Tales from the Cryptkeeper - - Errr, I mean Shopkeeper

Did you think I was never coming back to blog?  Did you think that maybe I was suffocated under a pile of bureaucratic paperwork and bound by red tape?  Actually I have been.  It's funny how we need to comply with the government and yet the government agencies makes it difficult for us to comply - - it's a Catch-22 really.  If it weren't for people wanting to open up businesses, then those difficult government workers wouldn't have a job.  And it is the revenue from these businesses and the potential increase of revenue from proposed new businesses that assist in making the payroll for those people who do everything they can to make it difficult to open a business.  One example: I kept getting told I had to change my LLC name on some paperwork to an LLC name that didn't even belong to me.  I kept asking her why did I have to add a LLC name to my forms that I didn't own, never owned and/or was incorrect.  I never did get an answer to her error and she eventually dropped it.  In the mean time, I spent four lost days trying to put out that little fire she started. 

A week ago I became free - - a free business woman.  You see,  I was being held hostage by my painter.  What was suppose to be a  two-week project was going on week five.  When it was time for payroll,  the painter would collect the check and disappear for days.  When he did paint, of course all production on my end was stalled because I couldn't be in the building due to fumes and residual spray.  I couldn't conduct much business such as working with distributors, tasting wines, let alone order wines, supplies and store furnishings and have them delivered while the painter was coming in and out of the building.  

Have you ever seen the television show, Top Chef?  At the end of the show a contender is cut from the game.  One of the judges has to announce to the loser, "Please pack your knives and go."  Well, needless to say I was forced to make that phone call to my painter one day and say, "Please pack your brushes and go." Once he left the building it was a huge relief and we finished up the painting ourselves.    

Oh by the way, did I happen to mention I am opening a retail wine store?  The new digs will be at 19 North Second Avenue, between Rose and Main Streets,  a few doors down from the Marcus Whitman Hotel. The Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman aka "W5" will feature wines of the Walla Walla Valley - - and the World!  And when we say, "World" we like to make a big circle with our arms!  A couple of Wednesdays a month (of course Wednesdays since I am all about alliterations) the W5 will also have wine tasting events and even "Wines of the World" tastings and classes.  So keep an eye on the W5 and watch it grow!

Last weekend I was one of the guest wine bloggers invited by the Cascade Valley Wine Country Association.  For three days we toured the wineries of Wenatchee, Chelan, and Leavenworth.  It was a wonderful weekend of good wine, good food and once again connecting with the finest wine bloggers in the State of Washington.  If you are not familiar with this area of Washington, I can tell you it is some of the prettiest in the state and also a reminder of why we are known as the "Evergreen State."  The hospitality given to us by the CVWC was first class.  I will blog about my experience later and some of the wines that made quite an impression on me (and hopefully will be available at the "W5"), but in the mean time please read more about this weekend written by my favorite Eastern Washington wine blogger, Josh Wade of  Drink Nectar. 

This thing I do called,  "Wine Blogging" has become an interesting journey.  I started in 2005 and didn't have a clue where it would all lead.  What is really amazing about this journey is that visiting with my blogging buds last weekend, two other wine bloggers are also starting their own full-time wine-related businesses due to their talents and persistence in their wine blogging craft. 

Keep checking in with me as I have lots of blogs to catch up on such as my visits with Jeanie at Nicholas Cole Cellars,  Vickie at Seven Hills Winery and Denise at Long Shadows.  I also revisited an old "friend" by the name of  L'Ecole No 41 Apogee and made a new friend with L'Ecole No 41 Perigee (It made the Swoon-Worthy Wine Award in my mind) and again, my wonderful weekend with my wine blogging buds in the Cascade Valley.  Cheers!