Once upon a time when my work schedule was Saturday-Wednesday, I daydreamed about what it would be like to have weekends off like the rest of the world.

Now that I am a proud staff writer at The Wilson Post, I have found out what it is like to have weekends off – and let me tell you, it is not what I expected.

I used to think that my Saturdays would be spent sleeping in and watching recordings of my favorite fall television shows (it is the final season of Gossip Girl, after all). But those thoughts have gone with the wind. Nowadays I could not be busier on Saturdays – and you know what? I love it. Gossip Girl can wait.

I spent my time volunteering at the 33^rd annual Oktoberfest in Nashville this past Saturday. The event raised funds for the restoration of historic Assumption Catholic Church and Monroe Street United Methodist Church, and for the continuation of outreach projects for the needy.

I worked as a volunteer in the Biergarten with some of Wilson County’s finest ladies: my mother, Pamela, Delaine Smith and Laura Beth Duncan. Some of our Nashville-based friends, including Laleh Vatandoost-Lamb, Michelle Stuart, Peter Marcum and Brian Senecal (who is Fiscal Director of Tennessee Bureau of Investigation) also donated their time to this cause. Senecal was in charge of organizing volunteers – and he did a great job! We were a hard working bunch from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.

I had the best time serving folks and spending an afternoon with good friends.

I can’t wait to volunteer again next year and hopefully visit both of the churches that Oktoberfest benefits. Until then, ich liebe dich, Oktoberfest!