It's a Juicy One...(Grapes Not Included)

I got dumped on SKYPE. Yep. Over the Internet! After waiting 3 months for Andries to arrive in the USA, he missed his flight and then 5 days later wasn't sure if he should come anymore. So I told him that if he didn't know by now, he would never know. End of story.

I have met some great guys over the past few years. Call it bad timing, me always moving, or just their shyness or my shyness that nothing ever happened. I still talk to the couple of guys I refer to here. Even flirt. I am even sure they know who they are. But a girl can only do so much.

So I pledge to myself to only pursue happy, healthy relationships. It begins....now.

Grandma's New Convertible...Amish Style

Back on the Wisconsin farm, it looks like Grandma's got a new convertible. I miss times like this. Loving and missing my family and friends.

Becks

Crushed...

This time I am not talking about grapes, but instead my poor little heart. By now you would think I would be used to my personal love life always being a bit of a mess. I thought that this time around things were finally on the up and up. Andries, my boyfriend, was supposed to catch his flight in Johannesburg yesterday afternoon and land in JFK Monday at 7 AM. Three months since we were together last. I have been counting down the days for over a month now and tomorrow was the BIG day. We have been looking forward to a future together in Oregon. For some reason I knew something had happened.

I got home from the gym today and there was an email from Andries. He missed his flight (there was a car accident blocking the highway) and was too scared to call me as he felt that I would be mad and wouldn't believe him. I have never had to try so hard to love someone before. At first I thought it meant he wasn't coming at all and my heart broke into two. There are somethings in life you cannot control. This is one of them. At the end of the day, I am just happy he is okay. I am sad and had a good cry, but he can always rebook his ticket and I can always wait another day, another week and another month. We had a great conversation this afternoon via SKYPE and hopefully this roadblock just makes us realize how much more special we are to each other.

I remind everyone to cherish each and every minute with the people you love. Because you never know if and when you will see them again.

You Better BEElieve It!

Can you guess which foot I was stung on? I was on mile 1.25 when I felt something drop into the tongue of my shoe. All of a sudden I felt a burning pain and knew that I had been stung. The bumble bee was trapped between the tongue of my shoe and my leg and was stinging me like crazy! I flicked him out and fell to the ground. Son a of BEEtch. My ankle hurt! I pulled out a few pieces of the stinger and got up to finish the rest of my 14 mile run. It was a good run and the pain from the sting disappeared. It wasn't until the following day that the swelling, burning and itchiness occurred. I rubbed anti-itch cream on and iced and it kept getting worse. So I finally gave in and went to the Salem Urgent Care.

My doctor entered the room buzzing like a bee. I liked him from the beginning. Took one look, said oh my! And prescribed me a steriod pill and another diuretic pill to reduce the swelling. So Week #8 of my Portland Marathon Training is on hold. 30 miles to log this week by Sunday and I am at 0! Hopefully tomorrow it will be better and I can get back on track.

BEE careful!
BEEcky

Happy Birthday to Me!

Happy Birthday to me! I turned 29 on the Fourth of July. What did I do? I spent the morning on a peaceful 12 mile run in Forest Park in Portland. What an amazing place to run! I have found my runners paradise here. In the evening, I met my friend Dawn at Press Wine Bar where we had dinner before we headed to the St. Paul Rodeo. We watched bull riding, roping and hot cowboys on horses. It was great. My only complaint was the lack of nice wine/beer.Coors Light was the official sponsor and therefore the only beer served. I woke up the next morning with a nice Coors Light headache!

Looking back on past birthdays:

28: Australia Balloon Popping. I was in Tawonga South, Victoria Australia. Nathan, my roommate, blew up tons of balloons and put them in the hallway. It was hilarious. We had cake and celebrated with sparklers and by popping balloons.

27: Minnesota Demolition Derby. This was a low-key birthday I spent at a demolition derby in a small town in Minnesota. I watched the fireworks from Joey's car because it was raining.

I think back to all the things I thought I would have accomplished by now. I thought I would be married, have a couple kids and own my own business. I have not accomplished any of these things, but I have accomplished more than I ever imagined.

I am excited to turn 30 next year! I plan on spending my 30th birthday climbing Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. Training for the climb will begin after the Portland Marathon in October. Anyone who cares to join, let me know.

What Does Google Got On Me?

I was curious to see what Google had on me, so I Googled myself. First search: Becky Rochester wine. Of course my blog popped up, Bargetto Winery newsletters, along with the R Little Vineyard website, but then I found I was featured on a brochure for the Mid-American Wine Competition. Check it out! www.midamericanwine.org/Food-WinePairing.pdf

Next up, Yahoo!
Found an article on me in Make Mine Wine: www.impactbybarb.com/MMW_Fall_08.pdf

Bet you're curious now. Go ahead Google yourself.

Oregonian Life...Goodbye Gumboots, Hello High Heels

I am officially no longer unemployed! Yep. I have a job. A wonderful, challenging job at a winery in the Willamette Valley. Last Thursday I had a 3 1/2 hour interview with a few people including the owner and walked out with a job offer. No second or third or even fourth interviews. I was shocked! Finally, what I have been anxiously awaiting for. I started on Tuesday and the week flew by. It is amazing how fast a week goes when you have something to do. I am excited to see what the future holds for me here. Everyone I work with is amazing. I am truly lucky.

Other than that I am enjoying the nice weather and scenery. I am slowly making new friends and even reconnecting with old friends from Wisconsin who live out here (Thank you facebook!). Andries is flying over on July 27th. Some people have mixed feelings about him coming here, but it is my life and I love him. We are working things out and giving it one last shot. He is an amazing person and I know he never meant to hurt me. Our situation has been different than most couples would be and now it is time to see if we can be together in a real life situation.

I am still training for the Portland Marathon and tomorrow is an 11 mile run. Well, the next wine adventure officially begins...this time I don't have to fly anywhere, live out of two suitcases, drink Milo on smoko breaks and wear gumboots with high vis gear. I will miss those days more than I ever thought I would, but I am excited for the next chapter in my life.

Look Around

Tonight I took a look around my new apartment. It's interesting to think back of where and when I acquired certain things. I have some of the most random knick knacks and decorations. But the great thing is, that each one of them represent special memories, special people and special times in my life.

Here's the top five most random items in my house:
1. A homemade sock monkey: My mother made this for me for Christmas one year and it has traveled with me ever since. It reminds me of family and home.
2. A Rubik's cube: Somebody special gave this to me and opened my eyes to believe that someday I could and would fall in love again.
3. A three legged pig: It is supposed to bring good luck and was sent to me by a friend while she was living in Japan. This friend was a major part of my college life.
4. Big Sur Half Marathon Bib and framed picture: This was my first half marathon that I ran. I am even smiling in the picture. I cannot say the same for Jon, my ex who was a real trooper to even take the initiative to run it with me. This was how I got addicted to running races. The best feeling in the world is crossing the finish line.
5. A pair of pink high heeled shoes that are actually a wine bottle opener and a beer opener: A recent gift from my Aunt Lisa, but one that shows people really are reading my blog. One of my posts "I Traded my High Heels for Rubber Boots" talks about how I gave up my office attire and high heels for rubber boots and less appealing work clothes. I appreciate that people are supportive of my dreams.

So take a look around. What special memories are surrounding you?

Memorial Day Weekend

Over Memorial Day weekend my friend, Lisa, flew in for a visit from California. It had been a year and a half since we last saw each other so we had a lot of catching up to do (conversation and wine that is). Like always, she was glad to help me do some research in the industry. Friday and Saturday we became local tourists in Willamette Valley. We tasted a wide assortment of wines from Oregon and even Washington! But most of the wines we tasted were Pinot Noir. We spoke with owners and winemakers and tasting room staff to learn more about the vintages and vineyard sites.

Wineries we visited included Archery Summit, Erath Winery, Canas Feast, Tyrus Evan, Cleo's Hill Wines and two smaller producers whose name I cannot recall.

We also visited the new and still under construction Press Wine Bar during its Memorial Day Weekend open house. I interviewed here for a part-time job last week and hope to get hired. Four boutique wineries: de Lancellotti Family Vineyards, Arterberry Maresh, Crowley Wines and Merriman Wines were pouring their wines. All of these wines were amazing and I highly recommend them all. There will also be a restaurant Farm to Fork and luxury boutique hotel on site.

This is a picture of Lisa at Archery Summit Winery in Dundee Hills. We were the first ones to arrive at 10:00 AM.

How Long Before I Can Call Myself A Local?

Greetings friends! You will be happy to hear that I finally have a permanent residence in the USA. My new home is in Sherwood, Oregon. 15 miles from Portland and in the Willamette Valley Wine Region (Pinot Noir country). My mother and I left Wisconsin on Thursday afternoon and arrived here on Saturday. I am living in a brand new 2 bedroom apartment and loving it.

Today is Thursday, May 21st and I am all unpacked and waiting anxiously for a job offer. This week I had four interviews! Yes. Four. All of them went well and I even had a second interview for one winery. The biggest weakness that they find with my resume is that I am not a local. The thing is that I already interviewed for a job here a few weeks ago and was one of the two final candidates. The only reason I didn't get the job was because the other woman was a local. Since that was the only thing stopping me from getting the job, I quickly found a place to live, packed up my stuff and drove cross country so I could begin my journey of becoming a local.

So how long does it actually take to become a local? I have started going to Starbucks every morning and ordering a carmel latte with an extra shot. Am I a local the day they remember my name without me telling them? Or maybe it is the day when I walk into my favorite wine bar and the bartender asks me if I want, "The usual?"

I am not sure what it will take for me to become a local. Don't you know, I am from Wisconsin and always will be. I can live here and become accustomed to the wines and the culture but deep down I will always be a Midwest girl.

What I Have Learned

Here's what I have learned the past year and a half:

1. Think with your head and not your heart. It is your heart that gets you in trouble and sometimes even makes you fly to Tasmania and back twice!

2. Some jobs seem more glamorous then they appear.

3. Having a college degree doesn't mean anything. It's the people you know and the choices you make that matter.

4. No matter where you go and for how long, it is always nice to be back home.

5. If you think you have it bad, remember there are people out there who have it much worse.

6. Family and friends are the most important things on this earth. Call them, email them and hug them every chance you get.

7. Life is short. Make sure you do the things you dream of doing. Travel, take a day off of work just because, laugh, eat ice cream, have a glass of wine.

8. I am not perfect and never want to be. Life would be boring that way.

9. With each door that closes a new one opens. You just have to be patient. (Something I am working on.)

10. That I don't know what life has in store for me next. But if it is anything like the past 28 years, then bring it on. Life is an adventure. Jump on board.

Probably the Worst Tasmanian Vintage

Well, are you on the edge of your seats waiting for a blog update? This is Beckaroo and I am reporting live from beautiful Kayena, Tasmania. Today is April 7, 2009. This is probably the worst Tasmanian vintage in a long time. Why do you ask? The total crop is down at least 30% or more and the grapes are having one heck of a time ripening with all the rain and cool weather. Also botrytis cinerea, a necrotrophic fungus that affects many plant species, although its most notable hosts may be wine grapes threatening a majority of the crop. In viticulture, it is commonly known as botrytis bunch rot. The fungus gives rise to two different kinds of infections on grapes. The first, grey rot, is the result of consistently wet or humid conditions, and typically results in the loss of the affected bunches. So work is limited and the harvest is probably going to wrap up fairly soon.

I am taking it day-by-day. As you can see from the picture above the work here is hard. This is a picture of me sampling the juice. It is a tough job, but somebody has to do it! Just happy to work when I can and I am even picking grapes on my days off if there are any to pick. I need a bit of improvement in the vineyard since I have already sliced open two fingers with the shears.

The winery work is keeping me fit and I am running a lot here. I ran in a women's 5 km breast cancer fundraiser in Launceston a couple weeks ago and finished 26th out of 2000+ runners/walkers. Not bad although I would have liked to place in the top 25. My time was 22:08.

I am excited to come back to the states and see my little handsome nephew Jamison. I miss everyone and will see you soon!

Vintage House

Tasmania Take Two

What a crazy few weeks it has been. All I can say is life is unpredictable. My life seems to be the most unpredictable of anyone I know. At least I can provide entertainment for my friends and family. So after one day back in Chicago, I felt like I had made a huge mistake. I know. I know. What were you thinking?

So after speaking to the Cellar Manager and Winemaker, they are willing to let me come back and work vintage. Luckily the harvest has been delayed and I will make it back in time to start. I left because of him but I should have stayed for me. You see, life keeps throwing me curve balls and I keep striking out. Each time this happens, I always seem to make it through. I too will make it through this. I am going to make sure that I have the best time ever and keep a positive outlook on life. When this harvest commences, I will have learned more about winemaking, about myself and hopefully about life.

I love my family and my friends. Thank you for your support and open ears. To my family--I promise to try harder with you all and let's get R Little Winery up and running!

Tasmania

Do I Stay or Do I Go Now?

Tuesday, February 24, 2009
In the land down under, I am feeling a bit down under. After finding out my boyfriend who is also my bestfriend has been cheating on me since November, I have been on an emotional rollercoaster. Do I seriously have such bad luck? I am literally numb and in shock. Of all the things that could happen to me, this is the last one I thought possible. Especially since I have travelled around the world to live and work with the guy. I am not sure what I will do when he arrives this week.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009
He arrived on Wednesday and I let him have it. I am so angry at him and sad. I don't know if I can make it through the harvest. Harvest is my favorite time of the year and I want to make sure that if I stay I will be able to do the job 100% and still have fun.

Saturday, February 28, 2009
Well, my emotional side got the best of me and I re-booked my ticket home for Sunday, March 1st. I hope I am making a good decision. I am sad to walk away from an opportunity like this. I have made friends with the most amazing people.

Sunday, March 1, 2009
Gabby, Lis and Andries drove me to the Launceston airport at 4:30 AM so I could catch my flight to Sydney. I did my best not to cry as I said goodbye to everyone and walked away. Now what?

Welcome to Australia and By the Way Un-Happy Valentine's Day

The wheels of the plane touched down in Sydney at 6:00 AM Valentine’s Day. Only one day later than planned. The original plan was for my boyfriend and me to meet in Sydney for a two-day vacation before flying together to Tasmania. Unfortunately his Visa hadn’t been approved yet, so I was alone in Sydney. This was the first Valentine’s Day I had been looking forward to in a long time. I had even bought a cute new dress outfit and a couple bottles of 2008 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc (a wine we made last vintage in New Zealand together and one he had not yet tasted.). I caught my shuttle to Urban St. Leonard’s Hotel ready for a hot shower and a long nap.

The hotel had internet so I logged on to see if there was any news from home or my boyfriend. Well, after a little investigation, I found some interesting stuff leading me to believe that I was not the only woman in his life. Un-Happy Valentine’s Day to me! Could this possibly be happening? Did I give up an opportunity to move back to Chicago where I could be working at a decent job and living in a place of my own instead of out of a suitcase? No. He would never do this to me I thought. Boy was I wrong...Un-Happy Valentine's Day to me!

Aloha?

“Attention passengers, due to a mechanical issue we will be landing in Honolulu. I never guessed I would be saying Aloha on this flight but welcome to Hawaii.” The flight attendant said. I guess you could say that I wasn’t the least bit surprised. During my travels, the one thing I have learned is to expect the unexpected. I had met a new friend, Melissa from Mexico, on the plane and her and I decided to make the best out of the situation. We would be shuttled to a hotel for the day where we would get our own room to shower and rest while they addressed the problem. It was 5:00 AM and our flight was rescheduled for 11:45 PM this evening. We also got a $15 food voucher. During our wait, we met another woman, Yvonne from Germany, and all three of us planned to check into our room, have a shower and a nap and meet in the lobby at 12:30 to go eat and explore the beaches.

One goal of mine is to visit all 50 United States. Hawaii was one I haven't been to yet and now I only have 10 to go: Alaska, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Vermont, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

Let's just say having a layover in Hawaii was not all that bad. I got to explore Waikiki Beach, swing from a tree, check out the outdoor aquarium, get a little sun, put my feet in the water and meet some new friends.