The bottles are empty, the glasses are clean, the volunteers have checked out and the judges are home. The 5000 sq.ft. conference room formerly filled with wine and associated paraphernalia is no longer in our name.

The 2008 version of my company’s wine awards is now officially, and satisfyingly, over. More than 4200 bottles were received, and 16 judges from across Canada flew in for a week of tasting, all so that you, me and other value-conscious, wine-consuming friends can make smarter, more educated purchasing decisions the next time we visit our local BCLDB, Alberta private liquor store, MLCC store, LCBO, or the like.

Though my hands are throbbing and I’m in desperate need of a shower and a nap, I feel great. I’m at work, tying up some loose ends, then it’s off for a long weekend, celebrating Canada Day on Tuesday. This will be my first weekend in nearly a month where I’m not deliberately subjecting myself to, nor voluntarily partaking in, physical labour. You see, this long weekend pleasantly coincides with the opening weekend of CFL football (Stamps hammered the BC Lions last night!), and it’s supposed to be sunny and somewhere between 25 and 29 degrees for the extent of the forecast. I have a feeling we’ll do some bike riding too.

My work week next week consists of two work days, then another 3 day weekend, and oh yeah, leave for New York for a week on Sunday. Better charge up the camera batteries!