After I finally got hoppie moving on Tuesday, we went to the winery. We were a little off schedule, but it all worked out perfectly. We took the mountain pass (17) back down to Santa Cruz. When we got to the winery, a couple from Texas was there doing the wine touring thing. We talked a bit about Boston and Texas and wine, and then we went on the tour. They fed us alcohol before the tour, including mulled mead. The honey, and the cinnamon, and the....words cannot describe how good it was. Of course, on an empty stomach, it might have affected my appreciation of the tour. The winery is the smallest we've toured (although probably not the smallest we've ever been to.)
[Am I ever going to be able to use the word perfect again without hearing Brian?]
Our guide was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The winery might be compact, but they do still use huge tanks. Actually, I take it back, the Chatham winery tour was one room for everything, but of course, they don't grow their own fruits. The Chatham winery was large for a one person operation, this was small for a industry. Does that sum it up better. Anyway, the wine was fabulous and it's a beautiful place with friendly people.
When we got out, I immediately called Eric to find out what their timeline was. They were already on their way to meet us, so we caught up and joined them for the afternoon. (Oddly enough, while I was getting directions from Meredith to where we were meeting, I got a voicemail from Eric telling us they were on their way. Apparently the winery is a cellfree zone, at least for me.) We spent a couple of hours with Zoe and Eric and their mothers and Zoe's grandmother. We got to look at a picture of hoppie's grandfather in HS. He looks just like hoppie and Scott. It had the same effect me that all young picture of hoppie has. It makes me think, "Oh, he's so cute. I must squeeeeeze hoppie!" Fortunately hoppie is so used to being squozed, he doesn't even notice anymore. We also got Aunt Meredith's recipe for almond butter crunch, which does not let Meredith off the hook from making a batch for us at Christmas, but apparently Betsy and Cheryl have been trying to get it for ages. Hoppie now thinks I'm the greatest wife ever. Which is sorta cool.
Then Meredith and Eric helped hoppie plan a route to Palo Alto that didn't involve using roads we'd already used. We went through Gilroy. This is good practice for the garlic festival in Orange next week, which I'm wicked excited about.
We met up with Alex and Drew (Rogue_F and Munchie (
adaniels) for dinner and conversation. Among the really fabulous things that happened this trip are:
1) I really got to relax.
2) Hoppie got to really geek out.
3) Hoppie started to realize that he's not so different from our friends after all. He was feeling something of a disconnect even from our geeky friends here. It reassured him, I think to realize that he's not so unique in the universe. Of course it annoys him too.
Anyhow, we geeked out with Alex and Drew for several hours and cruised on back to my cousin's house by way of the Golden Gate Bridge, and some other bridge that the guys recommended. I was nearly asleep by the time we got there, so I probably wasn't as appreciative as I could have been. Hoppie really had to work to get me to focus on directing him to George and Irene's.
Anyway, crashed until it was time to get up, then I got up, finished packing. Eventually got whassiname up and while he was showing etc. I vegged out for a last 20 minute laze on the balcony. It tells you how much I love that balcony that I elected to do that instead of recapping Tuesday for you.
Anyway, we got to the airport with plenty of time. The flight was hard on my ears and I was wicked tired when we finally got home, but it was an eventless flight. And I got a new Tom Brady GQ to replace the one that
And now we're home.
This morning I picked up the mail at the post office, and they didn't recognize me instantly. *sniff* Has it been that long, my friends? Alas. Anyway. I have a plan. Next post, with the plan, if friend's locked.