man, I did some crazy duct tape and gaffer's tape fixes on mac's braces over the years.

I'll probably try to duct tape. I tried it last time, and it didn't really work, because if all of my weight is going on it, duct tape really can't take the stress. Yes, I'm feeling like the universe is telling me to lose weight or possibly to get new braces more often. Definitely one of those.

gorilla glue AND duct tape?

IME, gorilla glue is super fantastic.

BTW, there is also gorilla tape. Which is amazing.

I'll probably try to duct tape. I tried it last time, and it didn't really work, because if all of my weight is going on it, duct tape really can't take the stress. Yes, I'm feeling like the universe is telling me to lose weight or possibly to get new braces more often. Definitely one of those.

Doubtful. More like under using the duct tape. There is a real strategy to using it, and layering it, such that it holds. Big pieces, that grip as much surface as possible, not just a strip that runs parallel to the crack. Do that strip, plus an * criss crossing in all directions. Wrap as much tape, to grip as much brace as possible, and really hold that brace together while taping it. Maybe put small pieces of (wood?) something under tape, along crack, that acts as a brace for the brace. If any of that makes sense.

ps: I watched a lot of MacGyver as a kid.

omnis, I will show your post to TCG, but I won't be able to brace it with anything or my shoes won't fit. I also have to avoid too many layers on the inside or my feet won't fit.

Faunapalooza! The family Tea spent the day at Melbourne Zoo, to universal acclaim. They've opened some new exhibits, including a kids' area featuring some play equipment and numerous meerkat enclosures. Meerkats are Ryan's favourite animal, so that worked out nicely. They also had giant tortoises (Aldabra, not Galapagos). Those I've seen before, but the innovation this time around was the tortoise poo, of Aldabran proportions. Assessment: success!

At the start of the Gorilla Rainforest precinct, there's a brand new and very cool ring-tailed lemur enclosure. They roam free throughout the entire area, wherever they want (the humans, of course are limited to the main path). Ryan thought they were great, and got his boogie on, as follows:

Ryan: "I like to move it move it! I like to move it move it!"
Me: "Can you not see you have insulted the freaks?!"

I mentioned that the lemurs have a matriarchal society, and a keeper added that the lemurs in this enclosure had no males, to avoid trouble. Ryan got a furrowed brow, and asked on the way out, "Daddy, what if we took home just one male and one of the matriarchals? Would they fight?" I confess it, I had no answer, what with the whole laughing too hard.

The Gorilla Rainforest was today without gorillas, but the treetop monkeys section was a rocking hot spot, and the scene of my highlight of the day. We were approaching one exhibit, and I asked Ryan what he thought would be in this one. His reply: "Umm... Koalas!" I was just pointing out that we were in the monkeys section, when I saw that he was actually pretty close. It was home to two quite active tree kangaroos! [link] (One kid there had to be disabused of the notion that it was a red panda. Had to, I say.)

So there we were, enjoying the unexpected sight of two tree kangaroos pursuing a game of three-dimensional tag, when suddenly trundling out of the undergrowth comes SURPRISE BAMF ECHIDNA!! Aw yiss. Big one too. Let me just note how much I like that my wife and son get almost as excited as I do on seeing an echidna. (Biyi, apparently, has never actually seen one in full stride, and was startled at how fast it could be.)

In addition: the elephants had a three-month old baby, the orangutans were in an acrobatic mood (I love the way they move, it's like their limbs bear no relation to their torso). Sleeping underwater pygmy hippo. Mandrills! Nothing else; just, mandrills.

Day of awesomeness! Mostly I enjoy watching how Ryan gets more and more engaged each time.

A trip to the zoo with the Family Tea sounds like the best thing ever.

Going to the zoo with just billytea was pretty damn fun, but having the whole Family Tea there would be spectacular.