Hysterical

This is one of the most amusing moments in my life so far. Good thing I could video tape it (do you say video TAPE even though I used the digital camera?) This is in Germany, at a castle called Hohenneuffen. It's pronounced Ho-noy-fen. It was by far one of the best parts of our trip. We could see so far from the top. It used to be a military castle, so it sat high so they could see incoming intruders. Anyway, when we were there they had a German square dance inside this tent. It was very comical. I'm not sure everything is in English, but a good portion of it is. There's something so entertaining about watching Germans square dance. I laugh everytime I watch this video.

24

I'm annoyed with the way 24 portrays women this season. The First Lady is a complete idiot, the tiny little Russian girl trapped with the old man was sad, Chloe drives me nuts, and now Audrey is interrogated. I'm missing a Michelle type role. Even Sherry Palmer although unpopular had some guts.

I like this show because it is fast moving, high energy and controversial. Every season there comes a point when I decide I'm not going to watch anymore because it's too over the top, but I always come back for more. It draws me back in. I'm not sure this season will be the same.

Bork! Bork! Bork!

I am endlessly entertained by the Muppets. I like this quiz because it says I am the Swedish Chef. I really like the Swedish Chef.

You Are the Swedish Chef

"Bork! Bork! Bork!" You're happy and energetic - with borderline manic tendencies. No one really gets you. And frankly, you don't even get you. But, you sure can whip up a great chocolate mousse

The Muppet Personality Test

Guess This Song

I think you will come to realize that I am not the world's greatest videographer. I do find it humorous to share this video with you, though. This is from Susanne's wedding in the church in Germany. Susanne had quite a few songs sang in English, and quite frankly, they were the only part of the ceremonies we could understand. This song was read first in German, then sang in English. Can you pick it out?

On a different note, if you click on the "You Tube" on the bottom right hand corner of the video, it will take you to the website I use to upload videos, plus it has hundreds of amusing/stupid/original movies to watch. Feast your eyes.

Wine Tasting Party

Last night we finally got around to tasting some of the Rieslings we brought back from Germany. We have been talking about hosting this tasting since we got back, and never could quite get it organized until now. After the Rieslings, we tasted Cabernet Sauvignons. The Riesling that we all thought was the best was from Susanne's family's winery, Laicher. The Cabernet that won was Two Buck Chuck. I wasn't surprised it won, it's a really good, cheap wine. Then we had a homemade Port from one of the guys I worked with at Ferrari Carano. It's interesting when I think of a homemade wine I think of Concord, or Blackberry, but in California, the homemade wine is really great port.

I'm pretty sure I morph into wine-know-it-all, telling everyone how to taste the wine, or talking like an expert on Riedel glasses. How annoying. I'm pretty sure John's mission of the night was to make me think I was going crazy. We had two candles side by side, and everytime I would pass them, one would be out. So, I would light it again, and then the next time the other candle would be out. I thought I was losing my head until later in the evening Sara said she saw John blow one out.

The best part of the evening was getting to hang out with Baby Charles. Sara and Chuck brought him a long, and he's just so cute. He let me hold him a long time. And, he likes red wine better than white wine. Smart kid.

Maybe next time we'll do a beer tasting, and throw one of John's beer in the mix.

John Umping Last Year

Listen to when he says, "strike!" That's my favorite part.

Hat or Not Hat?

Songs

Cori sent me this link and now I'm showing it to you. The internet is full of things you don't really ever need to know, but are somehow interesting. A bit of trivia, if you will.

The aforementioned Cassandra

This is Missouri

Guess what we just saw?

Guess who we are going to see.

Spring

My Java

My Chester

The Weekend We've Been Looking Forward To

John and I got back yesterday from my cousin's wedding in Florida. We had a great time. How can you not have a great time in FL in March, and escape all those crazy tornadoes?

Thursday night we went out on the town, just the girls. We went to one of my favorite restaurants ever, Taverna Opa. Being there is like finding yourself in the middle of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The food was yummy, but the dancing on the tables was my favorite part. The night only got better from there.

Friday we hung out with Heather, and her son, Gabriel, and then later with her husband Garrett, on our way to the rehearsal. Gabriel is so cute, he is almost a year old, and so inquisitive. John and I watched him for an hour or two while Heather went to the doctor, and we had such a good time. I'm not sure who entertained who more.

Saturday we spent all day getting ready, primping, taking pictures. The wedding was held at The Breakers, which was the most posh place I have ever been to. The ceremony was beautiful, the couple very happy, the smell of the ocean surrounded us, the food impeccable, the evening grand.

As always, I am fully entertained by my husband. At the rehearsal dinner, while talking with my uncle, Uncle Ken comments that he could have borrowed John's tux for the black tie event the next night. He said, "what, 42 long?" John says, "there is very little on this body that is long." At the reception, we kind of ate, and danced and ate and danced, it was a 5 course meal. A song came on I liked right as they placed our salads in front of us. I said to John, "come on, let's dance, this is my song." He said, "but this is my salad."

To top the weekend off, we had one heck of a celebrity sighting on our way home. We sat one seat behind Goldberg. It was s small plane, and there was no first class. I could have counted the pores on his head. He's huge, but very personable. He chatted with us the entire flight. He shared with us that he is claustrophic. I picture people like him to be so powerful, and strong, and I find it interesting that he has things he is scared of too.

If you haven't already, go here to see a bunch of pictures from the weekend. The last one is Goldberg.

We're back! Stay tuned.

Helen is Croation, and her family drinks this distilled Plum stuff. It's very intriguing to me. They use it for a remedy, for when you are sick, they pour a tiny bit in your ear when you have an ear ache, or maybe water in your ear, and they massage their backs with it, when their back is hurting. Pretty cool stuff. It tastes good too.

Cousins

He sure is growing fast!

How's this for your JPOD? He was imitating King Tut.

You Drink Too Much Coffee, I Drink Too Much Stout.

Last Thursday was the Flogging Molly concert. I drank my very first full Guiness. When we were on our way, I was thinking that I had seen this band 3 times already, and that maybe I didn't need to go this time, but thank God I didn't follow those instincts. They are such a great live band, I love it! First of all, the people there are very entertaining. I've never seen so many mohawks. I'm constantly wondering what kind of job a person with a mohawk holds, or do they wake up every morning and do their mohawk, and what does it look like when it right out of the shower? Facsinating. Then there are the "band-t-shirt-wearing" people. I saw people with Tool, Social Distortion, and tons of Flogging Molly t-shirts. Then there are the Rockabilly people with their 50's updos, and the guys with the black jeans and white t-shirts tucked in.

One of my favorite parts of the band is the girl. There are 6 guys, and one girl playing the fiddle or pipe. I've always thought 1 girl bands are so cool like No Doubt, or Black Eyed Peas, or Blondie. I so want to be that one girl. Do you think she gets her own bus, or does she have to ride with the smelley guys?

FM has awesome lyrics too, mentioning beer, and Catholocism, and Ireland. And they play the songs live 100 times faster than on the cd. The energy is contagious.

Next time I'm asked where I would rather be, I'm going to reply, "At a Flogging Molly Concert." Can't wait for the next time they are in St. Louis.

Blogspot

There are two new blogs you might find interesting.

If you haven't heard me sing the praises of Sara's husband, Chuck, and his talents, check out his artwork and see for yourself.

A while back I mentioned starting a winery blog, and I have started it. It doesn't have much on it now, but I am hoping it will be a good tool to reach my customers better. I'm hoping my winery webmaster, Geri, can add a link from the winery website to my blog. Go here to check out the one post I have made so far.

Playing Darts on Fat Tuesday at the Brick.

Survey

Four jobs you have had in your life:
1. soda jerk at Sara's Ice Cream ( I really just scooped ice cream, I just like the term 'soda jerk.') This job consisted of me hanging out with my friends and boyfriend in high school, who also worked there, and eating cake cones. It was a pretty easy job, and was my only high school job off the farm. My parents didn't want me working somewhere else when there was so much work to do at home.
2. admistrative assisstant's assisstant at Mizzou. I was pretty much the professor's secretary's secretary. Another easy job, I only worked from January to spring break. After spring break, I didn't need the money.
3. cellar intern at Ferrari Carano winery in Sonoma. This was an awesome job. The pay was good for a college kid, I lived in Healdsburg, which is a phenomenal town to live in, we went to the bar on the way home at least once a week, I got an awesome discount on great wine, they gave me pot for my birthday, and they had a gourmet chef prepare lunch for us everyday. Making wine was not the only thing I learned there.
4. winemaker for the family winery. This is a pretty good job. It's not the easiest job I have ever had, but this is what I set out to do with my life. The best part of this job is the diversity. Everyday I am the winemaker, but some days I am also a vineyard worker, event coordinator, tasting room manger, bookkeeper, wine judge. I like that I don't do the same thing everyday, and I like that my job changes with the seasons, and I like having John here over the summer. I like working with nature, and there is something to be said about continuing the family business. I don't really feel like an employee, I feel like I am part of this spot on the earth. My past, present and future are right here.

Four movies you would watch over and over:
1. Sound of Music
2. Last of the Mohicans
3. While You Were Sleeping
4. Moulin Rouge

on a side note, I really don't like watching the same movie over and over. I own very few movies, and would much rather rent a new movie than watch an old one.

Four places you have lived:
1. Ste. Genevieve, MO
2. Columbia, MO
3. Fresno, CA
4. St. Louis, MO

Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. Survivor
2. 30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray
3. 24
4. Grey's Anatomy

Four places you have been on vacation:
1. Germany and France
2. Maine
3. Mrytle Beach, SC
4. Grand Canyon

Four websites I visit daily:
1. Dooce
2. Hotmail
3. Amalah
4. Wine Terroirs


Four of my favorite foods:
1. Tator Tots
2. Oysters
3. John's homemade pizza
4. Anything with pesto on it

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Mrytle Beach
2. In John's arms
3. in bed
4. Paris


Four things I always carry with me
1. cell phone
2. debit card
3. digital camera
4. lipstick

Mardi Gras Recap

Mardi Gras was crazy this year. There were so many people there. My best and worst moment of the day happened at the same place, the restaurant formerly known as Mike and Mins. They had an outside bar, and I went up to the bar and asked, "where's Mike and Mins?" and gave a sad face. The guy behind the bar says, "I don't know, I'm not from around here." So sad. =( They are turning it into a Mexican restaurant, which doesn't sound that exciting until we heard the guy who bought it also owns Chewey's in Dogtown. That shows potential. They did have AWESOME Jagermeister beads there though, and for the price of a Jager bomb I could get light up Jager beads for free. They are my favorite beads ever. =)

Mardi Gras 2006