Go hug your kids!

I'll get to the point of the title by the end, but I thought I would recap our action-packed weekend in Minnesota.

• We got our snow fix for the year. It snowed nearly everyday we were back but definitely not like the dump that the East was receiving. It wasn't even enough to reek havoc on the highways. Just enough to make me wish I had planned a ski trip someplace this year.
• The wines were a hit at the WAMSO Vintage of Note! We were the new kids on the block and the only vintners from Paso Robles. Some of the guests were familiar with area but most were not. The best part was hearing comments like, "Your wine is the best one here." The group included some sophisticated wine enthusiasts and their praise was most appreciated. It was interesting that the Tres Blanc was well received in this undeniably "red wine only" crowd. It continues to live up to its billing as "the white wine for red wine drinkers." We definitely will get some business as well as visitors. Everyone loved the photos of Creekside B&B. We offered a weekend in the silent auction and there were lots of folks bidding.
• As always, the best part is seeing friends. While we love our new lives in California, there is no doubt that our hearts are still yearning for the friends we left behind. We didn't get to see everyone we would like to - there never is enough time - we did share a few laughs and a few glasses of wine with as many as we could.
• We interviewed a few realtors about selling our home. Any one now of someone who wants a great house in Edina? I think we found someone we would enjoy working with. After the last time we tried this, I am going to be very selective. The market still stinks but the optimist in me says it's time. The other great news, is that our tenant agreed to let them show the house while they are still there so we can get the process started.

Now I'll explain the title of this post. Saturday morning, my friend Mary received a phone call that the son of her high school friend Brian Burke had died in an automobile accident. He was the student manager of the Miami University hockey team where our daughter Kelley attends college. She did not know him but by all accounts he was a fabulous young man. When you hear news like this, one's heart skips a beat for a moment and you try to imagine how devastating this would be. Only you can't really imagine so you reach out to your kids, tell them how precious they are and if lucky enough to be in the same room, give them a hug.

Today is Brenden's funeral. His dad is supposed to be heading to Vancouver as the general manager of the US Olympic hockey team. Instead, he is in Connecticut burying his son. Go say a prayer for the family and then go hug your kid again.