Thanks ladies - good to know that it is ok to ask for them to contribute.

The husband is fine, he is the one who is more likely to offer to cook and if not then he will probably do a heap of work in the garden again. So I really don't mind the trade off He actually enjoys red meat, so we might have to do a bbq one night so he can eat some. I do know he has offered to take us out one night as thanks for when they stayed, so hopefully that does happen.

It is the wife I am concerned about. DH stayed there one night not long after their holiday in our house. Well she carried on about having to cook, very emabarrassing for the husband who was happy to have him stay. In the end DH went out and bought them takeaway, this was after he had already arrived with a nice bottle of red. Oh and to top if it off, they had left 3 bottles of red at our house. DH did ask the husband over the phone what he wanted done with them and he said to keep them. Well she asked where they were BTW if anyone remembers the BYO etiquette thread, this is who I was referring to.

Ok, thinking I should look on this as an adventure. Might be an amusing post for later