WW161 & 162 Sarah and Tom

Sarah and Tom stayed two weeks and there were more pears and apples to pick and bottle and they helped us with a lot painting of a little cottage we just bought in Timaru a 5 minute walk from Rusty's work. This is a long term anti-commute plan for when the girls have left school! Having Tom and Sarah help with the painting made the work go along so much quicker, which was just as well as the weather was getting more autumnal. They also helped with a compost project and laying out some paper in gardens as a weed deterrant.

Sarah got a new hairdo. I tried to make her look like a photo she had on the laptop (not bad results) and Tom played Chinese Checkers with Wal.

Sarah learnt to make soap and yoghurt and loved the nail gun...sounds dangerous!

WW159 & 160 Susan & Julia

Susan and Julia are now prepared to become "proper housewives" after a full course in making jam and bottling pears and cooking from the garden. The also learned from Shannah how essential tomato sauce is to the fkavour of a well tasting dinner!

Susan and Julia stayed nearly 3 weeks so they felt like part of the family and of course Jess enjoyed their company too- more ball throwingpower around the place!

Susan and Julia wrote out a sudoku for Wal for homework-( PS it is finished.)
and for the girls and I we got a recipe for "Schweineohnchen" which we have yet to try.

WW157 & 158 Alan (R) and Sarah

Alan has emigrated to NZ after his time wwoofing with Sarah and we had kept in touch-it was great to have Alan come back and visit (see post for Alan in May 2007)Alan helped us make some doors etc and the house was still very much a building project. Here's what Alan has to say....

"What a pleasure to come back and see the house all finished and everyone moved in. Can't believe the progress after 3 years-it still doesn't feel like I'v been gone very long. Can't believe how beautiful and colourful the house is, and the garden is amazing already and I am very envious and hope to come back again soon."

And we would love to see Alan and Sarah and, indeed, any past wwoofer. It is a real joy to have people come back. It's almost like family turning up. You're always welcome.

WW156 + 2 Sophia, Melvin & Catherine

Sofia brought her two children from Taiwan to stay with us for 10 days during their winter holiday. The children had a great time playing on the trampoline and went camping in our new tent on the front lawn. Sofia made newspaper logs, made some fences with Melvin's help, palnted a small garden with their own plants, made some jam (actually 100 JARS OF JAM), went out for BBQs and Melvin enjoyed playing with Thomas, one of Ami's friend's brothers.

Sofia and the children fitted in wonderfully and it was great to share the last of the summer holidays with them.