Home sweet home?

I just got home from the airport, and I am happy to report that I had an uneventful, I guess you could say boring trip home. Besides my flight in Minneapolis taking off a half an hour late and me almost missing my boarding in Denver due to looking at the Portland time on my computer, it was smooth as ice. My flight from Denver arrived early in Portland, the shuttle was there to pick me up and there wasn't any traffic on the drive home.

Javier is glad I am back in Oregon and so am I. Is this my home sweet home? I don't have the answer to that question just quite yet. One thing is for sure: I am a local. The gals at Dutch Bros. have my medium black coffee waiting for me in the morning, I know some shortcuts around the area and I have a local gym.

My trip back to WI was short. Mother Nature got in the way of my Chicago trip so I didn't get to see Korinne or Mary. Sorry ladies! Next time. I spent too much time working for a vacation, but it is what it is. I got to see lots of my family and friends, share Willamette Valley Vineyards wine, eat Big Al's pizza and drink Wisconsin beer, grill brats and watch the Packer game (wish they would have won), go to a baby shower, go to the movies with my parents and I found my missing box of clothes!

I love you all very much. Sorry to those of you who I didn't get a chance to see while I was home. Next time or you are always welcome to come out for a visit.

Back to school at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC)

DMACC how I have missed you! Monday I start my Intro to Wine Science class at DMACC with the talented, and very challenging instructor Paul Gospodarczyk.

I even ended up in the Viticulture and Enology Program brochure. Check it out

Midwest bracing for heavy snow, wind chills of -50

I woke up this morning to this (see picture). Snow and more snow on the way. My trip to Chicago has officially been cancelled. The newspaper headline reads: Midwest bracing for heavy snow, wind chills -50. Welcome home, Becky, welcome home.

I got a good nights sleep and once I finish my cup of coffee, I am going to bundle up and ski down to Grandma's house (next door). Just kidding, but I could.

What a long, strange trip it's been

I made it, but what a long, strange trip it's been.

I departed Sherwood, Oregon at 3:15 AM for Portland Airport. My flight departed at 5:30 AM to Minneapolis, Minnesota. My Mapquest directions to the off-site airport parking were wrong! I had no clue where the AirPark was. Luckily I had printed out my receipt and called them for directions. That put me about 15 minutes behind schedule. I raced to check in and to the gate. They had just begun boarding. Phew! I didn't miss my flight.

On the flight I was lucky to be in a row with only one other person so we had extra space to lounge and relax. I was half sleeping when I felt someone touching my head. I looked up and there was an older gentleman in his mid 60's and he was swaying back and forth. At first I thought he was drunk but then I started getting really worried that he was having a heart attack or stroke. I said, "Sir. Are you alright? Sir?" He didn't respond and he was white as a ghost. A guy standing next to him turned around and helped me catch the guy and sit him in the extra seat by me. The flight attendants grabbed the oxygen and some cold, wet towels and the guy started to get some color back. His brother, sister and other travel companions came back to check on him and take pictures of me and him. They teased him that he just wanted to sit by a pretty lady! It turns out he was not having a stroke or heart attack but he was borderline diabetic and hadn't eaten yet. I luckily had a Lara bar and we sat and chatted while he ate it and drank some water.

The rest of the flight went fine. My mom was at the Minneapolis Airport to pick me up. We were chatting and having so much fun that she failed to notice we were low on gas. The fuel light came on and we were in the middle of nowhere Minnesota. That means no cities and no gas stations.

I knew that there was a gas station down the road in Nodine, MN so we pulled in there, but guess what? It was getting remodeled! So we continued to drive on. We were about 3 miles from the Wisconsin border and a gas station when we ran out of gas. We started laughing but knew Dad was going to be mad.

A quick call to AAA and we patiently waited on the side of the interstate. A Minnesota cop stopped by to say hello and make sure we were okay. It was 12 degrees out so we just bundled up and waited. Over an hour later AAA came and poured some gas in so we could continue on our adventure home.

I was welcomed home by my nephews, Jamison and Sebastian. It has been 8 months since I have been home. I am happy to be home, to see my family and friends and to rest up.

I am off to Chicago tomorrow to meet up and have dinner with my girlfriends at Tango Sur. It is a BYOB restaurant as most Chicago restaurants are. Of course I have brought a couple bottles of Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir (Tualatin Estate and Signature Cuvee) to share.

Night.

Dust off the suitcases...here I come

In just a few short hours I will be on my way to the Portland Airport for my flight to Minneapolis, MN. Going home to Wisconsin subzero temperatures but don't worry about me because I have lots of wine to keep me warm.

I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends in Wisconsin, going to Chicago and seeing my new nephew Ian.

Goodbye Northwest, hello Midwest.

Time to pack!

Happy New Year!

Wow! 2010! Is it pronounced two thousand and ten or just twenty ten? I prefer twenty ten. It has a good ring to it. I spent New Year's with Javier, my cat, and my couch. I had a couple of beers and some bubbles. The ball dropped and I fell asleep.

In three days I will be twenty-nine and a half! It is hard to believe I am going to be 30 this year! How time flies. There is still so much I want to do. I have no regrets about my life so far, but this year I am going to look at life in a different light. I will be smarter in my personal decisions and make myself, family and friends the priority. I am not going to make any New Year's resolutions because I just want to enjoy life and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

As Abe Lincoln once said, "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."

Make 2010 an unforgettable year. I know I will.

Love,
Becky

Reposted: lessons from life with comments

Originally posted, May 1, 2009:

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!
Obviously I didn't learn from the whole Tasmania experience. I continued to let this man cheat on me and treat me like crap, then have him miss his flight from South Africa, have him rebook his flight and then have him change his mind about moving here altogether and dump me via SKYPE. What have I learned? I deserve better and to walk away no matter how hard it is.

2. Some jobs seem more glamorous then they appear.
Winemaking is fun, but it is hard work. The last thing I ever wanted to do during harvest was to drink wine. It was beer, beer, beer.

3. Having a college degree doesn't mean anything. It's the people you know and the choices you make that matter.
Simply put: It is who you know, not what you know.

4. No matter where you go and for how long, it is always nice to be back home.
Yes. Wisconsin will always be home. No matter where I live, I love going home.

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

6. Family and friends are the most important things on this earth. Call them, email them and hug them every chance you get.
Without my family and friends (even though you all are scattered around the world) I would not be the person I am today. Thank you for making me stick with it and all the HUGS!

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.
I try to enjoy each day for what it is. Indulge in life. Because today could be your last day.

8. I am not perfect and never want to be. Life would be boring that way.
I am not afraid to take a chance, and with chances comes failures and successes and sometimes really good stories and laughter.

9. With each door that closes a new one opens. You just have to be patient. (Something I am working on.)
Wisconsin to Philadelphia. Philadelphia to Wisconsin. Wisconsin to California. California to Wisconsin. Wisconsin to Chicago. Chicago to New Zealand. New Zealand to Australia. Australia to Wisconsin. Wisconsin to California. California to Wisconsin. Wisconsin to South Africa. South Africa to Wisconsin. Wisconsin to Tasmania. Tasmania to Chicago. Chicago to Tasmania. Tasmania to California to Oregon to Wisconsin. Wisconsin to Oregon. PHEW!

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.
Well, now I am 29 and it life keeps getting more and more interesting. I cannot wait to see what 2010 has to offer. Bring it on!

Christmas Portland Style

Dear Santa,

I think you accidentally skipped my house this year. You don't need to apologize, because I am sure that my letter got lost in the mail and you weren't sure which continent, country or even state I am even living in now. I have mailed a change of address form to the North Pole so there won't be any confusion next year.

Last night, Christmas Eve, I got to experience Peacock Lane in Portland. Sine the 1920s each house in this quaint neighborhood has been decorating for Christmas. It is a very popular Portland tradition. They even have their own website: Peacock Lane. I will post a slide show of the lights after this post.

Today I am enjoying a nice, quiet day off at home. Lots of love to all my friends and family all over the world. Merry Christmas!

Love,

Becky

P.S. I am enjoying the triple chocolate chip cookies and Pinot Noir I left out for you.

Portland Wine Examiner...Becky Rochester

I am the newest Portland Wine Examiner. View my bio and first article online at CLICK HERE. Become a subscriber and you will be notified when I post new articles. I will be writing about wine in general, wine events in the Portland area and overall wine industry topics which effect the Oregon wine industry.

Cheers,

Becky Rochester

Wisconsin Bound

Get the bratwurst and beers ready. I am coming home! I arrive in Minneapolis on Wednesday, January 6th and fly out on Monday, January 11th.

Are you a true Cheddarhead? Take the Wisconsin trivia quiz below. Answers will be posted next blog post.

1. What is the Wisconsin state motto?
2. What is the Wisconsin state animal?
3. What is the largest city in Wisconsin?
4. Green Bay is known as the "____ ____ Capital" of the world?
5. The world's largest six pack of beer is located in which Wisconsin city?
6. People from Wisconsin are called ____?
7. What is the Wisconsin state symbol of peace?
8. What is the Wisconsin state dance?
9. Name two states that border Wisconsin.
10. Wisconsin was the ___ state in the USA.

Welcome to the Family Baby Ian

Here's a picture from my family Christmas via Skype. Baby Ian's first Christmas with the Rochester's. Pictured above: Robby, Shannon, Kiki and Ian Rochester.

Corks and Caftans Wine Review: 2008 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir

Check out the Corks + Caftans article featuring 2008 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir.

Link to Corks + Caftans website and article

Willamette Valley Vineyards PDXposed Video

Pictured above left: World Championship Grape Stomp Trophy

Here's a cool video of Willamette Valley Vineyards Grape Stomp by PDXposed. Plan your vacation next year and compete in the Oregon Grape Stomp championship. If you win, you get an all expense paid trip to compete in the California World Championship Grape Stomp in Santa Rosa, California and your chance to win the trophy pictured above.

Willamette Valley Vineyards Grape Stomp You Tube Video Click here

Last Weekend in Bend, Oregon

Last weekend I was lucky enough to sneak away for a snow filled weekend in Bend, Oregon. Snow tubing on Mt. Bachelor, ice skating at Seventh Mountain Resort and a brewery tour at Deschutes Brewery. Check out the pictures below.

Upper Mississippi Valley AVA

Back in Wisconsin winemaking education starts at a very young age. The best and the brightest tots are selected to represent the Midwest wine growing regions including this tot, named Jamison, from the Upper Mississippi Valley AVA. He is my nephew and a future winemaker of R Little Vineyard in Stoddard, WI.

R Little Vineyard is a small, family owned vineyard and soon to be bonded winery located in beautiful Stoddard, WI just off the Mississippi River. What is the Upper Mississippi Valley AVA? Just the world's largest wine appellation!

According to Wikepedia, "The Upper Mississippi Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area covering 29,914 square miles (77 477 square kilometers) located along the Upper Mississippi River and its tributaries in northeast Iowa, northwest Illinois, southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin. Upon its approval on June 22nd, 2009[1], with the effective date of July 22nd, 2009, it will becomes the world's largest designated appellation.[2] The boundaries of the AVA share the unique geographical connection of all being part of the 'driftless' Paleozoic Plateau and therefore do not have the same type of vineyard soils as wine regions that were in areas that have experienced glaciation in their history.[3]"

Check out the links for more information on this AVA.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_Mississippi_Valley_AVA

http://www.bigrivermagazine.com/wineries.html

http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=news&content=65891&htitle=TTB+Approves+Largest+American+Viticultural+Area

http://www.rlittlevineyard.com/

Cheers.

My New Couch!

Dear Santa,

Dear Santa,

All I want for Christmas is a smart, funny, attractive, non-cheating, wine drinking, athletic, non-smoking, cuddly, not afraid of commitment, adventure seeking, good-hearted man. Is that too much to ask? Apparently these days it is. It seems like the biggest challenge in my life is dating. I have a good career, great family, awesome friends but am lacking on the relationship side.

Santa...out of all my friends, I didn't think I would be one of the last to get married. But there are just a few of us left. Maybe it is because I never catch the bouquet at the wedding? Or maybe I am too picky? Nah! Or maybe I just spend too much time with the wrong men? Ding. Ding. Ding.

Who knows. For now I am going to enjoy some me time. The winter weather has magically appeared. It is the perfect excuse to bunker down and do some reading and writing. Oh...and maybe some arithmetic, since I am going to start my enology class at DMACC in January. Right Paul? I am still waiting to hear from you.

I am pretty sure I am on the nice list, but if I am on the naughty list...I didn't do it! I can still hope that when I wake up Christmas morning, you will have delivered my present. Oh...and can you please wrap him with a bow?

Sincerely,

Becky Rochester

P.S. There will be cookies and Pinot Noir!