H app-enings
September 99

OBSERVATIONS
This issue is by Jacquie Happ, mother of three.

I’ve always thought that I had a good self-image. And being the eldest sister has an advantage that I have enjoyed, being the ‘recognised one,’ and therefore, the ‘oh, so you’re Jacquie’s sister/brother’ as the case may be, was limited to my much loved siblings. I had an identity! Having returned to the lovely shire of Busselton/Dunsborough after what is now a considerable amount of time, my eyes have been opened to the real fact, I am not who I thought I was. I am now Jacquie, Myles’ wife; Ros and Erl’s daughter-in-law; Jim and Jane’s daughter; Margaret’s sister; and James, Rosie-Jane and Finnegan’s Mummy.

The dynamics have changed, and my title, whatever it maybe, is acknowledged by attachments to others who are more social than I. This, of course, doesn’t bother me, I know who I am. I’m a mother of three, my husband is Myles, my parents and parents-in-law both run successful businesses. And every time the electricity bill arrives, it’s got my name on it.

MARRIMEE
We had a great response to our first newsletter and the quest for information on the Marrime name. It seems that most people still liked our original and somewhat curious title. Marri Gold was a favourite though it was pointed out that in England it was a brand of washing up gloves. Avante, Aegis and Acclaim were all car names. Amity as in Amityville Horror.

This proves all the more that Marrime is still the best suited to our purpose. Fortunately Erl has been gracious to the rest of us and not tried to say I told you so! (We will however, add an extra ‘e’ to Marrimee which helps with the pronunciation. Look out for it soon!)

OPENING PRESSIES
Erl arrived in the office looking very excited. He asked if we would like to open a present. And we said, "Yeah!" I mean, who doesn’t like opening pressies? So off we went down to the cellar or bottling or labeling shed armed with stanley trimmers and knives. (I think this shed and I have the same identity crisis.) The huge bubble wrapped contraption was outside waiting for us.

Myles and I hacked away to reveal a most surprising present, Happs new capping and labeling machine. Made in Italy, of stainless steel with lots of cogs and wheels that will look really important when they move, it will make Liz and Dave’s job so much easier. (Liz and Dave are the real workers in this establishment.) It took much patience to tune it to suit our labels. Ros’s stock of buckets all disappeared to the shed to soak off hundreds of misplaced labels. However, our ‘master of fine machinery’, Erl Happ, has now got it under control!

www.happs.com.au
We are really excited about getting our website together! There’s lots of information, stories, technical articles and newsletters. We’re in the process of employing a designer to make it more attractive and user friendly. We invite you to have a look and ask for some patience as we work on the project. We’d love some input if you can send us an email : myles@happs.com.au

EXCITING RELEASES AND OLD FAVOURITES
We are in the process of changing some of the labels and creating new ones for our 1999 vintage. We have some exciting new wines made from our Karridale fruit such as Chenin Blanc, Viognier and a PF White crafted from Chardonnay. The PF White was extremely well received in Sydney at the WA Fine Wine Exhibition recently.
And Topaz is back at cellar door only.

LIZ JENNINGS
One of our longest ‘serving’ employees is Erl’s sister, Liz. Every morning she is up extremely early (even compared to parents of young children) and drives 35 minutes to the vineyard to start work at 6.30am.

With always a kind word and joke on her lips, Liz organizes the pickers at Dunsborough during vintage, a very comprehensive job. It consists of calling the desired number of pickers the night before, picking, collecting and washing buckets, driving tractors, crushing grapes with Erl and Frank, and providing first aid when the first timers nip themselves on the first day!

During the rest of the year, Liz manages the Dunsborough vineyard and the shed. This means anything from pruning and training vines in all weather; moving stock with the fork lift from shed to cellar; reorganizing the shed for classical music concerts, to bottling and labeling the wine.

One of Liz’s jumpers is called her ‘bottling jumper.’ Still in ‘good condition,’ except for a large hole worn in the stomach region. What is kind of remarkable is that this is a result of twelve years of resting the bottle on her stomach as she cleans it ready for labeling.

One of Liz’s neighbours thinks she is the loveliest lady on the street. We think she’s a pretty fantastic person too!

COMPETITION RESULTS
When you visited us, there may have been a favourite photo competition running in the cellar. This was won by Kerry Withers who has since taken delivery of some of our wine and a copy of her two favourite photos.

MAIL ORDER FORM

Please click here for the order form.

Cheers
Jacquie Happ