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A minute to stop and think...

Dad has recently taken up a new position in Angola. As a family, we've been very lucky with Dad's job. Being in the oil industry has given Dad (and as a extension us) the opportunity to see some absolutely fascinating parts of the world.

Dad's new job is in Angola. He's just arrived home today after being there for his first 6 week stint (which will become 4 weeks from now on). The very first thing he said to me was "life is cheap over there". He didn't mean the cost of living but quite literally life, human life is regarded with very little value. The cost of living is in fact particularly expensive according to him which would explain the sea of slums that exist there.

Now I'm no stranger to what slums are like. Living in Sarawak we saw them on a daily basis. In fact a large open expanse (which was to become a new housing estate) was all that separated our house from a near by slum area. I woke up each morning and could see it from my bedroom window. I've walked through slums, I've played along side the children who live there, I've even preached in slums. But to imagine 1 million people living in such a situation escapes even me. 1 million people??? Its incomprehensible. But that is the sort of situation that exists in Angola (and in so very many other parts of the world unfortunately). Dad has to go out with a guard and a driver for safety. Occasionally he has to drive through a "No Go Zone". Its a slum with over a million people which is avoided by westerners because of the threat of violence. As Dad said, "these people see westerners as rich and they are right, after all we have clothes, most of them dont. Young children, even young women have nothing to wear. The older women dont have anywhere to wash their things other than a dirty river and as you drive past you see hundreds of women on the bank washing the clothes. You wonder how they manage to get things clean, but they do".

Dad has three students who share his religion and Dad is going to be taking back literature for them. As we've just booked flights to Darwin, I've decided I'm going to be taking up lots of clothes that the kids no longer wear, so that Dad can take them to Angola and distribute them (with the help of his three students) to the families in the congregation there that need them. I'd also like to try and make up a few little bits and pieces, maybe some pencil or crayon rolls, maybe one a month or so for him to take over there as well.

Dad's seen a lot in his travels but his voice today more than anything conveyed just how appalled he is that our fellow human beings have to live in such poverty.

A day without coffee...

is still probably livable but I'm not going to take any chances.

In all the excitement, stress, angst etc of this morning (including but no limited to fabric glue not sticking feet on costume properly, not being able to find the face paint when it was specifically left on the bench last night (thanks darling - NOT!!!!) and little Miss being a right little so-and-so), I forgot to have my morning coffee. After the assembly this morning, it was a quick dash over to kindy to drop off Alex and then home. I was going to make a coffee then but got side tracked and now here we are at noon and still no coffee.

So I'm now going to go and change the situation. Afterall, it probably wouldnt be a good idea to take chances today after the way my day has been going.

Love getting mail...

and this one was full of snuggles...

I have to admit that I did almost died when I read the postage - US$51 eekkkkkkk, but totally worth it.3 metres of buttery goodness, so thick, so soft, so warm. Forget PJs, this one is all mine *sigh*

And in news just to hand...

I've just received my Uptown Girl Pattern from Kelani. How quick was that!!!! I also got the Oliver + S Sunday Brunch pattern.

Still blown away by how quickly they got here... left me quite speechless I tell you.

Someone must have heard my despair

OK so after complaining about the lack of lovely fleece in Spotlight yesterday, I can only assume that someone at Mill Direct Textiles (the home of Malden Mills) heard my sulking and came to the rescue, for what should I find this morning other than an email in my inbox from MDT saying they had 35% off their recycled fleece. HOW COOL IS THAT!!!! And I refuse to think for a second that this sale had been planned from quite sometime, it suits my egocentricity much better to believe that they are doing this just for me LOL.

Anyway, as I was saying they have 35% off recycled fleece. What is recycled fleece I hear you say. Well no its fleece that they have sourced from the local op shop (or worse still the local tip) but according to MDT:

Recycled fleece is brand new fleece, made in the United States, straight from Polartec® LLC. The difference is that its content includes items from recycle bins, such as your discarded milk jugs and manufacturing by-products of the required content. The resulting molten polyester is purified, and spun into yarn.

Polartec® LLC is the world leader in eco-friendly recycled content synthetic fabric and has been developing recycled fleece since 1993.

In 2007 advances in recycled fiber options and quality allowed Polartec® LLC to release a new greatly expanded line of recycled fabrics. With recent yarn technologies the possibilities to expand and improve are endless.

Isnt that cool, empty milk bottles to fluffy, snuggly fleece, what will they think of next? And recycled fleece appeals greatly to my greener side. Off to place an order...

PS if you've never handled MDT fleece you seriously dont know what you are missing. When I say snuggly, I mean its super snuggly. And the feel of it is indescribable, its like silk in fleece clothing or is that fleece in silk clothing, get some and decide for yourself.

Just had to share...

this gorgeous material...

First off, no I did not make this. The dress is by Catimini, but isnt the material in the skirt just to die for. I absolutely love it and it fits Chloe like it was made for her. Very soft and silky, it just flows.

The skirt and jumper is all one piece and the skirt has the most beautiful box pleats. I can guarantee this will get a good wearing this winter.