Winery Detour 1: Unforeseen Consequences

Since beginning this awesome and ambitious quest of mine, things have been gone a bit differently than I originally expected they would. First of all, I just thought it was going to be this fun little side project. Little did I realize how quickly it was going to consume my entire life. Like a spark in a dry forest, it’s been growing and spreading, and I have no intention of trying to contain it. In fact, now I’m fanning those flames, hoping they’ll go completely out of control.

My first moment of random recognition: I was working at Cooper Mountain one day and a customer said to me very loudly in front of a full house, “Hey, you’re that blogger girl”, evidently having seen me around and then recognizing me. It was a touch surreal and, for a moment, I felt almost like a celebrity. Then last weekend, purely by chance, I found myself alone in a room with a reporter from the Oregonian asking me what I was doing there. Two days later I had an article about the blog published and it's now flying through the Twitterverse.

My husband Hunter has been one of the biggest surprise side effects of all. He happily stays home with our son Shayden, enjoying the one-on-one time, while I’m out “working”. He enthusiastically listens to the crazy stories of my meanderings when I return, offers amazing suggestions and then stays up late at night to help edit my posts… tirelessly. Absolutely unwavering in his support thus far, I owe him an enormous thank you and will have to think of some way to make it all up to him… next year!

Well seemingly unwavering. Apparently Hunter, either venting or sharing, told his friend Rob how between work and the project, I’m away from home a lot more these days. Well, Rob’s something of a comic genius (though I wouldn’t say that to his face for fear his head would swell even more) and he sent us the following hilarious letter from Shayden to me. Hunter calls it "Rob dribble"… I call it a wonderful gift from a friend. His note kept me motivated and gave me a huge belly laugh when I was feeling most overwhelmed and under-motivated. Thanks Rob!

Dear Mama,

Why are you tawking so funny afta u cum home fwom dwinking at tha winery. I'm starting to worry mama, u r stahting to smell like a wino. When u say that u wuv me in burp talk it make me nervus like wen tha mawnsters talk to me fwom under tha bed at nite. mama, why r yur lips so wed and your teeth so puwple? Dada is always taking care of me on the weekends, where r u always going? do u luv the bottle like I wuv my bottle? be careful u don't get cavities. cause u can't lose your baby teeth no mor. Mama stay hom and hug me, but don't throw up on me like I sometimes did on u. Cause it smells like wine and stains my undies. I wuv you mommy, no dwinky and dwivey okay, or i take the kees fwom u. I wuv u.

wuv,
shaydog.
P.S-yummo:)

Lesson for the day: Never stop appreciating the simple gifts you’re given daily, be it someone’s generous contribution of time, energy or something that just brings a great big smile to your face. Savor it. Until we sip again…

Cheers!