No More Tanks ... Then "click"

Well no more tanks to clean at Freeman Winery. They are all empty. It seems like yesterday when we had all of our fermenters full and dozens of t-bins in use for the overflow. It's a little strange to walk into what was just recently a winery bulging at the seams with new wine on the skins to what is now a room full of cold, empty stainless steel fermenters and neatly stacked and empty t-bins.

And then it happens. I heard the "click" before I felt anything. I was loading some barrels onto racks like I have done dozens of times this harvest when my back said, "Enough!" The next to last big working day of harvest and my back goes out. Damn. I was pretty upset as the following day we were facing the daunting task of barreling down and pressing our last 19 t-bins. The next morning I figured I could at least help out by driving the forklift so that's basically what I did and we got through it in about twelve hours thanks to Eric and Akiko. By the way, I doubt many winery owners work as hard as Akiko Freeman. Simply awesome. She took us out to a great lunch yesterday at K & L Bistro and I felt like I was the one who owed her the lunch. After the lunch, Eric and I finished up some stuff back at the winery and then hung out and just enjoyed the beautiful day. Talk about an office with a view - I'll remember days like those this winter when I'm hoofing it in the sleet and freezing rain on my way to court!