What's on the menu? Family!

Left to Right: Barbara, Cathy and Carol
Daughters of: Dorothy, Mary and Jean

I had lunch today with two of my cousins, Barbara and Cathy. Why do we wait so long to get together? We have such a good time talking and reminiscing that we really should get together more often. It somehow comforts my spirit to get together and discuss each of our mothers and what we remember about the Whatley family. We have vowed to organize another family reunion and I vow to get to work on that right away. I always leave them with the best of intentions to get together again soon, but then life intervenes and...The older I get the more I feel a hunger to touch base with my roots occasionally. My mom and brother are gone and Daddy is 82. In the not too distant future my original nuclear family will be gone. These family members are the only ones who will be left that shared my childhood with me...that knew me when...that share my memories and my bloodline...my grandparents...my heritage. I don't want to lose them.

What is this thing called a "weekend?"

Seriously. Who came up with the idea that you should work 5 days and have only 2 days off? That is a lame-brained idea. Stupid in fact. While I guess we should be appreciative of the 2 days off, they fly by so quickly and you're never really "off."

Case in point. While I admit that this wasn't a typical weekend, it is far more common than uncommon. I got off of work last Friday afternoon at 4:00.I drove home, bit off my acrylic nails because they were chipping and I just didn't have time to get them fixed. Changing clothes, we headed out the door to go shopping for Saturday's birthday party. We ate dinner at Chipotle, ran by Sigel's for premixed margaritas and then headed to Walmart. It was almost 8:00 by the time we got home. I put away the groceries and then began cleaning house...really cleaning & not just straightening. I scrubbed bathrooms, dusted all furniture, vacuumed, unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, washed and dried clothes...if I could think of it...it got done. Don't get me wrong. My house is relatively clean all the time. I can't tolerate clutter. It offends me visually and makes me jumpy and cranky. Uncluttered is different than clean. Clean is when the dust is gone, things are in their proper place and you can smell pine oil in the bathrooms. Clean is my cotton candles giving off their ambient light along with spreading their fragrance throughout the room. Clean is awesome. To me, it's like taking a hot shower and then crawling naked into a freshly made bed. I love, Love, LOVE clean. So...until 3:45 in the morning I sipped my wine and cleaned my house. My late arrival in dreamland caused me to sleep until 11:00 a.m. Saturday.

Okay. So Friday night is gone and Saturday morning is gone. I spent Saturday afternoon preparing the "birthday cake" for the party (see below) starting the queso in the crockpot and prepping the ingredients for 8 individual calzones. The pie shells had to be brought to room temperature and then folded out for pizza sauce, cheese, pepperoni, canadian bacon and Italian sausage to be added. They were so huge that my oven would only accommodate 2 at a time! Between 5:00 and 6:00 everyone arrived. Scott and Carter sat at the bar to snack on chips and queso and Carter saw the cake. He lost interest in everything else so it became necessary to distract him until Ryan and Richard got there. ::aside...they apparently can't read because they drove from Mesquite to Plano thinking it was at the Durbin estate and then had to drive to Rockwall:: Anyway...everyone got there, ate, played with the kids and then put the kids to bed for the adult portion of the evening...cutthroat games. We played Apples to Apples and Balderdash. We laughed,aruged, drank margaritas and cokes and crown. We had a good time. But, I am "old" and had been up late the night before so I could feel my energy draining. Around midnight everyone left and that was then end of Saturday.

Sunday morning I got up around 10:00 and got dressed for the big day. I had purchased platinum level tickets to the Stars game for our Valentine celebration. The game was at 2:00 so we left the house a bit after noon. We had to stop by CVS to pick up a prescription, then we had to wait 15 minutes for the DART bus, so we got to the game six minutes into the first period. The Stars had already scored their only goal by the time we took our seats. But we had awesome seats...complete with a waitress to take our order should we desire something. We had a gift card for Luna de Noche and planned to eat there after the game so we didn't partake of the waitress' services at the game. But how nice to have that option! Anyway...once the game ended we walked to Luna de Noche...WHICH WAS CLOSED! I was somewhat pissed...and hungry! We walked on and ended up at Hard Rock Cafe where I enjoyed a nice salad and a Bud Light while Ronnie munched on a turkey burger. We walked the remainder of the way to the West End DART station and caught a train back to Garland where we arrived at our car at 7:00 p.m. We then drove to Waffle House in Mesquite so that I could meet my cousin Sharon and pass on a couple of bottles of wildberry shiraz. We left there at 9:00 and drove home where I took a bath, laid out my work clothes for the next day, unpacked a pendant light that had been delivered while we were gone, and did a couple of other things (took pills, drank a coke, etc.). As I lay back on my pillow I looked toward the ceiling where the time is projected and it less than lovingly screamed at me, "It's 1:15 a.m. you ding dong. You have to work tomorrow. You need to get some sleep!"

So I ask you now, what is the thing called a weekend? I think I was supposed to have one but don't have a clue what in the hell happened to it!

Okay...five more days and I will try it again!

The cake:


The boys and their calzones:


Appa, the newest member of the Durbin clan:

Let it snow, let it snow, let it...warm up!

Seriously! Enough already! It's almost Valentine's Day and we have snow on the ground...again. No offense intended. I think it can be beautiful, but I'm tired of it. We've already had more snow in the last two years than we did in most of my entire childhood. It just doesn't snow in Texas! At least it didn't...until now...maybe there is something to this global warming thing. But then, wouldn't that mean it would be getting warmer...not snowing? I don't know...gives me tiredhead. I just know this snow is costing me serious money. No work, no pay. The only good thing is I've been able to watch NCIS almost non-stop.

On a totally unrelated note, I got the paperwork from my attorney and am fairly close to filing for my federal and state permits to open my winery for online sales. Can hardly wait to place my order for all the equipment and get the room set up for production! Till then I continue brewing small batches. I have a black raspberry merlot that will be ready to bottle in two weeks and an apple reisling that is about 5 days behind that. Yummy!

Coming up on Valentine's Day. Somehow that's not as big a deal as it used to be. We are going out to eat at Victory Park and then on to the Stars game on Sunday the 13th.

We are having Game Night at the house on Saturday. Scott has already had his birthday and Kristin's is coming up in March. We're going to combine the celebration at the halfway point and give them cash. They are going to Vegas at the end of the month and we're just going to give them play money. Maybe they'll come home rich!!

Looks like it's going to be a very busy weekend! Well, that fire in the fireplace isn't going to tend to itself so I've gotta run! Stay warm, all!

Monkey See...Monkey Do...

We had the boys for a short while this weekend. Ronnie picked them up Friday evening and Kristin & Scott picked them up today about noon. Not much time with our precious nuggets...but it beats nothing. Had enough time to go to the donut store (tradition when they spend the night) and play outside for a while.

Trenton, our oldest, is 7. He is a great kid and a fabulous big brother. Carter really doesn't like to let him out of his sight. Trenton is very patient and works to include Carter in his playing. Carter, who is 2, literally worships "Bubba." He wants to be just like his brother...and it is both humorous and inspirational to watch.

Evidence these photos...it's like deja vu. Trenton had my iphone and was watching Ben 10 videos while Carter had my ipod and was watching Yo Gabba Gabba.

If I Could Save (Wine) In a Bottle...my apologies Jim Croce

Where do I begin? When we came back from our cruise a month ago I started a double batch of wine...wildberry shiraz. I have walked by those carboys and smiled sooo many times. Couldn't wait to bottle it. Well, it was ready this weekend and so...

I came home Friday evening and got everything set up to bottle the wine. I knew I didn't have enough corks or bottles and that I would have to go to the wine supply store the next day, but I had enough to get about half of it done. Ronnie is sick again so this was going to be a solo project. I got started. Let me step aside for a minute and explain something. When you are a nice winery you can afford some equipment. If you're a REALLY NICE winery you can afford top of the line equipment. If you bottle at home...you have manual equipment. I have manual equipment. Thus I began. The first thing I had to do was use a siphon (called a wine thief) to pump the wine from the six gallon jug into a pitcher which I would then use to fill the bottles. Think six gallons. Think pumping motion (like a sawing motion...or that obnoxious thing men do when their privates take over). It took about 40 pumps to fill the pitcher. Then I took the pitcher to the bar where I would lift it to at least eye level and pour the wine through a funnel lined with cheesecloth into the wine bottle. Each pitcher filled 3+ bottles. I bottled 28 bottles on Friday night. 28 bottles x 40 pumps? You do the math...I am way to sore for that.

After filling each bottle I then had to put the bottle in the floor on a non-slip pad and use the manual corker to force a cork in and seal the wine. Again...times 28? Is it any wonder that on Saturday morning my shoulders and back were sore? But wait...more wine needed bottling.

After a quick trip to the grocery store to get milk shake ingredients for the sick hubby, I headed out to the wine supply store. I purchased more bottles, more corks, a bottle sanitizer (so this part didn't have to be done quite so manually) and more wine product before returning home.

Starting from scratch Saturday, I washed each bottle by hand. This involves filling them about half way with Cascade water, putting a top on them and shaking vigorously.Then rinsing several times the same way. Again...my poor sore shoulders! The sanitizer I bought involves inverting the bottle and pushing down several times where the sanitizing solution sprays up in the bottle. An aside: If you don't let the solution run back into the bowl before lifting the bottle you get sanitized, too. You'll be glad to know that I am quite sanitary! At any rate, I let the bottles drain in the bottom rack of my dishwasher while setting up, cleaning and sanitizing all the bowls, funnels, pitchers, siphon equipment, etc. Then it started all over again...the pumping, the lifting, the pouring, the corking,... On this day I bottled 27 bottles. That made a total of 55 bottles of wildberry shiraz which I call "Untamed." Oops...make that 54 bottles. I HAD to celebrate.

Once the bottling was done, the cleanup began. Washing those heavy glass carboys is no easy task. Everything has to be washed immediately because you can't let the sediment sit and harden. Things have to be sanitized as well. Got that done.

Step number whatever in the process...cleaning and labeling the bottles. Each bottle has the potential for being a bit sticky...Hey, I said I had to lift the pitcher to eye level. You try doing that 55 times and pouring into a funnel without spilling a bit. Anyway, each bottle has to be wiped with a cloth sprayed with Windex. Then each bottle has to be labeled...by hand. Patting myself on the back here, but I think I did a pretty good job. I made the labels myself and labeled each bottle before packing carefully back into the cases the bottles came in. Job done. Went to bed Saturday night exhausted!

It's Sunday morning and I can barely move. My shoulders are ridiculously sore...my back hurts...my right knee is killing me...my elbows are aching...and I have two batches of wine that I must get started today! Each batch involves "vigorous stirring" along the way in their creation. Will it be worth it? You bet!! In four weeks I will reap about 25 bottles each of "Avalon" (green apple reisling) and "Razzmatazz" (black raspberry merlot). I just hope the soreness is gone by then!!!

Enjoy the pictures of "Untamed." I know I will enjoy the wine!!

The first bottle


The cuter than cute label


The gang

A Change of Pace...

My Christmas break is officially over. I return to work tomorrow. I think I can handle it. After all, it will only be a two day week and Friday is a jeans day!

Since last I blogged I have gone through round 2 of "the crud." Coughed so violently that I'm pretty sure I broke a rib. Thus, Nyquil or it's knockoff counterpart has become my new best friend. It allows me to sleep!!::contented sigh:: On New Year's Day...I slept. Got up at 11:30 a.m. because I needed to eat and take medication. Went back to bed at 12:25 and slept until 5 p.m. I desperately needed the rest. After that, I finally began to get better...I think.::crossed fingers::

As my time off began to wind down, wouldn't you know it...I think I found a new site for the winery. Ron and I met with the designer, painter and cabinet man today to measure the space so that the original plans can be tweaked. This space is 1875 square feet and sits in a shopping center between a book store and a sports nutrition store. There's an El Chico and a 24 Hour Fitness along with Bealls, Cici's, Radio Shack and Hallmark in the center. The foot traffic there should be good and the parking is plentiful. As far as the site goes, it isn't going to need a lot of tear out/patch back. In fact, the only "tear out" is about 20 inches off the length of one wall. I need to remove some raw wood planks that were someone's idea of decor ::shrug:: and finish out two walls and install doors. Other than that...it's all cosmetic. We will spray the drop-down ceiling black (an effort to save money at this point), paint the walls, touch up the stained concrete floor, and decorate. I cut way back on the finish out of the bar and the total number of wine racks. Hopefully the new layout will drop the plumbing bill as well. We'll see.

I have a drawing of the space along with some photos that show the layout. Because of the format of the drawing I am unable to post the image but I have included the photos. The front of the building is shielded by a green canopy which will help block the afternoon/early evening sun. The entire front is windows. When you enter the front door, the bar and wining room will be out front. To the left the first inset will be a merchandise room (wine shirts, decorative glasses, wine paraphernalia such as stoppers, aerators, bath salts and bubble bath, Scentsy products, etc.). Directly behind that will be the batching room. To the right of the batching room will be the stockroom where wine will be stored once it has been bottled, labeled, corked and sealed...awaiting placement in the wine racks. In front of that (and to the right as you enter the store) is a short hallway and the unisex restroom. The restroom is already handicapped equipped so all I have to do is paint and decorate in there!


The "before" pictures give a fairly accurate portrayal of the space as it currently sits. Hopefully in a couple of months we will have some "after" pictures to compare them with.

The Front

Inside the front door

The Restroom

The Stock Room

The Batching Room

Another View of the Batching Room

The Floor

The Merchandise Room

Another View from the front corner


I think this place is significantly better than the Harbor location for several reasons...shorter lease available, cheaper rent, less site renovation, less "oversight" by leasor, and no percentage of profits due to leasor. If things don't work out this time...I'm giving up on the retail part of the business and will either do online sales only or brew wine for personal consumption and friends only. Keep your fingers...and maybe your toes, too...crossed until you hear more from me!

Girlfriend Time, the Year in Review, and the Next Step...

The last couple of days have been good for my soul. No, make that GREAT for my soul. All women understand that we, as women, need time with our girlfriends. In refreshes and refills our spirits. It lightens our hearts. It is what it is. Men don't need it. Women do.

On Thursday, my girlfriend Prissy invited our "group" to her home for girlfriend time. Four of the five of us were able to make it. This is my Group Therapy girlfriends. We set fabulous goals of getting together every 3 months and then 9 months passes before we reconvene. It doesn't matter, as long as we are able to get together. So, that's what we did. Our friend, Delia, was there in spirit if not in person. We missed her terribly, but we understand that San Angelo is a bit of a distance. At Prissy's we spent HOURS just talking, snacking, drinking wine and catching up with each other. Jo has begun taking insulin for her diabetes. Jeanne's educational consultation business is keeping her hopping. Prissy is loving retirement and has signed on to be a testing monitor just to keep her foot in the educational door. I am struggling to open my winery. Nothing monumental but we hang on to the details of one another's lives because we are a friendship forged during stressful times when we depended upon one another for survival. We love each other as only girlfriends can do. The evening ended all too soon...Jeanne had to go be with her husband who may be experiencing early syptoms of Alzheimers, Jo had to go meet with her sisters to begin getting rid of her dad's "collections" since he is talking about moving to assisted living, and I needed to make some stops before returning home. Already I can't wait to get together with my girlfriends again.

Today, my sister-in-law and I went to Canton. We got there about 9:15 and left there shortly after 2:00. A full day of strolling and buying. I had gotten several VISA/MC gift cards for Christmas and found ample opportunity to spend them. I got some super bargains. I LOVE bargains. One fantastic find was shoes for $2. Yes, that's $2. They are called Onesole Interchangeable Shoes. I came home and looked them up on the internet and a pair of soles with 2 interchangeable tops sells for $125!!! I got a black pair and a cork pair. They come with plain black snap on tops but I can order online, or purchase at listed retailers, various...DOZENS...of tops to snap on and switch up the look or the outfit it goes with. STOKED!! I bought a pair of "jeans" leggings and a top to go with them. I bought a Scentsy type wall plugin for my bedroom. I have ordered one from my daughter's friend, but I wanted another and this one was cheaper. I bought raspberry chipotle salsa, Duckhead sandals, a gorgeous, poinsettia lace table topper for next Christmas, and I forget what else. A great day of leisurely shopping. On the way home we stopped at Applebee's for lunch (dunch? afterall, it was 3:30) and then went to the grocery store for snacks, beer, and a Starbucks drink.

Sitting at home now I am reflecting on 2010 and how very blessed I have been. Highlights: I get to work with wonderful people at Quest, I got to teach summer school (mucho extra cash), I got to travel to San Antonio to photograph a wedding, my grandsons are happy and healthy, Ronnie and I started "Date Night," and I finally got out of the fracture boot.::sigh of relief:

Lowlights: I am working more that I had planned on, I am somewhat estranged from my dad, and I spent almost the entire year in a fracture boot.

All things considered, I consider myself incredibly blessed.

Considering 2011, I am not going to make any foolish resolutions only to break them by Jan. 2nd. I want to be more fiscally responsible and pay off as much of my debt as possible. I must get my health and weight under control. I want to start walking again...I enjoy that simple process and it invigorates me, and I want to get my winery up and running. These are the things that I will focus some attention on, but I will not beat myself up if I am not able to pull all this off.

To you, my friends, I pray that you will find fulfillment in 2011...whatever form that takes. God bless you and have a very happy and productive 2011!