the Rain Coast

Yay! I found someone with a cable that works with my camera. So I downloaded some (unfortunately not all) of our photos from our short time on the Sunshine Coast. We stayed with some friends, Robbie and Stella, and had such a wonderful time with them. Their house has a view of the sea and the city skyline. Most of the time it was raining, so we couldn't see much, but Friday it was fine. BUT I FORGOT TO TAKE A PHOTO!!!Grrr.

Anyway, we did the normal thing and went to the Australia zoo. It was comforting to learn that it takes quite a lot to entice a crocodile out of the water. We really liked the birds.

When we had lunch in the food court, this bird kept coming by to peck at left overs. Theresa liked the bird, but the bird didn't like Theresa...

Theresa's doing her sign for "more". I'm not sure if she means more birds and scary reptiles or more food.

Gotta have a photo of a 'roo.

And Theresa pointing out the sights.

I had another photo that I, with my weird sense of humour, thought was funny. If I manage to get hold of a camera cable again, I'll post it here.

Anyway, now we're in Whangarei, in NZ, and the holiday park we stayed at gave us 20MB for free. Yay. Thank them that this post is here.

farewell

We're on holidays now and thoroughly enjoying our break.

Unfortunately, (honestly, it's dreadful), I left our camera cable at home in our office in a place I never usually put it. Drats. So that means I can't put any new photos from our holiday onto the blog... unless I can borrow another cable.

So, other topics to talk about apart from holidays?

Well the first is this. Last week when we left the Solomon Islands for our six week holiday, it was like eating curry - a mixed experience. You love the flavour but hate the heat. We were so relieved to be able to go on holiday, but sad to be saying goodbye to two friends who won't be there when we come back.

Rob and Jemma.

They've been living at SWIM since April but are leaving tomorrow, having finished their short term mission with us. When they first came I thought, phough, more ausies. But they were the best Australians I'd ever met (including Karen).

We've had so many good times with them, although Rob's loyalty at the Rugby World Cup was a bit questionable.

Robs joined Jair on crazy endeavours, though I think he won the moustache one. I think Theresa's smiling in this photo at the prospect of them both getting rid of the mo. After that, she loved her uncle Wob Woy again.

Jemma quickly became the wonderful kind of friend with whom you can just talk about anything. Theresa loved playing games and singing and reading stories and learning to walk with her Aunty Jem Joy.

I've been thinking now of some way I can wrap this post up. I just don't know. I love these guys and I'll miss them. We've had a great 8 months living over the field from them. I wish all the people I love could live over the field from us.

including you.

How To... Make Your Own Cute Baby's Sandals

I don't know about where you guys live, but here in the Solomon Islands it's hard to buy anything of quality, and well... anything. Ribbon? good luck. Decent Fabric? Ha! What's that? Shoes? What are they again? I mean, everyone wears jandals, or slippers as they call them.

So now that Theresa is officially walking (as of yesterday), I thought she needs something to wear. There are lots of nasty bugs in the grass of the Solomon Islands. I mean, bites from certain centipedes can be fatal! No jokes!

So, if you're in a similar position, unable to find a decent pair of summer footwear for your baby, look no further than this post for all your answers to how to make your own pair of sandals... Well, not really, but this is how I did it anyway.

Take one old lonesome jandal whose spouse has passed away...

Then cut them a little bit bigger than your baby's foot.

When that is done, measure the hypothetical distance from the side of the sandal over your baby's foot and to the other side. I'm not sure about white babies, but my baby has cute fat feet. Anyway, then cut the elastic that length and your chosen fabric a bit longer (ok, this is where you see what my style is like... just guess! I did like an extra 3 cms each side) and double the width (plus a seam allowance). Now, of course as you know, there is no decent fabric here, so I raided some second hand stores, found a cute shirt for cheap that I would never wear, and used that instead. Put the right side of your fabric rectangle together and sew the length of it (and zigzag), turn it inside out and thread the elastic through.

Do four of these (two for each sandal). Sew the elastic into the ends and finish it off as you wish. Then take some mega powerful glue (like this great atom stuff that our cobbler friend gave us! It's amazing. Quote: "Bonds skin and eyelids within seconds". Yikes!) and glue the fabric covered elastic pieces onto the sides of the sandal.

Now, this is actually quite tricky and in fact, to be truthful, I did a shocking job and when Theresa first wore the sandals, they kept falling off so I had to pull the elastic strips off and re-glue them (typical of my style of creating things). Pretty much, you need the first elastic thing to be just at the base of the toes and the second one to be just a little bit in front of where the leg comes... what on earth do you call that part of the foot? I'm not sure... the tallest part! So be careful where you glue it... warning, it is hard however to try get your baby to sit still while you try figure this out!

Then measure the length from the bottom of one side of the second elastic to the other side as pictured above. The elastic I used for the back was less wide than that which I used for over foot pieces... I think it would be more flexible and comfortable. Then do the same thing with the elastic and threading it through a sewn fabric cover.

Just an aside, I really like this tape measure. My mum gave it to me when my Oma (grandmother) died. It was hers. I love the dutch writing on it. I love the button that keeps it in a nice little wound up circle. I love that she used it for years and years, making clothes, sewing things for her babies. And now it's mine, still being used to make things for the family.

Then glue on the back straps and if you like, make some cute bows for the front strap. I made a matching bow to stick onto a hairclip too. Thank you to my lovely sister Frieda for sending me the ready to be covered haircilps!

All in all, the outfit is really cute, well, I think so...

and Theresa's precious little feet are guarded from nasty centipedes...

but not dogs! Oh well, at least she likes Laki!