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Sunday, June 29, 2008
Wine tasting in Connecticut
Decided to drive out to Clinton, CT (about 1 1/2 hours from us) today to go wine tasting at Chamard Vineyards. We came across their wine last year at the Connecticut Wine Festival and wanted to check out the actual vineyard this year. It was fun to taste the different wines and sit on the deck overlooking the vineyard afterwards. We bought a case (6 Stone Cold White, 2 Pinot Blanc, 2 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2 Cabernet Franc) so we will be able to enjoy it for a little while.
Afterwards we went to Branford to eat at the Southport Brewing Company (a small CT brewpub chain). Had some very good hard cider and a delicious Margeritha pizza --> definitely a great ending to our Sunday.
Finished the "Time Traveler's Wife" in the car out to the vineyard today. I really like the book and am looking forward to the movie. I just hope they don't completely butcher it. That has happened too many times when Hollywood tries to turn a really good book into a movie. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
Mail Update: Letters are going out on Monday to: Alex/Germany and Celia/MA. Received letters from/still owe replies to: Liana/NY, Nina/WA, Sarah/Canada and Kimber/Canada.
Posted by Hanna at 08:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Green Chimneys
I am not even going to get into the fact that it has been another long week. By now you all probably expect me to say that. :) I'll keep the bitching to a minimum or at least try to. To sum it all up it's just been very hectic preparing for the upcoming 4th of July holiday along with taking care of everything else. I had a new person start on Thursday as well so I have been wrapped up with that. So far so good.
I am very glad that it's Saturday today. I was able to sleep in and be lazy. My friend Sharon picked me up at 11 and we headed to her workplace, Green Chimneys. For those of you not from this area Green Chimney's is a non-profit organization working with children with emotional, behavioral and learning challenges. It's sort of a sanctuary where troubled children and harmed animals recover together and blossom, laid out on a 150-acre farm in Brewster, New York, sixty miles north of Manhattan.
I was able to meet the founder, Sam Ross, who started Green Chimneys in 1947. Afterwards Sharon took me around the farm so I could see all the cute animals they have there. We saw lots of birds of prey, lamas, emus, cows, pigs, goats and more. Every animal has a story of why it is there. Some for example have suffered head or wing injuries and can never be released into the wild. It was nice to be able to walk around the farm. Afterwards Sharon and I headed to the Candlewood Grille for lunch. I had a very yummy Southwestern Chicken Sandwich.
Not sure what I am going to do for the rest of the day. I am still really behind on my mail and should try to catch up. I also want to read some more of "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger. I am about halfway done and so far really like it.
Mail Update: Since the last update a letter went out to:Tiffany/OK and Jessica/DE. Received letters from/still owe replies to: Liana/NY, Nina/WA, Sarah/Canada, Kimber/Canada and Alex/Germany.
Posted by Hanna at 02:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Finally Sunday
Yes, it's been another long week - the trend continues. Upper managment decided that our routes will not go out on the 4th of July. You would think that I would be happy about getting a day off but of course it's not quite that simple. I remember last year's nightmare surrounding the weeks leading up to it pretty well. (making sure all the customers are aware of the changed schedule, reminding everyone and trying to keep an eye out for any issues) On top of all that the new girl I was training didn't show up on Friday (no call-no show). Maybe it's a blessing in disguise but of course short term it means that I am down a person.
Well enough bitching for now. Since I had to work Saturday I was off on Tuesday so I spent the day cleaning and re-organizing the area for our new kitchen cart. As you can see our cat Dinah was very eager to help me out. :) To see the final result click here.
I still feel like I am very behind on my mail. I am really sorry and apologize to everyone who I owe a letter. I will try and catch up as soon as I can.
Yesterday we made a trip to the library and I got two new books: "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger and "The Birdcage" by Marcia Willett. I think I am going to start with "The Time Traveler's Wife" in a little while.
Mail Update: Since the last update a letter went out to: Carmen/Malta, Lotte/Denmark, Liana/NY, Tizz/Denmark and Celia/MA. So far on Monday letters are going out to: Eunice/Malta. Received letters from/still owe replies to: Nina/WA, Jessica/DE, Sarah/Canada, Kimber/Canada, Alex/Germany and Tiffany/OK.
Posted by Hanna at 02:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Another busy week
Another long week. I really thought it might not end. Can't really pin point exactly what made it such a bad week but it was just hectic and busy in general. Every time our distribution department is short-handed it seems to cause ripple effects everywhere else. On top of all that I am dealing with training a new employee and just trying to do my job in between everything else. Oh well, it will have to go back to normal sooner or later.
I am just glad that I have the weekend off. It's nice not to have to worry about anything for 2 days. Today will be errand day. We need to go grocery shopping. I also want to stop by the German Deli Karl Ehmer's to get a few things. Have to make a small stop at work too but hopefully that won't take too long.
In the afternoon we are planning to finally put our kitchen cart together. It came about 2 weeks ago (it was back-ordered for ages) but we have just been so busy.
Tomorrow's goal will be to try and catch up with my mail (both emails and letters) and maybe also finish the book I am currently reading. ("Echoes of the Dance" by Marcia Willett). We will see how all that goes I suppose.
Mail Update: Since the last update a letter went out to: Steff/ME. Received letters from/still owe replies to: Carmen/Malta, Tizz/Denmark, Celia/MA, Lotte/Denmark, Liana/NY, Sarah/Canada, Kimber/Canada, Alex/Germany and Tiffany/OK.
Posted by Hanna at 11:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Happy Father's Day (in Austria)
In Austria Father's Day is always the second Sunday in June which usually puts it one week ahead of the US. So as today is Father's Day in Austria I am wishing my dad a very happy day. :) I got him a book on the Orient Express which he seems to enjoy so far so I am glad. :)
We slept in really late today. I opened my eyes and thought it was only 10:30 but it was actually 12:30. Wow. I guess maybe we needed the sleep after this long week.
We were originally planning to stay home and not do much because of the heat but instead decided to venture down to NYC. Going back to Brooklyn to Cafe Steinhof (the Austrian cafe). So much for catching up on my mail or reading but that's ok. I always love going to that cafe so I'm happy. Maybe I can squeeze in a letter before we go, will see.
Mail Update: No letter have gone out. :( Received letters from/still owe replies to: Lotte/Denmark, Steff/ME, Liana/NY, Sarah/Canada, Kimber/Canada, Alex/Germany and Tiffany/OK.
Posted by Hanna at 01:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Saturday, June 07, 2008
It's been a long week ...
I am at work right now... this is day number 6 without a break or day off. It's definitely been a long week. Just the usual madness, being short-handed, training a new girl and so on. Yesterday was the worst day out of all of them though. We are really thinly stretched with our route coverage right now (some drivers quit, new replacements didn't work out or are still being trained etc) so on Friday everything sort of fell apart. We had all of our supervisors on the road along with salesmen, garage employees and even an employee out of my Customer Service department. Definitely an adventure.
I am glad that it's finally Saturday and I'll have at least tomorrow off. I am looking forward to not doing much really. It's supposed to be over 90F (32C) and humid this weekend. Ugh. We are definitely not going outside. Enjoyed our walk last weekend. We ended up walking over 8 1/2 miles but you can't do that when it's really sticky, hot and humid outside.
I am getting really behind on my letters again so I'll have to try and maybe catch up a little tomorrow. We will see how that goes I suppose. I also want to continue reading the book I started by Marcia Willett "Echoes of the Dance" and I have the DVD of the Eurovision Song Contest my parents recorded for me and sent to me to watch. So somehow I want to fit all that into my Sunday. Probably won't happen but we will see. :)
Mail Update: No letter have gone out. :( Received letters from/still owe replies to: Lotte/Denmark, Steff/ME, Liana/NY, Sarah/Canada, Kimber/Canada, Alex/Germany and Tiffany/OK.
Posted by Hanna at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack