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Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7

Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7
My Dad repaired most of our shoes believe it or not, I can hardly believe it myself now. With 7 pairs of shoes always needing repairs I think he was quite clever to learn how to “Keep us in shoe Leather” to coin a phrase!

He bought several different sizes of cast iron cobbler’s “lasts”. Last, the old English “Laest” meaning footprint. Lasts were holding devices shaped like a human foot. I have no idea where he would have bought the shoe leather. Only that it was a beautiful creamy, shiny colour and the smell was lovely.

But I do remember our shoes turned upside down on and fitted into these lasts, my Dad cutting the leather around the shape of the shoe, and then hammering nails, into the leather shape. Sometimes we’d feel one or 2 of those nails poking through the insides of our shoes, but our dad always fixed it.

Hiking and Swimming Galas
Dad was a very outdoorsy type, unlike my mother, who was probably too busy indoors. She also enjoyed the peace and quiet when he took us off for the day!

Anyway, he often took us hiking in the mountains where we’d have a picnic of sandwiches and flasks of tea. And more often than not we went by steam train.

We loved poking our heads out of the window until our eyes hurt like mad from a blast of soot blowing back from the engine. But sore, bloodshot eyes never dampened our enthusiasm.

Dad was an avid swimmer and water polo player, and he used to take us to swimming galas, as they were called back then. He often took part in these galas. And again we always travelled by steam train.

Rowing Over To Ireland’s Eye
That’s what we did back then, we had to go by rowboat, the only way to get to Ireland’s eye, which is 15 minutes from mainland Howth. From there we could see Malahide, Lambay Island and Howth Head of course. These days you can take a Round Trip Cruise on a small cruise ship!

But we thoroughly enjoyed rowing and once there we couldn’t wait to climb the rocks, and have a swim. We picnicked and watched the friendly seals doing their thing and showing off.

Not to mention all kinds of birdlife including the Puffin.The Martello Tower was also interesting but a bit dangerous to attempt entering. I’m getting lost in the past as I write, and have to drag myself back to the present.

Fun Outings with The camera Club
Dad was also a very keen amateur photographer, and was a member of a camera Club. There were many Sunday photography outings and along with us came other kids of the members of the club.

And we always had great fun while the adults busied themselves taking photos of everything and anything, it seemed to us. Dad was so serious about his photography that he set up a dark room where he developed and printed his photographs.

All black and white at the time. He and his camera club entered many of their favourites in exhibitions throughout Europe. I’m quite proud to say that many cups and medals were won by Dad. They have been shared amongst all his grandchildren which I find quite special.

He liked taking portraits of us kids too, mostly when we were in a state of untidiness, usually during play. Dad always preferred the natural look of messy hair and clothes in the photos of his children.

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A Guide to Healthy Skin Care

Healthy skin care is very important in that it can prevent skin problems and slow down the signs of aging. Many people have busy lifestyles and do not take care of their skin properly with the right face care products or the best skin care routine. As we age, our skin becomes finely wrinkled and thinner, which is why it is a good idea to use the best face care products to slow this process down.Good Skin Care HabitsOne of the best ways to take care of your skin is to use sun protection. The ultraviolet rays from the sun can cause wrinkles, dry skin and even skin tumors if you expose your skin to excessive sunlight. You should avoid sun exposure in the high intensity hours, use face care products containing UV filters and wear a hat or cap if you have to be in the sun.Smoking also ages the skin and increases wrinkles because it constricts the small blood vessels in the skin’s outer layers.Cleansing and MoisturizingCleaning is a very important part of healthy skin care and you should always be gentle with your skin. Avoid strong, harsh soaps because they can strip the natural skin oils. If you have sensitive skin, avoid unnecessary additives in your face care products such as perfumes and colorants. To dry your face, always pat it with a towel rather than rubbing.Moisturizing is just as important as cleansing if you want a healthy skin care regime. Moisturizers work by sealing in the skin’s natural oils. Your skin type and age determine which type of moisturizer you should use. Choose a moisturizer with an SPF, or sun protection factor, of at least fifteen.Ingredients in Face Care Products for Healthy Skin CareSome face care products contain natural ingredients which have been proven to benefit the skin. Cynergy TK is a new ingredient found in some skin care ranges which contains keratin. This rejuvenates the skin and stimulates the growth of new cells.Nano-Lipobelle H EQ10 is a type of coenzymeQ10. It penetrates deeply into the skin and works well in anti-wrinkle creams. Phytessece Wakame is a Japanese sea kelp extract which helps to keep the skin elastic and toned.Natural Vitamin E is an ingredient in many face care products because it can reverse the effects of skin aging thanks to its powerful antioxidant properties. Some products contain oils such as jojoba oil, which is deeply moisturizing or grapeseed oil which is an antioxidant and repairs the skin, banishing stretch marks and smoothing the skin’s surface.The best face care products for healthy skin care are usually those containing only the purest, most natural ingredients. Be careful to check the labels before buying a new skin care product and avoid anything containing cheap fillers. Your skin deserves the best and to keep it healthy and young looking, always choose the best natural skin care products you can get.

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Why Branding is Vital to the Success of Your Online Business

Let us describe branding, its benefits and how properly branding your business can increase your chances of success. In the age of the Internet anyone can set up shop using a cookie cutter website for a few hundred dollars, sometime less. Creating your own brand will set you apart from the rest.Essentially branding involves the image of your business. Branding actually goes beyond image to include style, logos, emblems and the perception of quality you intent to convey to your customers. The image should suggests positive values such as quality products and excellent services as well as reliability and soundness. Branding helps to describe your business and how you differ from your competition. In fact, distinguishing your business from the competition is the primary goal of branding. Once you have distinguished yourself from the pact, advertising and promoting your business can have a better impact by being more targeted and effective.The success of your business can often be based on your ability to create your brand. Proper branding can greatly increase your level of success. Factors including your website, your marketing efforts and other aspects of your business create your company’s identity. Most consumers rely on a corporation’s image when deciding where to spend their money. Purchases often are motivated based on emotions. Irregardless of size or structure, all businesses can usually benefit from the use of a well conceived brand. The very success of smaller businesses, whether brick and mortar or online, may depend upon the use of good branding methods. The brand could be the deal maker. Proper branding suggests experience and professionalism. This can also level the playing field between competing businesses despite size or tenure, particularly when conducting business online.Building a brand enhances the confidence of the online business owner. Branding affects customer trust and loyalty as well. Branding can give a solid, consistent image to your business. It gives your business credibility and can sets proper expectations with your customers. Branding can be incorporated into promotional campaigns using business cards, flyers and newsletter. Branding can also be used on premiums items like t-shirts, ink pens, coffee mugs and other goods. These items increase your brand’s visibility and remind customers of your brand even when not actually conducting business with you. This gives your business brand equity with your customers. Likewise, a brand is considered to be an asset. Successful franchises and existing business are usually sold for a much higher price than generic businesses offering the same products and services. Customers usually think as much about who they are buying from as what they are buying. Combine branding with consistance, good quality products and top notch service and customers will keep coming back for more.Branding is trully your customers’ perception of your business and can be like a promise or a pledge you make to your customers. When you want to create a brand you want the customer to know you are the best, provide quality goods and services and have something more to offer than your competition. Your goals is to create loyalty and trust. To that end, your customers need to be educated on the benefits of your products and services. This step is critical in establishing your brand. It is helpful to identify the features of your products and what benefits they provide. The features that offer the greatest benefits should be emphasized and the subject of your marketing campaigns.It is important to know what the customers think about your business. Customers may have negative feelings about your business because of bad experiences with your website, your customer service or your products. Other customers may fear making purchases online.Using surveys and questionnaires can identify exactly what is good or bad about your operation and can provide a clear understanding of your business from the customer’s point of view. You can learn what your reputation is with the consumer and what they feel about the quality and value of your products. Their experience dealing with customer service, your website and other issues could be disclosed by the surveys or solicited comments.Creating a brand based on customer input can be very beneficial. This is especially true if you implement changes based on customer feedback. The customer then gets a sense of ownership. It also demostrate empathy on the part of the business owner, giving your business a more human quality though all dealings may have been handled electronically. It is natural to stick with a company and products when you are satisfied and pleased. This results in repeat business and a better chance for overall success. Your customer base can be considered as your target audience when it comes to branding your business. If you do not know and understand the audience you are targeting then you can not brand your products and services based on their needs and wishes. Your audience is the targeted customers you are hoping to reach to purchase your products and services. To define your target audience you may need to look at factors such as gender, age, geographical regions, income and demographics. The age of an audience must be considered when branding your business. A younger crowd may want to see a brand that is vibrant, hip and current. When your audience is older they may be looking for a brand displaying status, sophistication, and professionalism. Gender of an audience is an issue if you are selling clothing, hats, jewelry or other such items. Income is something to think about when considering an audience and developing a brand. You cannot sell very expensive luxury items to a working class audience. People with high incomes do not usually consider purchasing cheap goods.There are many things about your audience that you must know when creating a brand. If you do not have a clear understanding of your target audience then you will likely fail. It is important to define your audience as narrowly as possible. The more you can narrow down your audience the more your brand will separate you from the competition. This means you will have less competition and a greater share of the customer’s dollars coming to you.Branding for your targeted audience will allow you to be more successful and develop longer lasting relationships with your customers. Targeting the wrong audience can spell disaster for your business.When ever possible, brand your business to better reach your target audience and to create your own special niche.

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