Road Trip in the Rain

My car was due for service...well, overdue, actually, so since I had finally concluded with classes, grades, and end of month/end of year reports, I scheduled for yesterday.  "Service" means a trip to Memphis.  Now, when I have time, I am always up for a road trip and Memphis tops my list of local places to go--any place I can get in an hour is a short trip to me.

Off I went in the rain, toting my laptop and a notebook to occupy myself during the 1 1/2 hours it takes for the service.  First time, I got a loaner car and went shopping and to lunch, but then I discovered their comfy customer lounge...with complimentary coffee, tea, water, soft drinks, doughnuts, complementary Wi-Fi, desks, comfy chairs...and an hour and a half uninterrupted.

It rained all the way to Memphis, alternately pouring and doing just enough that no setting on the wipers worked, of course.  I finished another report and submitted it, completed some research on the New Deal Administration, took on the job as chair of the state ethics committee, and had 4 conversations with my boss and by then, my car was finished, and the rain had stopped so it did not mess up my new wash job that is part of the service.  (That came later when I had to drive through construction just before my house, and the blowing dirt settled all over my shiny car.)

I had planned to drive the 30 minutes across town to Buster's, who carries a decent (for this part of the US) selection of South African wines, including a few I enjoy.  I had not had time the last two trips to get over there, and wanted the Fairview Pinotage, a wonderful smoky, intense version of the wine unique to South Africa.  All I had been thinking about was buying several bottles of that pinotage.  Empty.  Wine shelf for South Africa--no Pinotage.  I just stood there looking, dismay on my face, staring.  Like if I keep looking, suddenly I will see the bottles appear.  Nope, did not.  I sauntered on down the aisle to see if anything else looked interesting.  After all, this trip was an hour tacked onto my day, when I still had to go back to work.  I had suddenly remembered I had to run an audit software scan on my work computer...by the end of the day yesterday.  You can bet if I drove all the way over here, I will buy something!

I located a couple of chardonnays to try, and headed back up the aisle to see if the pinotage had miraculously materialized.  Not yet, but I found a red blend from a South Africa winery that is new to me, but from a wine area I know fairly well.  One chardonnay passes the test so far.  I love it when I can spot a winner all on my own--it's just such a secret little thrill, and I have come up with three now within the last month.

Back across town and a quick stop at the Fresh Market for some long-leaf tea, spices, pasta, and breads.  I needed a bottle of water for the trip home and while perusing the options, spied the coconut water.  Okay, I'll try that.  Here's what I have to say about coconut water: bleechk!  Won't need to make that mistake again.  Apparently, while I can blind pick a decent wine, I don't know squat about water, at least when mixed with coconuts.