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.

Essential Garden Tools For The Avid Gardener

Gardening is potentially a very rewarding task. There is nothing more satisfying than looking out your window and seeing a beautiful flower bed in full bloom or bountiful vegetable garden ripe for the picking. However, these beautiful gardens don’t just spring up on their own. They need a lot of careful tending and hard work to make them flourish. There are certain garden tools that are essential for any avid gardener. Here is our short list.A garden or digging fork is one of the most useful and versatile tools in a gardener’s arsenal. It is useful for turning soil, mixing in nutrients and aerating soil. A spade can also be used to carry out these tasks. However, the tines on a fork come in handy for breaking up clods and raking out weeds and stones. Most gardeners will have both a digging fork and spade.There are several types of garden hoes available to use for weeding and creating seed furrows, including the heart-shaped and diamond-shaped hoe. Every gardener has his or her own favorite type of hoe based on personal preference and the type of gardening being done.Pruning shears, loppers and a pruning saw are all essential items for keeping a garden neat and tidy. Pruning shears are useful for dead heading flowers and cutting back unwanted vegetation. Loppers come in handy for cutting off twigs and small branches as well as for pruning bushes. A pruning saw is useful for cutting off dead branches from large bushes and trees.A hori hori knife is a very versatile tool. This multi-purpose knife has a sharp, heavy serrated blade with a semi-sharp point. It can used for many gardening chores, including cutting open bags of soil, planting, weeding and light digging.A garden cart or wheelbarrow is very useful for transporting bags of soil and plants as well as other gardening supplies and materials. A cart can also be used at harvest time to transport ripe vegetables back to the house.Gardening trowels are another versatile type of tool that are used for a variety of garden chores. They are especially useful for weeding, planting, digging up plants and mixing fertilizer into the soil.It’s always a good idea to have a sharp-pointed shovel on hand for digging holes and breaking up dirt clods. If a flat blade or scoop is better suited for the task, you will want to use a long-handled garden spade instead.Use a watering can or garden hose to keep plants watered. For a more automated solution, a drip irrigation system could be used instead.When shopping for garden tools, always choose the ones made by respected manufacturers with high quality materials such as strong steel and sturdy wood. Ash hardwood is the best material for handles. It is a very strong wood that still has a bit of give to it. Also pay attention to the length, weight and angle of the tool. It needs to feel comfortable to use and fit your body type. Not every tool will be the right fit for each gardener or every gardening task. You may need to experiment before you finally come up with the perfect set of tools that fit your gardening needs. The good news is, once you do find them, quality gardening tools will last for many years to come.

Natural Oily Skin Care

When you have oily skin, there is nothing more important to looking healthy than good natural skin care. While dry skin needs intense moisture, those who suffer with oily skin are plagued with too much moisture in the form of oil and the problems that come along with it. The good news is that natural oily skin care can solve these problems.One commonly overlooked advantage of oily skin is that it does not show signs of aging as quickly as dry skin. This is due to the extra moisture provided by the overactive oil glands. Oily skin care strikes a balance between the anti-aging advantages of oily skin and getting rid of excess moisture. Oily skin care will also make your skin radiant.People with oily skin have to clean their face often and they are usually prone to suffering from acne. Overactive oil glands can lead to acne if you do not practice good oily skin care. Grime and dirt collect quickly on oily skin, blocking pores and promoting the growth of bacteria and the formation of acne.By removing the excess oil through oily skin care cleansing, you can help prevent acne. Cleanse your skin with a natural cleanser made from natural ingredients and warm water for best results. A homemade natural cleanser can remove dirt and grime and will work miracles on oily skin.After cleansing with a natural cleanser, rinse your face with warm water and then apply a toner, or astringent, made with natural ingredients from a recipe. A natural toner will get rid of excess oil without disturbing your skin’s pH balance or stripping your face of essential moisture.Natural oily skin care made with natural ingredients is much better than using harsh products containing chemicals that may irritate your skin. In fact, chemical skin care products can often promote a serious oily skin condition called Seborrhea. In Seborrhea, the oil glands below the surface of the skin over produce oil to compensate for the loss of skin moisture through the use of chemical skin care products that over dry. The top layer shrivels due to the dehydration promoted by the chemical skin care product. It restricts the oil flow from the oil glands, which clogs pores and promotes acne. Natural oily skin care made with recipes using natural ingredients is best for oily skin and will help you avoid the condition of Seborrhea.Those suffering from oily skin that is also scaly should consider an oily skin care scrub made from natural ingredients. A natural scrub will exfoliate your skin without stripping away necessary moisture.Another great option for oily skin care is a natural facial mask. Natural clay masks will gently remove excess oil. Apply a natural mask containing natural ingredients from a recipe and then rinse with warm water. Then apply a natural oily skin care moisturizer.Experiment with natural skin care by making your own oily skin care products at home with recipes and natural ingredients. By doing a little experimenting with different recipes, you will find the natural ingredients that work best for your oily skin. The more you experiment with ingredients and recipes, the better your natural oily skin care.