arrived in one piece

21 luglio
I have arrived safely, but where do i begin with my story?
My plane arrived late for the 2nd successive time and I missed my connecting flight thanks to my Delta buddies. Unfortunatley, this was a little more costly as they wouldn't put me up for the night in Rome or pay for a new ticket with Transavia since i made those reservations separately. Anyway, I had a nice walk around Rome and caught up on jetlag and ate dinner in Trestevare before flying to Rotterdam yesterday. I arrived on time and then spent 100 euros for cab fares from the shipper to the insurance man to customs and then to the bank as the shipper wanted cash for unloading the car. I finished all the paperwork and I now can drive my car for 4 months insured. I had a wonderful time on the autobahn driving 120 mph, but was slowed down a bit when i came across a freshly wrecked A6 that must have rolled a dozen times at high speed, squashed itself and then burned. I am doubtful the driver survived.
I drove practically nonstop through Holland, Germany, Switzerland and on to the Marche. I took one 2 hour nap and another for 30 minutes to arrive in 20 hours. Subtracting the 2.5 for sleeping and it was still 1.5 hours longer than mapquest said it would be Why??? Because at 3 in the morning there was a 1 hour line waiting to go thru the tunnel above Lugano in Switzerland! The whole of Germany and Switzerland are coming to Italy for vacation and all last night! If we can tap this crowd, we will be full all of August! There was then a 2 hour line at Bologna, the worst I have experienced. Dai!!! and I was getting tired and thirsty by then.
Anyway, I arrived tired but little worse for wear, just hungry and hot. Unfortunately, the Marche hasn't received any rain since I left. Better a drought this year than next after we have planted our new vines!
Also, I found out we have termites which we will have to treat and a few other goodies to do, but I am ready for some work aound here. My grapes look to have bitten the dust in my little 1/2 hectare, but there may be some hope if it rains soon.
We actually have one week where we have all the rooms rented and that is exciting, but I need all my friends from America to come visit as there is lots of free space in the reservation book.
When I returned, Raffaele told me one of my precious bottles from 1964 was leaking and when he removed the wax seal, there had never been a cork! A great way to prevent corked wine, I guess. Anyway, it will make some really great salad dressing and maybe even a reduction sauce.
And lastly, I actually passed a small village policeman without getting pulled over with my Kansas plates... maybe he thought I was a diplomat, which is not a bad idea; I can say I am a diplomat and not an illegal alien! Another sunset pic from nascondiglio di bacco if i can get it downloaded, and the previous 2 are of our own wild West up in WY. dds