Andrew from Boston was an interesting chap. He had grown up in a rougher part of Boston, and had a rough exterior that he carried around with him. He attended Boston College and had worked at an upscale restaurant where he developed his personal taste for wine and the industry. He was taller than the rest of us at 6'4" and could just have easily landed in Manhattan and passed for a Calvin Klein model. Despite his stature and good looks, he was kind and humble.

He talked me into beginning to work out with him at a local gym each morning, and I hoped that the thirty-nine dollar per month fee would be worth the cost. In time, I guess I would be able to tell. Having committed to a new venture in the area of personal health, I was getting up at the crack of dawn each day to begin my day with Andrew.

We sometimes went for breakfast before class started at the Skinny Pancake. While new to Andrew, I was able to reconnect with the place myself; having spent some time in Burlington previously just a few months ago. He personally enjoyed the pancakes and I preferred the fruit and whipped cream-topped French Toast. We each were carnivores and always had sausage or bacon; along with coffee and juice.

Classes began each day promptly at 9:00 AM. We were three weeks into our study of France and French wine and it seemed like the pace was accelerating at an alarming rate. I quickly realized that one would never know all there is to know about French wine, which eased my mind a bit. Having had that "aha!" moment made me relax some and allowed me to focus on learning as much as I possibly could, but at the same time allowed me the ability to free myself from the things that went in; and then promptly out, of my head.

We had breaks throughout the day and at times the five of us would go to lunch. I had been selected to be the dining "commander", as I was the only one of the five who had spent any time in Vermont. Each day was different, and each nite the same; as we indulged ourselves without abandon into French wine.