It ended tonight

[Roy Hersh]

After a truly grueling season of working the WA State Fair again for the 8th consecutive year, it all ended tonight. Yesterday we had over 140,000 people on the grounds and to say that it was a zoo, is not quite explaining the level of insanity that ensued. Although the weather was dreadful during the Fair, as it rained more than 70% of the time, we still set some records in food & beverage. I am so glad the hard part is now over. Two days to tear it all apart, vs. four weeks to set it up. Then I have 48 hours at home with my wife and daughter before departing for Portugal and the UK. I have had exactly one bottle of wine (Port ... 2005 Portal LBV) in the entire month of Sept. and it will be quite the challenge to have the stamina to keep up with the hours and quantity of wines as I have in the past during the Harvest Tours.

I will be online a bit more often prior to departing for Portugal and hope to participate here more often. I also am very close to completing the next newsletter for those of you who are wondering where the heck it is.

[Eric Ifune]

[David Spriggs]

*Whew*!! Parabéns!! Another year and you survived!