Strong Feet - Happy Feet!

Strong Feet depend on what is done from Birth

I grew up in a little town called Putaruru. Like all small towns during the 1950's it was in the middle of nowhere. It's only claim to fame was that it had eight sawmills operating in the district, clear-felling the native forests. None is left today. Like most families we had only the barest essentials.

The photo to the left of my younger sister, Lorraine, and I pretty much sums things up.

Our feet were always bare, even during the freezing Winters. All clothes were handed down from the older child to the younger one. Although I do recall having a pair of shiny Sunday School Shoes, they were the most uncomfortable of things and hardly ever worn.

You have to be impressed with my 'Dungaree' outfit which Mum cut and sewed from some old corduroy. There was no such thing as fashion back then. Not for us anyway!

I later became adept at knitting, since everything was recycled, including old woollen jumpers. I could even darn a worn out sock. Actually, you could say that nothing really wore out back then.

In many ways it was an idyllic childhood, despite having so little. Sure, there were some really tough and unpleasant things to deal with, but we sure had freedom. Putaruru was a rough-and-tough timber town back then. What we call bullying nowadays was the norm. We had to fend for ourselves. That's what brothers and sisters were good for. There was no running to Mummy and Daddy. The consequences were worse!

We spent endless hours exploring the farms, forests, streams and ponds that surrounded Putaruru. We did so barefoot. Boy, did I have strong feet! We all did. And I still do to this day.

If it were not for being endowed with such strong feet my bothers and sisters would not have had nearly the active lives as we have, nor would we as actively engaged in life like we are today.

I thank my Mother and my Father for this. I do so over and over again.

Thankyou, Mum and Dad, for giving us strong feet to carry us through life!

Here is Baby Gordon, just weeks old. He is the next generation of the Mollers. Such a lovely Stretch and Grow and in the right colour for a boy! Now, take a close look at Gordon's tiny toes.

Oh dear - his toes are horribly cramped and scrunched!