September 11 - September 17, 2016

	Monday September 12, 2016 I know I have not mentioned about my other problems around here because of Harvest so I apologize. I do want to mention the dogs are tied up BUT now they are barking constantly. Like I say, I can't have everything............. Today we brought in the last of grapes for awhile. The high today is only 74 degrees and it looks like the highs will be low through Wednesday. Maybe we will see some 90's again later this week. We will do more sugar tests next Monday. Today was interesting because we brought in many varieties. I decided to ferment together Zinfandel, Cabernet, Carignan and Petite Sirah. All the wine will go into our Estate Cuvee for 2016. It will be interesting to see if the co-fermented wines will be somewhat different. I usually blend for our Estate Cuvee using 100% of those varietals. So we harvested from our new Zinfandel vines and came up with only 22.5 sugar, but we also harvested from our 10 year old vines and that sugar was well over 25% sugar. This was the last of our Zinfandel. Also blended, with the low sugar Zinfandel, was a bin of Cabernet at 25%, Carignan at 23.7% and Petite Sirah at 24%. All those last varieties have lower sugar than we want. This small amount harvested gave us a good idea about when to harvest the vast amount of the rest of the fruit. Like I said we will do more samples next Monday. The sugar tests of only a small bucket today came in at 23.7% for Aglianico, 23.5% for Mourvedre and 22.5% for Syrah. We want over 25 sugar on all those varieties. Thursday September 15, 2016 8:00 Pm: Vivien, my Mother has been in the hospital since Tuesday. I have been down to see her twice, a 200 mile trip easy with my Model S. My Mother was sitting on the cuboid on Tuesday morning and the Fire Department medronics had to move in to her house after she contacted Life Line........When I saw her in the emergency room the first thing she said "I hope I did not make a mess in the kitchen," she was trying to get something to eat..............My Mother has severe Acute infectious arthritis to the extent she has trouble moving her left wrist, she has screamed when I see her. I have never heard her in such pain since she has endured arthritis for over 30 years in both hands and ll over her body. Vivien also can not see much BUT she is determined to see Hillary win so we need to keep her alive.............. But her left wrist is infected, that has what we found in the last few days. She is going in for an operation soon. I want to make this short since I am home now and have to tend to SOOOOOOOOOOOmany things here. We are close to Harvest again........more tomorrow. Friday September 16, 2016 My Mother, Vivien, Is not happy. That is the bottom line. She does not like to be in  a hospital who does and she wants to get home soon. But she is not nice to some nurses............even Back when she was 89 she had a triple bypass and a pig valve and survived. My opinion she might survive my sister, Lynda and I .,.......... We have not recovered, my sister and I since, Lynda was 9 and I was 10.............Our Mother pulled us through, betting a Father and a Mother. She took care of me one night by chasing me with a wood hanger, down the hall and striking in my back. I must have done something wrong but I think I hit my sister, Lynda on the side of her body when she had hit me first on my back.............but My Mother always said, women are not as strong as you, Dave, so you should not hit them............so I guess i was all right for Lynda to smack me when I did not agree with her. She agreas now whenm we entiion it so she is an adventure, my siter So we need to get someone to take care of our mother so Mae may be a possibility..............I am heading down to organise All things are set up, Harvest is near...........We may be harvesting all week. I need to be here, but I can go down to see my Mother tomorrrow.................. For the next day after Sunday whe n I hope to see the Raiders get luck again, Monday........ OK, Monday is Cab and Tuesday is Syrah and Wednesday is Carigan and Thursday nis Petite Siuirah..........I could go on.............Harvest is near
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