The Bitter Taste Of Vinegar

Recently, I was cleaning out the curio cabinet in the kitchen, just to have something else to admire while I am sitting at breakfast every morning. I took out each beautiful tea cup. The set is one I purchased from eBay so long ago. Each cobalt blue cup has a love scene, They have gold around the rim, and I am fairly certain I saw the exact same set in the Cinderella story that Drew Barrymore played in during the early 2000's. There are also a couple of swarvaski butterflies, and an angles that has a sign in front of him. As I was polishing each piece and putting it back, I wrote "Keep On Movin'" a song from the late 80's that has helped me so much in troubling times of my life.

As I sat down to enjoy my oatmeal, banana, and cup of coffee the next morning I was struck by the little bit light of hope I put in the cabinet the day before...Keep on Movin'...How the hell did we get to this point? Right now, at this very point in our lives we are on the brink of losing our beautiful winery. Another question I ask myself is "What is the lesson?" I believe one of the best things we did was get out in front of this, and auction off everything we put into the winery and property expect our souls. We we live to fight another day. So, how did we get to this point?

My husband and I are from the SF Bay Area, Oakland to be more exact. He and I met on Yahoo, in 1997. I am originally from Indianapolis, Indiana. I grew up poor, in an economically, and socially diverse area. I feel as though I have lived the life of many people. I am grateful for my super humble beginnings. Roberto grew up in Oakland. He was the first and only child of Italian immigrants that came to the United States in the 1960's. Can you even imagine coming to live in California in the 1960's? Anyway, his parents wrote to each other before they ever met each other. It was more like an arranged marriage. The two of them lived across the street from us, which is another book in itself. I just obtained my degree in 1996, and the summer of 1996, I came to California for the first time. I met a friend online. He and I wrote to each other every Thursday about the show "Embraced" which was about a vampire living in San Francisco. We would write to each other about their fashion, and about the characters we liked and the ones that we didn't care too much for at the time. Bobbie and I became good friends and we stated calling each other, instead of chat room. Since I was close to finally graduating (8 years in and out of college). I wanted to get a leg up on a career. I was heading to Los Angels, the city I thought for sure was going to be my new home. Once I had the interview at the museum, they told me they could only offer me an internship. I was broken hearted. What was I going to do with the rest of the week that I had booked in Los Angels? I called my new friend Bobby, to ask him for advice. He said "Take a puddle jumper to San Luis Obispo." I told him that there was no way I would take a tiny plane to someplace I have never heard of, and I hate tiny planes." He then said "Stay close to the pay phone, and I'll call you back." In about 10 minutes (which seemed like an eternity), he called back. Bobby said "I'm going to send my straight friend after you. His name is Giovanni. It will take him 4 hours to get to you. So, you are going to have to find something to do." I bought a book in the gift shop of LAX, and read it. I was thinking, I have no idea what Giovanni looks like, and expect that he has a beard.

Around the 4 hour time period, I see the Ford pull up to the terminal. There is a girl in the front seat, and a guy with a beard driving the car. He got out, and walked over to me, and asked me "Are you Kimberly?" Yes, I replied, I then asked him if he was Giovanni. He said yes, I am, I am here to take you to San Luis Obispo. Well, actually, I am going to take you to meet my friend Bobby. He introduced me to the girl in the front seat. He said "She is my date." I the said with a little dread in my voice "Your date is coming to pick me up from the airport and drive me back?" He then said "This is our first date" My only thought was this is probably your last date too. Giovanni and I talked the whole time he was driving, and the mystery girl in the front seat said nothing. I wondered if she was a captive of his at times. Is this a horror movie that I am getting into, and how will I escape if this is a horror movie? Where the hell am I going to go if this is a horror movie in the making? Did I just get into the car with a serial killer that is nice, and so is the guy that I have been talking to on the phone for months?