Another Monday

We didn't even get a weekend and it's already the beginning of another week. Thomas' into his second week of the 2006 harvest and has been working long days in an attempt to control the various factors that are making this vintage a difficult one. The numerous international interns in the winery and the Danish students out picking in the vineyards give a good deal of ambience to the Chateau, but the management team is far from calm. Thomas is doing his best to turn the situation around so that Mia, despite being born in a less-than-perfect (wine) vintage, will at least have a good case of Palmer to open on her 20th birthday.

Our little girl also had her first cold last week, but seems to be doing better now. I felt so guilty as I left her with Ingrid (the babysitter) to go to St. Emilion on Thursday. And again on Friday. And then on Saturday she was with Nano and Bomp while I went to a silly lunch at the Chateau for an Italian author (the things I do to see my husband during harvest). But she's a little trooper, always happy whomever she's with, and always happy to see her parents when we walk through the door.

This morning I have to figure out a more permanant mode de garde for Mia as, in addition to showing visitors around vineyards on the Right Bank, I'm also starting a very part-time office position at the Bordeaux Winemaker's Assocation. It's to be one or two full days a week, just a five minute walk from the house, and I'll be in charge of setting up tastings, technical days, class graduation ceremonies, job listings, etc. Hopefully the occasional translation too. At any rate, nothing too taxing but more of a day among other adults. I also think it will be good for Mia to have one day a week with other kids without Ma-ma-ma always around.