All bottled up

I'm feelin' good tonight. My big contract at work, the one I've slaved over for the past 6 months, was approved by the Environmental Protection Commission today. Phewww. Last Friday I was feeling like it wouldn't happen.

I had sent the draft copy to the contractor - GS&P a consulting firm in Dallas. Then on Friday the poopay hit the fan when our DNR legal beagle called to say he needed it ASAP. Shoooot (as my dad's gf Kay used to say). Of course GS&P's people marked it up big time. I was workin' at home and stressed.

So come Monday, we were under the gun to get the thing done (after gentle prompting from my boss). The DNR attorney Jon re-marked it up and I sent it back to GS&P again. Then GS&P wanted to talk to Jon who went home with a sick child. Argh - BB (Big Boss) had to take off for Fayette (where the EPC meeting was) early this a.m. before said atty and Laura from GS&P ironed things out. So I called him while he was enroute to give him the heads up that it was kosher.

BB had to do a sales job as those EPC commissioners are tough task masters. They ask tough questions. He must have done a good job, because we got word this afternoon that it passed. Yee Ha!

Last night I got to relieve my stress of the situation by bottling wine. Yum! Roomie Joan and I traveled to my friend Susan's sister's home to do the bottling. A group of our friends met us there. Lucy, Deb, Pat, Diana, Patti, Susan, Bobbie all made the trek from Crestonia. Mary Ann and her friend umm Whatshername (I'm awful at remembering names) I think it might be Sheryl all helped.

We bottled some 60 bottles of the Chardonnay and Green Apple Riesling. My buddies brought snacks - cheese, chocolates, veggies, crackers and more. We got to drink the leftovers - including the spitty wine that Mary Ann sucked out of the tube to get it going. Bottling involves sucking the wine (started a few weeks ago by a few of the gang from a kit) from the large glass bottles the stuff fermented in.

Susan and Pat were brave enough to run the filler part. Patti and I manned (womaned?) the corker for the first batch. It's a cool little machine that jams to cork into the bottle neck. Joan wiped the bottles down and Deb, Lucy and Bobbie were in charge of putting on the gold cap that was heated with a blow dryer to seal it. Then our own label was attached. Cool!

It was a fun night - reminding me how great it is to have crazy, funny, nutty, generous loving friends. Friendship in a bottle! Maybe Patti will send me a couple pics from the event. hint, hint