no lights, no motorcars, not a single luxury, and the minnow would be lost...wait I mean I'm going to enjoy the wilderness and may even do a Survivorman experience again.

Lexington, KY, ahhh.....what can I say. The horsefarms, Keeneland, Rupp, Tolly Ho, Pazzo's, Centrepointe, Austin City, KY Ale, the list of what I love about Lexington could go on forever.  It's a big city that still has a small city feel to it.  I never thought I will be as happy to see the "Big Blue Building" as I will on Saturday night. 

Lastly, I am excited to get back to KY to see my friends.  Even though it's only been a month and in the scheme of things that's a small amount of time, its still long enough to make you miss the little things in life and those that you "jell" with the most.  In my case, it doesn't matter if it's the guys (and occasionally some girls) that flung me around at the  dojo, my friends I made from EKU, or the guys who are my best friends from back home, I miss them all.

The sad part of all this is a weekend in general goes by so fast, a weekend back home will go by that much faster.  Regardless, I will def enjoy this weekend like it was my last, though my time so far in Indiana hasn't been bad,  my friend Puddin Howell says it best by singing, "But Kentucky is my home!"