I just got back from a mini-vacation, four days on the Coromandel. We stayed in a little ‘bach’, a guest house nestled in the garden of Jim and Barbara, a few minutes’ walk from the beach. Max and I played in the water–I even learned how to body board! It was incredibly fun. I spent a lot of time reading through ME’s Home Companion and writing and drawing decorating ideas, and Jim and Barbara’s stories of growing up on farms (as well as DCR) inspired me to work on creating a self-sufficient lifestyle. Making cookies and pies with my mom has warmed me up to cooking, and all these NZ house renovation shows sure inspire me to design a wonderful little bach of my own some day!