Top Five Enumclaw Places I Would Bring Back if I Had The Power

1. Farr-Farrs - The proximity to Godfather's could not be beat. They would give you that little cup so you could spit out all the bubble gum from your bubble gum ice cream. My favorite flavor was peanut butter and jelly.

2. Jayhawks - Do you know how long I thought the jackelope was a real creature? Free popcorn. In sixth grade I got both my fluorescent ski coat and my 6th grade camp bathing suit there. Little known fact - much to my mom's dismay, I waited until the last minute to get the bathing suit and ended up wearing a LEOTARD whose tiny cap sleeves I would TUCK UNDER to make it look more like a bathing suit. Also fluorescent.

3. The Bowling Alley - Seriously, I would build this tomorrow if I could. When I taught, all the kids told me they missed having one. What if I made one with a NASCAR theme and called it Kahne's Lanes? It's an idea.

4. Small Talk- This ephemeral store opened at the exact peak of my dollhouse phase. It was just full of tiny food and miniatures. It used to be in that blue house kind of by Ernie's and Subway? Do you know which one I mean? Wait. Does anyone remember Desi Snitch from the graffiti in Auburn? That did not really belong here, but I think I would bring back Desi Snitch as well.

5. Baumgartner's - The sandwiches were so killer! Why have you forsaken me, Baumgartner's?

This list could go on forever.

Krokus

http://music.aol.com/artist/krokus/10040

You have to click on the picture above and watch this video from the band Krokus. Scott told me that they used to tour with Ratt and Dokken. I love that they took a totally innocuous, flower like the crocus and just metalized it. They were just looking at that old picture that is in every textbook, of the crocus peeking through the snow, and they were like, "Our search for a band name is over. Behold the crocus. Indomitable. Steadfast. Resilient. " And the spelling totally reminds me of this band.

My Christmas List 1987

Square One Television

Yes!

Okay, Whitney, this is for you. Let's talk about Degrassi Junior High! Long before college at Western, when, for some of us, our exposure to Canada became (sadly) mostly about stumbling towards sticky-floored border bars with names like "China Beach " and "Cheers;" real, authentic Canadian life came to us via this serious teenage drama. And when I say "serious," I mean serious. It was like a series made up entirely of after-school-specials. Those kids barely made it out of there alive. No serious issue went untouched. While our beloved Saved By the Bell did deal with its oil spills and drug addiction, it was just no contest when it came to the seriousness that was Degrassi. At Degrassi, the bully got AIDS! Becky the duck wouldn't last five minutes in those hallways.

What I remember most is Stephanie Kaye, the girl who comes to school every morning in a preppy, wholesome outfit and then sneaks into the bathroom to change into some sort of Jem and the Holograms get-up before class. I also loved, "Spike," a girl with amazing hair who becomes pregnant at 14. She was really strong, but the dad, Shane, was constantly strugggling with his new responsibility. I found this great quote on a website called, Degrassi Online that synopsized: "When Emma was born, Spike had to find the time to juggle school and take care of her baby. Shane wanted to be involved, and asked if he could help out with child support. He later missed out in payments to go see the Gourmet Scum concert, and later took acid, and jumped off a bridge, leaving permanent head injuries." Classic Degrassi. The kid can't just like, drink and drive. He has to launch himself off a bridge.

I was also amazed by the fact that there was a character with the name "Caitlin" on the show, because I grew up not knowing anyone with my name. That was before the country became overrun with Caitlins; I mean, you can't swing a bat in an elementary school without knocking over fifteen. By the way, what are you doing bringing a bat in there? Wait, are you on acid, like Shane?

That brings us to Joey Jeremiah. The kid in the hat. Who, by the way, is on Degrassi: The Next Generation. My favorite part is that the show is all about Emma, Spike's baby! The circle is complete.