Winemaking Hiatus

While the various juices are 'burbling' away, it gives me an opportunity to fill you in on every thing else going on here, now that I have been here about 2 months. For those who have not seen a picture of the place.....

As most of you know, I bought the house/winery 'as is', which in European parlance means 'without anything'. So I have been spending my non-winery time outfitting the place - everything from light fixtures for the various ceilings, appliances, furniture, kitchenware, etc. At the same time I have been working with a local contractor here to remodel the bathroom, kitchen and 2nd bedroom( a 'Room with a view'). And the yard was a disaster, so I have had to tear that out and do a 'Do-Over'. And, of course have had to arrange for electricity, telephone, cell-phone, car (utility vehicle actually - a Renault Kangoo),
and THE INTERNET.

Most all of this has gone well- everyone has been real accomodating.....except for the INTERNET. I don't know why, but it has taken about 7 weeks to get the service installed. Here in France, internet service runs over the phone lines - operated by French Telecom -Orange. OK - no problem there, right? - you just call them up like you would COMCAST or AT&T and they add it to your land-line phone. Been there - - did that - - and several weeks and several calls later.....

UNLIKE what we are used to, they don't have A GUY who comes out and gets you hooked up.

They have A GUY who comes out and works from the pole in the street to the house.

And A GUY who works inside the h0use to set-up the phone line.

And A GUY who will come and install the modem (called a LIVEBOX here - it can give you wireless internet, internet-phone and cable TV).

AND A GUY who turns the system on for your account ..somewhere.

Unfortunately, these GUYS don't talk to one another - to get EACH GUY, you need to make an appointment.

So - after multiple calls and appointments, I got all the way to the end - the LIVEBOX guy was here...but THE OTHER GUY hadn't turned on the system.....so that meant another appointment....and another week. And then the GUY came back with the LIVEBOX, after the system was turned on....and voila...EUREKA...INTERNET!

And then 2 days later... 2 GUYS show up to fix my internet (which I didn't know was broken).....and worked for about 1/2 day - took everything the OTHER GUYS had done apart and re-did it all.......and then had trouble getting it to work again ( I of course, explained to them in my broken French. that it "was working just fine BEFORE THEY GOT THERE!!"). But - good GUYS that they were - they - THOSE GUYS fixed it...and now I have internet at the house

and I am now a Happy GUY.

All for now.

Oh -by the way...the olive trees in the picture...we have 9......and we take the olives to the local coop to make oil...Mas de la Lionne Domaine-bottled Olive Oil.....hmmmmm...we do it in November......and Christmas is coming......