October 2014 - Changing Seasons

It has been awhile since I posted on this blog.  I have had a very busy fall and am looking forward to getting away on Nov 30^th to meet Karen in Mexico.

I haven’t written anything since the end of September so here I go.

My baby Reeeebaaaa turned 22 on October 1^st.  She has turned into a lovely young lady.  

Archie's new fireplace

Then on Friday, Karen and I were invited out to Archie and Cheryl’s “Gun Club”. 

Yummy food

Now let me explain the “Gun Club” to you.  The Dunnville Gun Club went out of business and put up their land and club house for sale.  Archie and Cheryl decided to purchase it and make it the ultimate Man Cave.  They host parties there (Canada Day 150 guests etc) and dinner parties there.  We went with two other couples and had a blast eating great foods, drinking wonderful wines (including Archie’s home made wine) and had lots of laughs.  I encouraged Archie to enter his wine into a contest.  I think he will do well.

Since we were in Dunnville, we stayed at the trailer for the weekend.  The next day I went Kayaking on the Grand River and have really fallen in love with this activity.

Geoff explaining the process

On the 8^th I went to Dillon’s Small Batch Distillery.  There I met with Geoff Dillon and he showed us process, equipment and let us taste some products.  They do an amazing job there and I was very impressed.  Geoff will be helping us get the Distillery program up and running at Niagara College.

The new arena opened up in St. Catharines and WOW what a beautiful arena. 

Both Karen and I were quite impressed with it.  It looks like the downtown area of St. Catharines is finally starting to be something.  

The next weekend was Thanksgiving weekend and we had been invited to a wedding in Perth Ontario.  Jamie Brown was finally marrying Wendy and we were thrilled for them.  Our annual Trailer Thanksgiving was canceled so we could attend the wedding.  The family was upset about this (the weather sucked anyways) but we ensured everyone that we will do it next year.  Karen and I went to Nancy and Ron’s for Thanksgiving dinner on the Saturday night.  Sunday morning we left for Perth and the wedding.  The wedding was beautiful and Perth is a gorgeous town.  

 Harvest has finally started at the teaching winery. 

This harvest is very challenging with the weather for spring, summer and fall all sucking.  Never the less, harvest has begun and we will take what we get.  Actually the whites and the pinots are not bad.  The bigger style reds are a bit green.

 

October 16^th was the Ontario Craft Brewers Conference held in Toronto.  What a great conference.  This industry is really growing by leaps and bounds. 

Then the weekend came and the weather was again damn awful.  Karen and I decided not to go to the trailer because of the weather. 

So instead we got a chance to go watch Sirena take skating lessons.  She is growing up fast and it is absolutely amazing what Karen and I have experienced being so closely part of her life. 

a very proud skater

Getting the hang of it

Paul and Calvin with Karen

While we were at skating lessons Bruce phoned us and said he had tickets to the Buffalo Sabres game that night.  Damn we had fun.  Bruce and I were of course misbehaving and Karen and Gubby just laughed at us.  Boston beat the sabres to Bruce’s delight.  At the game we also ran into Paul Goodman and his son Calvin.  These are good guys.  After the game we went to a little neighbourhood bar that Bruce knew about and ordered beers, chicken wings and pizza.  OMG there was so much food we couldn’t even eat half of it.  And damn it was might tasty. 

October 20^th I was a presenter at Taste Canada, the Country’s cookbook awards.  I have been a presenter and sponsor now for 7 years.  Great event and very important people involved from a food and beverage perspective in Canada.  I really enjoy this event.  That day Alicia and I went to Toronto for the awards and we dropped in to see Rebecca at her work.  She was off sick that day and so I talked to her on the phone.  Rob joined us for lunch and the off Alicia and I went to the awards.

Later that week, on the weekend, Karen and I drove up to the trailer to shut it down for the winter.  This is always a sad time of year.  We just caught up with Olive and Gil and had a drink with them and gave them a present for looking after our place so well during the summer.  This year with the activities and weather that we have had it was difficult to use the trailer as much as we wanted.  While we were at the trailer Karen realized that she forgot out cheque book and that I would have to make another trip up to pay our dues.

Well this week Karen was called to court by her old boss.  I have no idea why he would do that since Karen can only hurt his case.  He has bullied everyone and is so stubborn that he thinks he is always right.  Karen didn't get called up yet (will on Dec 15^th) and the proceedings are like out of a three stooges show.  Very laughable.

Well that’s October for now.  I still have to catch up November.