What next?

I'm trying to work out what to do next with my life.

Any suggestions?

This is more like it.

Dad and I went to see how the white was going. We also discussed the previous harvest. Discussed and tasted. I believe we had a fantastic vintage. We tasted 21 wines before 1 pm. As I said thats more like the wine tasting I know. We did however have to spit. 21 wines in 3 hours would have left us all a little worse off (and I was tasting with Dad). I really need to practice my spitting technique. I'm just not used to wasting so much wine.

So yes, the white is going well, as are all the wines being made from our grapes and the wines we are making at home. Nice to know.

After such a social week in Sydney its been a little on the quiet side back at the vineyard. There is work to be done, but once the sun sets well....

Camperdown cemetry

Back to the vineyard

and it is the total opposite of my trip to Sydney.

It is not only freezing, but miserable as well. And Dad didn't leave chop up any wood when he dropped by for a few days. Don't judge me like that, we may have an axe, but this stuff needs a chainsaw and I have never been shown how to drive one of those so would prefer to keep my limbs attached. So the heater it is.....

On top of all that I have an infection in one of my wisdom teeth. I did look to see if I had the right anitbiotics from my last visit to Asia, and while I could take a broad spectrum, I don't have the specific antibiotic I need hence will have to wait until I can get in to see a doctor... I really should keep my drug supplies up to date. I know this sounds bad, but my doctor in Sydney assumes I get them in Asia so.....

Oh and two more baby pigeons died, I'm not sure if the parents are neglectful or its just too cold... they were fairly large and I did find them with their mouths full of food so the parents cant be too bad.

The rest of my time in Sydney....

went a little something like this:

I was out to lunch every day, except one and out to dinner every night. One of those nights was rather tame, but the rest left me dehydrated and tired. So yes I had a fabulous time.

I made the most of the day I didn't have lunch on, I walked to the city,

past Sydney's newest Kiwi residentOver the bridgeand around the Quay. As it was such a gorgeous day I stopped for a drink.
unfortunately soon after I sat down, other people sat in front of me, partially blocking the view
I continued my walk

around to the botanical gardens. Gymea lilies are one of my mother's favouritescontinued though the gardens
around to Mrs Maquaries Chairand then on to the State Library for the World Press Photo 08 exhibition. It was a wonderful way to spend a few hours.

After the exhibition I walked to Newtown, visiting the picturesque Camperdown cemetery, but those photos will have to wait for another day....

Oh my, oh my!

The day before my wine tasting I found out that Jamie, who I had dinner with on Monday was also going, seems he knew the same guys Mel knew who was organising the event. It is a very small world, especially as I met Jamie 2 years ago while he was traveling with a friend who worked with Charlie's brother in Sydney. As I said it is a small world. Anyway I was very pleasantly surprised to find out Jamie was also going.

Upon arrival at the venue - a lovely bar in Circular Quay - I quickly surmised that the night was not just a wine tasting night for single people, but it was in fact a speed dating night! It turned out I was not alone in my ignorance, a few other people the organisers had roped into going were also a little surprised.

That said I had a fantastic night, I actually wasn't there to meet anyone, but happily chatted away to a new guy every 5 minutes. I only "dated" 10 out of the 22 guys there, starting with 3 of Jamie's mates and later Jamie himself. Following the speed dating we proceeded to get very drunk, finishing with a few flaming cocktails and me cooking a stirfry for everyone at 2 am as none of us had dinner.

I am now meant to select any I want to have further contact with, however aside from Jamie and his friends I don't really remember the other 6 guys - they obviously didn't make that big an impression.

Time to rejoin society

at least for a few days.

So I'm up in Sydney catching up with friends, lots of lunches, lots of dinners.

I had a lovely lunch with Ali and Mel, at the Oyster bar at Circular Quay on a gorgeous day. What better way to celebrate the news that my sister-in-laws book has a publisher in the UK! Very exciting stuff. Ali and Mel also decided I should go to a wine tasting a friend of theirs was organising. Excellent..... for singles.... oh.... not something I have ever really considered doing, but hey might be interesting, at least the wine should be.

I have also caught up with a friend who has newly announced she is pregnant, another with a 6 months old baby and a third who has just bought a house. No wonder my family are trying to set me up, it would seem I am a long way behind the pack. But loving every minute of the freedom it gives me.

OK off to enjoy the lovely weather Sydney is putting on for me.

Pruning has started,

in the nick of time - I emailed off a copy of a research paper one day and the following I was told to prune. We had to wait a while after harvest, while the vines have leaves they are photosynthesising and replenishing reserves for next year. But now pruning has started. However it has started slowly, the weather has been miserable.... rain, wind, cloud, although there has been some sun, enough that the fist day I have thought I might need sunscreen but after that I didn't seee the sun...

In case your interested - and really I'm not so why would you be - but the vines I am currently attending to I'm cane and 2-bud spur pruning...

I think I did a good job...

pressing cabernet

I am so glad I made Chocolate Chilli Brownies last night!

Dad asked me to scan some old photos for my grandmothers....

This is how my mother sent me to preschool on the day of our class photosBrendan and I

My first Santa photo.

Asparagus

This is what my mother requested for mothers day. Not a bunch from the shops, but whole plants. It grows wild nearby and is dying off so Xanthe and I collected two lugs worth of crowns for her. I love easy presents.

On approach to the vineyard I used to see a green oasis in the middle of parched paddocks. This is no longer the case.