T-40 Hours

There is only just over one day until I leave for Washington, D.C., to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. (Their website is at www.spellingbee.com.) Yes, I am nervous! (As I sometimes say, you have to be crazy not to be!) This year is a little different from last year...

Elli and I in our Spelling Bee T-Shirts

For one thing, my twin sister, Elli, is accompanying me and my dad to D.C. She will want to, of course, go to different places than I would, but since I've already had a week, that's okay. This will vary our itinerary a little, and she will get to see some of her stuff. Not telling you what, though. :)


This year, the Bee will be held at a slightly different place than last year's location, the Grand Hyatt Washington. This year's Bee will be at the Gaylord National, a hotel just outside of the Capital Beltway by the National Harbor.


This year, there are only 51 two-year repeaters (including someone named Joe Kirkpatrick? Who's he?) and only 7 spellers have a twin. There is only one third-grader (from Locust Grove, Virginia) and 117 eighth-graders. Who will win? Only time will tell...