bud rubbing

we have discovered that the only way to find jobs or housing is to just start talking to people. so, oddly enough, through the person that we are staying with, we are working on a vinyard for an ex-san franciscan. It's about a half hour away from nelson, beautiful views of the mountains and right near the ocean. the guy who started it was working in bio-tech in sf, got sick of it, and bought some land here 10 years ago and the rest is history. it's been a little tough on the legs and back and lots of sunscreen is required, but it feels good to be making some money and getting out.

our job is to bud rub and thin, which involves pulling out some leaves and shoots as required, cutting out buds growing on the vine/trunk, then, with a rubber gloved-hand, rubbing the loose bark off. its a lot of kneeling and bending over. there are 20,000 vines. it's not a huge vineyard but big enough to be a daunting task. there are a few others helping though.

we have also found friends! the thing i was fearing wouldn't happen. we looked at an appartment last week through an agent and the guy who lives there now recognized us at the local farmers market, we met his wife (he is japanese she is canadian) and went out with them the next day. they seem to know a lot of people so we might actually have something resembling a social life.

that's all for now. we are both aching and starving from a long day in the fields.