We had a friend come visit over the weekend ....

... he is a former student who grew up (allegedly) to become a campaign manager for hire - usually for conservative Republicans. We let him stay over night, even though he says that he signed up to be a volunteer for Hilary Clinton! Apparently this is what happens when Conservatives go bad. (or maybe Hilary is what happens when Liberals go bad? ).

Despite Alan's political affiliations, our worthless hound, the lummox, didn't even growl at him, much less bite him. In fact all Alan had to do was play rough with him for a few minutes and the silly animal thought of him as a friend. Well, he is ... after all.

Saturday, which was the only pretty day of the whole weekend, at Alan's suggestion we went off to the Rafaldini Vineyards. It's one of the vineyards trying to turn the Yadkin Valley into Napa Valley .... but the wines still are not anywhere near as good as the price would lead you to believe, yet. Someday.

But right now at least the whole experience of going out to the part of the county that looks like the Shenandoah Valley near Winchester before the urban brawl destroyed it was wonderful. Good weather, a knowledgeable wine pourer, lots of ambiance from a faux Tuscan country villa ... it wasn't bad. We split a bottle of wine out on the patio looking off across the vineyards to the mountains. In fact, I bought several cases of wine to help stimulate the local economy.

If nothing else it will keep part of the county in agriculture.