Sound of Madness

Last week we got a chance to stop by Icicle Ridge Winery in Leavenworth. I would not normally post a winery, but this one was exceptional. Its a log home that the owners actually live in. Yet they are open daily for tastings. Their wine was very good, and the company was even better. Dan and I have been to several wineries, but this one was different. The atmosphere was very welcoming. Worthy of putting on my blog I thought. :)

We will have this one day... I KNOW it. I want to walk through our vineyard of wine grapes savoring every smell, sound, and touch. It would be pure bliss. Absolute serenity.

Christmas is around the corner. Where did the year go? I assume it was my fault for not paying attention to the past 11 months. They flew by me without notice. Nevertheless, the holidays are here and I must somehow figure out how to plan a wedding, buy presents, plan family get-togethers, and attend all of the things I need to attend. Oh, and on top of all this, sell the calendars that I mentioned in my last post. I seriously doubt that I will be sitting down much the next 45 days. Ahhh...But guess what? I am off to Hawaii in February. That will make it all worth it. So not much time to blog today. And if I do post anything at all the next few weeks, it will be short and to the point. Which is probably better than reading my ramblings anyway, right? :) Happy Thanksgiving!

Here it is! In print, and in my hands shortly!! This is the second year that my business partner/friend and I have created this unique calendar. It will prove to be a better year, as Barnes and Noble will be picking this up and distributing it in the multitudes. Anyone interested in ordering one, just email us at kathy@winestyle.com

Its been an unproductive day at the office so far today. Winter is definitely setting in and real estate is slowing to a tortoise-like pace. I organized my desk, emailed some friends, made some phone calls in preparation for the wedding, etc etc etc. Oh yes, I am getting married on the 17th of Dec. That's right, you heard me. ONE MONTH away!! Not that I am stressed out in any way, noooo not me. (ha) I'll just be glad when it is said and done, and I get to spend the rest of my life loving that wonderful man. I never have felt this strong about anyone. Never have I had so much in common with another person, let alone a male! We were destined to be together...I just know it. He makes me feel good. Well, maybe " good' is an understatement. He makes me feel AMAZING!!! The way he looks at me, the things he does, the things he says. Just last night out of nowhere, he looks at me and says, "you have the most beautiful eyes". Did he HAVE to say that?! No. A couple wee...

Thought I would do a little "not that it matters to anyone" list... I love doing things that benefit no one. 1. I absolutely love wine. Smell, taste, and concept. 2. Was born and raised in Prosser. Used to live in Oregon, hated it. Oregonians are a different breed of people for sure. 3. I can play the piano. Well, I USED to be able to play. It’s like riding a bike isn’t it? 4. I am the biggest procrastinator on earth. 5. I’ve been married twice, and am in complete lust/love with #3…This is the one that will last. Third times a charm, and all that jazz. 6. I over-analyze everything. If its symbolic, I will find it and pick it apart. 7. Try to be a good Christian….I hold God above all others. I love giving things to people. Whether it be material or an act. It is miraculous the way it completes me. 8. I’ve never taken any hard drugs. Never liked the feeling of not being in control. 9. Speaking of control. I like to have it, but rarely get it. Not that I am out of control, just ...

Okay I am writing in my blog once again…Am I poisoned by the need to feel that relaxation that precedes my writings of nonsense? It is a drug, and I crave it more today than most. As I sit here in my office, I am burdened by the thoughts of anger and the need to decapitate something. Thoughts I do NOT normally have. After all I am a confident, strong woman right?! In love and in a great frame of mind most the time… Yeah, well that gal jumped out the window, and stepped in front of a moving vehicle. It must be something in the air. It is Halloween, and since I am dressing up like a witch, I must be mentally preparing for the role. I rarely have this sinister side creep up in me. Yet when it does, I am surprised and shocked. Could be the fact that I am getting these enormous bills from my lawyer still. Sixty dollars for a “review” of a document??? Eighty dollars for a 5-minute phone call to my ex’s lawyer??? How do these people sleep at night?! Blood suckers, every last one of them.

To have a friend that never judges is one of God's greatest gifts. And to truly call someone the "best friend you have ever had" is an even bigger blessing. There are those people we get to know and life takes you away from them for a time. What makes a difference, is if you are brought back together, and you are as close, if not closer than before. I am so very blessed.

Winemaking at its best...In the backyard, wearing grubs! This was the crushing picture of Merlot grapes that had been through the fermentation process for a couple weeks. I LOVE the smell...If I could bottle that cellar smell and sell it, I'd be a very rich woman! This was a great experience to say the least. I could dig being a full time winemaker (vs. being realtor) ANYDAY...

Wow. I guess I didn't realize how long it had been since I sat down and wrote in this. I was actually doing rather well at conveying my thoughts and feelings until recently. If you have read my past blogs, you know that I am the queen of many things. Procrastination being number one. So again, I sit and let my thoughts flow to release something equivalent to adrenaline. What it is exactly, I've no clue. I just know that when I am finished writing my mind will be at complete ease, and I will be able to handle what lies ahead. Its a bit like praying I suppose. Its therapy to ease the mind. There actually have been many things that I have been doing lately. It has merely been self centered, but nonetheless chaotic. I am getting married in December to a wonderful, kind hearted, patient, loving man. He is everything I had dreamed a man should be and more. He worships the very ground that I walk on. But we walk together. We just have to stop walking sometimes so he can worship, but I...

There is a parable in the Bible about not building your house on sand... So what is up with reconstructing a 400,000-person city below sea level in an area that's prone to enormous hurricanes? Even if you are not religious, its black and white! Now that all the choas is over for the most part, the thought process kicks in for the government and the citizens of this great city… What next? How do we prevent this from happening again? I see it on the nightly television news (media tainted of course). And I think, “Ummm…Duh….” Here is my two cents worth. Now, do NOT get me wrong. I feel for those poor souls down there. Losing loved ones, losing children, losing everything. It makes me almost nauseous. However, and this is just my opinion. Is it not their own fault? You live in a city that is assuredly going to have some sort of major hurricane during the year, and your residence is BELOW sea level. Seems like a no-brainer to me. Its about like the people who build their...

My thoughts. My mind. I often think about how I have taken a total beating by it. Not in a literal sense, in a figurative way, of course.... The dictionary reads as follows; "A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences". I am in no way talking about my relationship, or my children. I am talking about what goes on in my head. For example, I was just thinking yesterday what a worthless person I was. Regardless of how I REALLY feel about myself, I let my thoughts take over the mood I was in. I didn't make enough money, I didn't do enough for my children, etc etc etc. It wasn't WHO I was. It was by no means WHAT I was. So why did I let myself believe these things, if even for a moment. Let alone a few hours. We, as humans, can be on top of the world. And by the actions or words of one person, be in the pits of hell the next moment. Caves of despair and self loathing. Maybe its a female thing, I don't know. I have known men to t...

Its been a crazy few days for me. I haven't been consistent in my writing as I should be. I went to the fall convention for the Realtor officers a few days ago, which was an experience in of itself. Since I will be president of our valley association next year, I was required to attend. The politics in the association alone is amazing! I had no idea how much of an impact our contributions have in the legislative voting for Washington. The state level has a power that I have never seen before. We have voice...That was so cool to me! On the other hand, I hated being away from home. I am like a fish out of water when I am away from the love of my life. Never have these feeling ever crept up in me. It was like I was missing something the whole time I was there. My mind kept playing tricks on me as if I was forgetting something. That subtle voice in the back of your head that tells you something is amiss. Something was wrong, and didn't feel "right". I guess that is what b...

Classy.... 

No...not WHINE, but wine.... Since I cant sleep I figured I would write a bit in the good ol' blog. Yeah, I am in the wine mood. There are many things that I think about everyday. From the kids, to my career. However, my thoughts lately are focused on wine. I am actually going to make it this year. Grapes will be harvested in two weeks, crushed, sulfites added, fermented, pressed, acid adjusted, and barreled. We have been asking questions, reading, and watching winemakers. Observation is a great thing. Looks like we will end up with about 32 cases by the time its all said and done. First step in the long process of starting a winery. Yep, I did say WINERY. Villa De La Reina will be the name. Those of you who do not know Spanish, it is "Village of the Queen". Appropriate don't you think?! I imagine it will take a year or two to get established, but its what I have always dreamed of and it is finally becoming a reality. I am so elated!! In January, God willing, I will b...

I have no clue why, but I am compelled to write lately. I even started writing on a post-it earlier, when the computer was down. What is it? Is that NEED creeping back under my skin? The need to be at peace with having vented my emotions...Hmmm. Could be a number of things. Could just be that I am sitting here at work bored to death, too....;) I fell down my staircase yesterday. Halfway down, flipflops caught the edge of the carpet, and I flew down about 10 steps. Of course there is hard vinyl flooring at the bottom, and I was lying there praying that nothing was broken. It took a while before I regained my sanity and slowly moved different parts of my body to make sure they were not twisted to oblivion. Kaelan, the youngest, was leaning over me worried sick. "Mommy...are you ok? We need to call the doctors? Mommy...get up!!!" I let out a "Mommy is okay Kaelan" groan. I finally got up and nothing was broken. However, I did twist my ankle enough to make it swollen an...

My amore' 

Solitude heals 

Being in love with a man who has three children of his own is quite the experience. One that I am loving every minute of. We embarked on a journey to the zoo with all six of them Monday. Both of us thinking that at any moment there would be hair pulling, punches thrown, and/or blood on the seats of the Suburban. Much to our surprise, they all did very well. I was amazed to say the least. Of course, having two portable DVD players in the back for them (with earphones for our own sanity), might have played a huge part in that serenity we felt driving four hours to get there. We did have the occasional, “Are we there Y-E-T??”. In which the response was always, “almost”. In other news, the big D is finally over. Yes, that’s right. I am officially divorced for the second time finally…after months of waiting and getting screwed by my lawyer. (In a non-literal sense, as she is a woman) $3000 later, its certified. Honestly, I don’t know why it took so long. I imagine it was the fac...

There is a time in all our lives when we are alone. Not in the physical sense, but emotionally. I, myself, have walked around in a cloud of misery. Pain only inflicted by my own actions and thoughts. So I was thinking tonight...What makes a person lonely? Is it a lack of something to do? Someone to share a life with? Regret for past mistakes? No children, no parents, no family? WHAT is it?! Its one of those things that I have done a lot of thinking on. Personally, I was lonely for the past 10 years. Not for a lack of having someone around me at all times. But the simple fact that I had no one to communicate with on a level in which I was comfortable. No one that understood me and/or appreciated my intellect and insight on things. Its probable loneliness is merely a personal definition. My meaning is most definitely different than others. I had my boys. My family was near, and willing to be a part of my life constantly. It wasn't a deprivation of love from blood, for sure. I just ne...