WillThink4Wine » 2008 » January

The Internet never ceases to amaze me. Truly. You start typing in your own little corner of the world and before you know it, a few clicks later you are flung all around the world. Amazing.

Sam:

If I take one more step, it’ll be the farthest away from home I’ve ever been.

Frodo:

Come on Sam. Remember what Bilbo used to say: ‘It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.’

 

This morning my journey brought me to somewhere and someone quite remarkable. I started off reading a blog on the Bipolar Net Ring, which took me to Boston, Maine, Colorado, and Iraq. I followed Maj. Andrew Olmsted.

Andy was the first US soldier killed in 2008. The first post I read was Andy’s last. He asked a friend to post it in the event of his death. It’s quite long and totally worth your time.

I wish I had known Andy. I ache for the grief his wife Amanda is suffering now. It makes me cry for all the family and friends of every soldier who has served or has ever fallen.

It makes the rhetoric the polititians throw about seem all the more pale and callous.

Hello, Andy. Thank you for serving your country.

Tags: Andy Olmsted, Support Our Troops, Thought for the Day

I don’t know how many of you actually remember Black & White TV and great old movies like this, but I saw this on A Gentleman’s Domain and it is four minutes and 41 seconds of pure brilliance!

Cab Calloway’s skat intros the The Nicholas Brothers‘ amazing tap performance in a phenomenal scene from the movie Stormy Weather. Fred Astaire once called this performance “the greatest dance number ever filmed.”

It’s not widely known, but when I was much, much younger I took 8 years of dance. I could totally still do this, but I’d require a stage with twin staircases, an orchestra, a great partner, and various other props.

Hi-De-Ho!

Tags: Brilliant, Stormy Weather

I finally did it. I moved my blog to it’s own domain!

I’ve authored my own commercial website for about 10 years now, so I wasn’t expecting as many stumbling blocks as I encountered. It took quite some time to find a Theme I was happy with (hopefully, I won’t hate this in a day or two). I also struggled with blogging software, installation issues and finding what I hope is the right Host.

The two things that have amazed me the most though is the difference between WordPress.com blogs and WordPress.org blogging, and how much my brain freezes when I switch back and forth between the Blogger blogs and the WordPress blogs.

Thank Goodness my cats are here with me, helping to keep me straight!

So. Welcome to WillThink4Wine.com!

Sit. Stay. Good Blogger. 

Cheers.

Tags: WillThink4Wine, Wine

My bucket floweth over. So you have inspired me!

1. Clean out this house so there is room to live!
2. Go back to work. Twenty years is a long time!
3. Write “The Mother Book”, that everyone’s mother on the planet has always said they could write
4. Remember to use the enter button!
5. Stop each day to enjoy my children
6. Lose the extra twenty-five pounds I’ve gained
7. Try and stop being so over-protective with my kids
8. Visit my favorite childhood spot
9. Go on a romantic vacation with Jim
10. Become more avid at using the computer
11. Become more confrontational (In a good way)!
12. Read more books, than newspapers
13. Take the twins to Disney
14. Take up sewing again
15. Save money
16. Cook healthier meals
17. Find the time to cook healthier meals
18. Find a little “me time” each day
19. Conquer my fear of flying
20. Take a cruise with my husband and sisters!
21. Visit a tropical resort with white sand and a cabana on the beach and have a hunk bring my drinks
22. Own a “Brand New” car (something sporty but functional). Tan!
23. Find a crystal ball so I can see Thomas’ future
24. See my daughter graduate from college and be happy with her life
25. Dance with my son Jack to Chuck Mangione’s “Bellavia” on his wedding day. It was playing on the night he was born.

Tags: Bucket List, Sisters

I used to live in beautiful Lakeland, FL.

Lakeland is a wonderful city. It’s just about right… not so small that you don’t have all the amenities of a big city, but not so big that you have all the horrors of a really big city (crime, traffic, etc.). Although, when I left nearly 2 years ago, it had crossed the imaginary line in my head for “too big for me”. When I first moved to Lakeland it had under 50,000 residents. It is now over 90,000. I actually had to put on my turn signal to turn into my own driveway or risk being rear-ended.

Lakeland is located nearly in the center of the state and midway between Tampa & Orlando. It is the lightning capital of the US. As its’ name implies, it has many beautiful lakes. Two of my favorites, where I spent many evenings under the stars, are Lake Mirror and Lake Morton. Lakeland has also lots to offer in the way of Arts & Entertainment, including a marvelous Symphony Orchestra, Museums and great dining.

During my 15 years living in Lakeland, the city hired professionals to totally revitalize the downtown area. It is a marvelous place to eat, shop, enjoy the parks or just stroll the sidewalks and many outdoor Bistros.

But what I really miss about Lakeland is George. George was my “go-to guy” for wine.

There is a tiny wine store tucked away in an old plaza on the southside. It is there that you will find Vintage Wine Cellars, and it is there that you will find George.

I am a member of the Wine Taster’s Guild, or I was. Since moving to Georgia I have not found a wine store who offers Wine Pairings or even Wine Tastings, never mind Taster’s Guild membership. To my utter amazement, when I received my first membership card in the mail I discovered that Bronson Mela, the then esteemed owner of Vintage Wine Cellars, had the dubious distinction of being Chapter #001 of the Taster’s Guild. (Don’t I have fancy pants now, eh?) And as brilliant as Bronson was when it came to really knowing wine, George knew my preferences. Bronson mentored George well over the years; George is no wine slouch, either.

The most wonderful thing I love about George? All I had to do was call George and ask him to mix me a case. Presto! An hour later I’m watching George load the wine into my car – Thoughtfully hand picked just for me, packed in a case and my credit card billed; all by George. Seriously, how cool is that? Never once was I disappointed in George’s choices for me. He really understood the types of wines I especially enjoy.

I may have to take a drive to Lakeland again soon. I feel the need to reconnect with some dear friends. But, George, I miss you most of all! And George, my Spiegelau Vino Grande no longer runneth over. It is empty. Salute.

Tags: Wine

Thirteen Things about WillThink4Wine 1st Edition Grow my new business to the point where I can once again have disposable income. Oooh. That would be lovely Discover a better wine store Get a puppy (I probably won’t, so don’t tell anyone, especially my mother or my cats) Change the lock on my front door, because MotherDear has trouble with it Start eating healthier again Paint my Yellow house a color that is not Yellow Fly up to see Mike & Danielle’s 1st home and attend the 1st Official Mike & Danielle 4th of July BBQ Paint my kitchen Attend a Symphony Remember to have my septic tank pumped Figure out how to stop my Investment Portfolio from hemorrhaging cash Spend a Sister Weekend with my 3 sisters Gather my entire family together for new Family Portraits

Tags: Thursday Thirteen

Guest Contributor: SisterDear3

On another note, Fisherman Thomas, yes, that is the career of the week, decided that he wanted to put his goldfish ”Dorothy”, in her very own bowl. He also decided that all of Kevin’s fish should live together as a “Family”.

So, somewhere around 3 am, he found another bowl, reached in and fished out poor Dorothy, who safely made it into her very own home. He then took the other two fish from his bowl and attempted to create a fish family for Kevin. I woke up at this point and put him back to bed.

In the morning, Kevin’s large white goldfish “Fred”, was not in the bowl. I asked Thomas where he was, he said, “Is he in the toilet?”

Poor Fred.

Later that day, while I was lying on the couch, Keven bent over and said, “What’s this?” Yes, it was indeed poor Fred. We then gave him a proper goldfish sendoff to fish heaven.

Oh well, I wonder what next weeks career will be?

moar funny pictures

Tags: Autism