Goodbye

To my Friends and Family:

The best move I have ever made was back to the Midwest. At the time, I really didn’t know what to expect. All I know is that I wanted to be closer to my family and to the few friends who I have been rock solid with throughout my life. After a few months back in Wisconsin, I grew bored (go figure, huh?) and decided to move to Chicago. All I can say is that I love Chicago. I have been truly blessed to have met so many great people here. To all my new friends I have met since I moved to Chicago and to all my old friends, you are all great people and I have thoroughly enjoyed the time we have been able to spend together. You are each unique and wonderful people.

For most of you who know me well enough, you know that I have a hard time sitting still. Well, the adventure continues. This time the move is more like a working vacation. February 15, 2008 is my last day of work at Bargetto Winery. I have worked at Bargetto Winery since August of 2004 and have learned so much about the wine industry. Not only did I find my passion in life, wine of course, but it has also influenced how the the rest of my life is going to be spent. On Monday, February 18, 2008 I depart from San Francisco to New Zealand where I will be spending the next three months working the harvest for Delegat’s Wine Estate in Blenheim, Marlborough. Then I am off to explore New Zealand and Australia. If all goes well, I hope to stay abroad until the end of August (Don’t worry Nikki…I will be back in time). I plan on moving back to Chicago in September...just in time for fall, my favorite season, and the Chicago Marathon which I hope to be able to complete by actually running this year. I am guessing I will not have a problem beating my time from last year and setting a new personal record.

Thanks to my family for helping me get things together for yet another move. Thanks to my awesome brothers, Ryan and Robby, for driving down to Chicago to pickup all my stuff. I owe you a Cub's game. Thanks Mom and Dad for letting me store my belongings in the basement and thank you to Nikki for taking care of Javier. I love you all.

Here’s to Nashville and “The Shed”, flooding basements, late nights out in Chicago, the Funeral Dinner, Festivus, Cub’s Games, Thanksgiving in Seattle with a dinner bill of $10 and a drink bill of $150, and more memories to last a lifetime. Whether we met at a bar (even Nick’s Uptown), on the Red Line train, at the batting cages, playing soccer, at work, in Florida or what have you, I am glad that I have had the opportunity to have met you at all. I hope we stay in touch via email (rochester_rebecca@yahoo.com), my blog (http://nzwineadventure.blogspot.com ) or myspace or facebook. My cell phone (831.325.1395) will be shut off on February 18th, so if you want to get a hold of me do so before then.


Love and Friendship,
Becky