Category Archives: Life’s Moments

Proofreader meets… Personal Stylist

As part of my marketing strategy to promote my proofreading, copywriting & blogging business, I spend some of my time networking. As a result, I have met some wonderful people working in all sorts of businesses. With my innate interest in “all things business” I invited Lesley Ann Gentry, Personal Stylist, to tell me her business story. Here’s how we did it…

Lesley Ann Gentry, Personal Stylist

My friends were “all agog” when I said I was having a meeting with a personal stylist! One of my friends would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for my session with Lesley Ann Gentry. Me – I was slightly apprehensive about revealing the inadequacies of my wardrobe to a lady with such an intrinsic sense of style. By the same token, I was actually quite positive about the process of editing my wardrobe and developing a new Lindsay look…

What’s a personal stylist?

Personal stylists help individuals understand which clothing styles suit their natural features and lifestyles. This boosts their confidence in the way they look and how they dress.

Lindsay – before the re-styling session…

Lesley Ann is a stylish woman’s best kept secret! Trained at the Alicia Kite Academy of Personal Styling, Lesley Ann is savvy; she works with her clients’ existing wardrobes to create a new look, specific to their shape and lifestyle. She has an eye for developing an amazing new wardrobe – from just a few key pieces!

My forays into the high street had invariably left me feeling disheartened with the overriding notion of: “Why can’t they make clothes for my shape and size?” I do not believe myself to be out of the ordinary, but I could never seem to find the right clothes. I could go as far as saying I was of the “If it fits, I’ll buy it” brigade. My wardrobe, therefore, was a disorganised filing cabinet of clothes representing the various roles of my life spanning the last twenty years. Ugh!

How did Lesley Ann help?

Lindsay – Ready for a networking event

As soon as Lesley Ann arrived, my initial feelings of embarrassment and apprehension evaporated. She was warm, friendly and charming… putting me completely at ease.

We started what turned out to be an enlightening session, by talking about the various roles I have in my life, and how I felt about shopping, my wardrobe and my body shape. When we arrived at the wardrobe edit, she gave me some really useful maintenance tips on how to look after my clothes, before we went through all the garments. Over the next 3-4 hours, we sorted my clothes into those that required alteration or recycling. The clothes that survived the process were re-hung in a tidy new wardrobe, organised by category. My wardrobe was now a tidy hanging space, with trousers, skirts, tops, jackets and coats organised from left to right. Bliss…

Throughout the editing process, Lesley Ann gave me sensitive and helpful feedback as to what worked – and what didn’t – and how the items could be accessorised. She also gave me tips on makeup, hair colour, earrings, tights, underwear, handbags, shoes… Together, we built up a shopping list of items which would breathe new life into some of the skirts, tops and trousers I already had. It was all refreshingly simple.

A while later, I received a report detailing everything we had talked about. Lesley Ann had even ventured into a couple of my local shops on my behalf! For me, perhaps the most valuable thing was Lesley Ann’s knowledge of the sizes and shapes that high street shops cater for. She told me exactly which high street shops to work with for my particular body shape.

My next shopping trip

Lindsay – Ready for coffee with the girls…

After my meeting with Lesley Ann, I ticked off some of her recommendations. I now had new underwear; my ears were pierced; I had bought a long necklace forming a ‘V’ to cut the bust; I had new shoes and a handbag; I had also bought Boots No 7 primer cream and some pretty coral lipstick.

Next, I went shopping with my “fly on the wall” friend. This was a totally different experience! I knew from the report what I needed to buy – jeans, shoes, a couple of tops, some more jewellery – and, with this new-found shopping confidence, I knew which shops to head for. Success! Everything I needed was in East – just as Lesley Ann had predicted.

People around me have since noticed the difference in my style, too! I have received some wonderful compliments on my new Lindsay look…

What’s changed?

I now have a real appreciation of how to wear my clothes. I can shop with confidence, knowing where to go and what styles and shapes will suit me. One of the most enchanting changes of all is my attitude towards my clothes. I now take more care of them and actually feel heartened and energised when I look in the wardrobe and decide what to wear in the mornings! It’s as life should be…

If you would like to know more about how Lesley Ann Gentry can show you how to look fabulous all the time, visit www.lesleyanngentry or call 07860 244998. She would be very happy to meet you for a coffee and an informal chat about your styling needs.

Did you watch the London Marathon this morning?

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London Marathon runner

I did. I watched 35,000 runners – with double Olympic champion, Mo Farah, at the front – cross over the starting line at Greenwich in the London Marathon 2013. This year was particularly poignant as, only days before, people had been killed and seriously injured at Boston’s Marathon Monday. One was an eight-year-old boy. Tragic. The black ribbons and the minute’s silence at the start of the race were a powerful sign of solidarity.

My offline friends can testify that I am not a runner… It’s true; I am not particularly athletic. I am “built for comfort, not for speed” but I do like to get out for a healthy, country walk. However, they might say I can write. Even better, they might say I can put out a blog post that’s fit to go the distance.

So, wearing my “blog-coloured glasses”, when I watched the runners this morning I saw 35,000 fit and healthy blog posts cross the starting line. Along with the marathon elite were the usual fundraisers, joggers, wheelchair racers, club runners and fun runners in their extraordinary fancy dress.

Marathon spectators

Every athlete had their own reasons for being there, their own drivers for surmounting the challenges of getting around the course. According to the London Marathon, 34,500 entrants were expected to cross the finishing line. Like “winning” blog posts, their journeys around the 26 mile route had been planned and prepared with their own individual and distinctive drive and determination.

Finishing line

At every marathon, the runners talk about the support they receive from the spectators willing and cheering them on to the next landmark, through the next mile. These are the blog post’s fans, followers and friends – the very people who will like, share and comment on their writing, giving them the power, confidence and enthusiasm to make it round the next bend.

Please, readers, give this little blog post a “friendly wave” on its way past. Its feet might not be sore, but – like the athletes – it is hoping to make it to the finishing line!

Photo credit: Kim T and Adam G / Foter.com / CC BY-ND, Photo credit: Julie70 / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND, Photo credit: Kim T and Adam G / Foter.com / CC BY-ND

Spring has sprung in Henley-on-Thames

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Guest Blog

Guest blogging at www.proofedbylinds.co.uk is very welcome.

My guest is Sarah Lorrimer-Riley, (a.k.a The Illustrious Peacock). Sarah is a photographer, based in Henley-on-Thames. In her guest post, she talks about Henley and all its charm – as well as her delightful photographs. I hope you will enjoy this article as much as I did!

Spring is (finally) in the air and what better time to pull on your stripy sailor top, fill up a picnic basket and get yourself to the gorgeous Henley-on-Thames?

Henley-on-Thames

In my mind, Henley is one of those rare places that has just a little sprinkle of magic about it. It is the sort of place where, if you look closely, childhood dreams of talking animals and fairy woodlands might just (if you wiggle your nose and flutter your eyelashes) come true. I can’t quite put my finger on the “Je ne sais quoi” but it is woven (with an extra helping of English eccentricity) deep into the fabric of the place.

There’s an awful lot of things to do in Henley, all year round. These include hiring a boat from the wonderful Hobbs of Henley and spending a few hours pootling about on the river, actively enjoying one of the many festivals (Henley Festival, Rewind Festival, Henley Literary Festival to name just a few), taking a trip to the fabulous Kenton Theatre, visiting the River and Rowing Museum for some “Wind in the Willows” action, having a picnic on the banks of the River Thames… The list goes on!

Mooring at Henley

I am imagining that whatever it is that takes your fancy may well include a combination of good food (al fresco or at one of the many gorgeous restaurants that Henley is bursting with), experimental wandering and the river. Everything somehow involves the river in Henley. Sweet Mother Thames. You can even pay for boat mooring using the car park ticket machine! That’s boating dedication for you.

Life buoy

As a photographer living in Henley, I must say there really is something about the light and enchantment of Henley that makes my camera very happy. I feel incredibly lucky to have it all right on my doorstep.

I have put together a little selection of my Henley photographs to whet your appetite. To have a look at some more of my work and my often slightly random ramblings, you will find me here. If you would like a little bit of Illustrious Peacock on your walls then you can also pop over to my Etsy shop (offering 20% off all sales until the end of April 2013 with the code “springsprung”).

Toodle-pip!

Sarah Lorrimer-Riley, aka The Illustrious Peacock

About the Author: Sarah Lorrimer-Riley (a.k.a The Illustrious Peacock) is a photographer, based in Henley-on-Thames. She loves daydreaming, red shoes, blossom on trees and she is slightly in love with Sir Ranulph Fiennes. She has worked with a number of clients, including The Chelsea Physic Garden, and has published several projects which include the much acclaimed “Tube Stories” series. As well as currently working on a book, she has a blog and also an Etsy shop.

Proofreader meets… Nutritional Therapist

Does this blog do you justice, Auntie Norah?

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Auntie Norah, aka Frances Woodsford

Dear Auntie Norah

You taught me Scrabble. You took me and my brother to Kimmeridge to look for fossils. You sent me numerous lighthearted and witty letters when I was at boarding school. I was a child and you were my auntie’s sister-in-law. I am grown up now, playing Scrabble and looking for fossils with my own children.

You called me a few years ago to tell me you had published a book called “Dear Mr Bigelow”. I immediately Googled both you and the book. You were omnipresent: in your mid-nineties, you were on YouTube with around 1200 hits; your book had been ‘Book of the Week’ on BBC’s Woman’s Hour and you were (not so) quietly hoping the BBC might make a TV series. Naturally, I ordered the hardback from Amazon and discovered that your fondness for prolific letter-writing pre-dated my boarding school days.

In January 1949 you started writing a series of letters to a gentleman by the name of Mr Bigelow, a wealthy American widower, who lived in Bellport, New York. You wrote over 700 ‘Saturday specials’ from your address in Bournemouth, until he died in 1961. After his death, you asked for the letters to be returned but you were told they had been mislaid when his home had been cleared. In the light of this information, you disposed of his letters to you – a clearout I know you regretted. Forty years later, through an extraordinary set of circumstances, your full set of letters came to light.

U.S. Mail Box

As you might imagine, I gobbled up your book. My Auntie Audrey and Uncle Frank (your brother, “Mac”) feature heavily, and even my mum, Wendy – “Audrey’s kid sister” – take their places in the scenes described through your letters. The people, the settings and the Bournemouth locations were all very familiar; I was given an insight and an account of all your daily lives from a couple of decades before I was born. Priceless.

Bournemouth c. 1955

When I finished the book, I visited you in Bournemouth and took you out to lunch. You were still living in the same modest, immaculate, upstairs flat where I had learned to play Scrabble as a child. The “front” door was to the right of the building and, immediately inside, there was what I always considered to be a very steep staircase.

Frances Woodsford signs flyleaf

You wore a striking red hat set at a jaunty angle, donned a very fetching coat and negotiated your way down the stairs with what has to have been 70 years’ worth of practice under your belt. The Bournemouth one-way system has changed a bit since you used to drive me around as a child, but you had the “inside track” on which lanes to use, where to go and even where to park. We had a wonderful lunch, talking about family, your health, Mr Bigelow, your hopes that the book might be serialised – and who might get to play your part. Julie Walters? What a glorious thought!

You gave me a few original letters to Mr Bigelow which were not featured in the book. One of them is dated June 17th, 1952. It opens with “Did you ever read that rather charming, naive little book, “Daddy Long-Legs”?” The letter goes on to regale stories of what had happened to you that week. It was written in your familiar, inimitable style and with the usual charm.

It strikes me, Auntie Norah, aka Frances Norah Woodsford, that you were ahead of your time. As well as Mr Bigelow, you corresponded with over eighty people, using enticing and rich opening lines to reel the reader in. Once on the hook, you took them with you on a journey to a destination of your choice, enriching their leisure time with your weekly anecdotes and amusing – and sometimes mischievous – views on life. These are the qualities of a very skilful and entertaining blogger; I can only hope that, with your recent passing at the very respectable age of 99, this blog post does you justice.

Thank you for teaching me about Scrabble “triple word scores”and for showing me how to “balance my rack”; thanks for all those letters to an eleven-year old girl in boarding school; thanks, also, for sharing your letters to Mr Bigelow with the world-at-large (and me!) through your delightful book.

Goodbye. Sweet dreams. If Julie Walters plays your part, I will let you know…

Yours sincerely

Lindsay (niece-in-law)

Photo credit: Alwyn Ladell / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Photo credit: Steve 2.0 / Foter.com / CC BY-SA

Homesick.

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Reblogged from The Siren's Tale:

As far back as I can remember, I've carried a constant feeling of homesickness every time I am away from my dwelling. While the feeling has manifested itself differently over the years, it's always there. That gnawing discomfort that sits in the base of your stomach, tugging at your heart-strings with no mercy.

It all began one day when my Mom let me know I'd be starting kindergarten.

London is a perfect place to visit

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Guest blogging at www.proofedbylinds.co.uk is very welcome.

My guest is Angelina Lawson, on behalf of boxoffice, aspiring filmmaker and collector of super hero memorabilia! With Easter holidays nearly upon us, here are her tips on what to do in London.

Explore London – a great capital city

Many people travel to destinations around the world for a variety of reasons. If someone’s idea of the perfect place to visit would have impressive history, all the modern amenities of a big city, top entertainment, and hotel accommodations to fit any budget, then London could be the city they’d consider the perfect place to visit.

Watch the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace
This ceremony is known around the world for its pomp and circumstance, and has been taking place for hundreds of years. It occurs at Buckingham Palace at 11:30 am every day during the summer months, and every other day during the winter. All of the palace guards participate in the ceremony and are dressed in historic red tunics and bearskin hats.

Visit Buckingham Palace
During the months of August and September visitors can see the State Rooms in Buckingham Palace. This is where the British Monarchy has lived since 1937. It has 188 bedrooms with 775 rooms in total including 78 bathrooms.

Walk along the Thames and look at all the magnificent sites
The Thames leads people past some of the most notable attractions in all of London. There is Big Ben as well as the London Eye. Within walking distance on the Thames is the Sherlock Holmes Museum as well as the London Canal Museum. There is also Hallows by the Tower Church, which was built in 675 AD as well as many other notable attractions.

Take a red double-decker bus ride
They’ve been featured in such well known movies as Harry Potter, described in countless novels and well worth the experience. Locals will tell you to take the routes that are longest to get the most value for your money.

See Westminster Abbey
The place in the United Kingdom where most of the Kings and Queens of England are entombed. This is where Queen Elizabeth’s coronation was held in 1953, as well as the place where Princess Diana’s funeral was held in 1993.

Visit Kensington Palace and Kensington Gardens
Kensington Gardens are known for their stunning beauty and the pleasure they bring children. It’s possible for children to play at the Princess Diana Playground, and interested adults can then go into the palace and view a large assortment of Princess Diana’s dresses.

Buy something at Portobello Market
This is one of the best known markets in the world. Shoppers here can find fantastic deals on everything from antiques to secondhand clothes, fruits and vegetables, fashion clothing and more.

See a play at a theatre
Some of the best plays and musicals worldwide are performed in London. Many of the theatres are historic such as the Harold Pinter Theatre, Currently Old Times at Harold Pinter Theatre holds over 960 people over four different levels. Whatever it takes to make a visit perfect can probably be found somewhere within London.

License Some rights reserved by @Doug88888

http://www.flickr.com/photos/doug88888/4574941413/sizes/o/in/photostream/

About Author: This guest post is contributed by Angelina Lawson on behalf of boxoffice, aspiring filmmaker and collector of super hero memorabilia! She also enjoy cooking and occasionally, sketching.

Would you leave your child at the school gates on their first day?

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Feeding the baby

I’ve got a new baby! I planned and prepared for the safe arrival of my “blog post”… Now I have to take care of it. Like babies, blog posts need rest and warmth – but they also need feeding!

For every post I have written, I have “toyed” with the idea first. Will the concept work? Does the idea have legs? When is the best time to publish? What shall I call it? Once written, the post is proofread, polished, categorised, tagged, optimised, wrapped and bound with eye-catching photographs to bring the words to life. Only then is it time to schedule the delivery!

Within WordPress et al, posts can be automatically scheduled to broadcast across your social media. However, just like the first time you take your child to school, you cannot leave them at the school gates; posts need encouragement and introductions to help them settle into the world wide web.

Independent child

Once my blog posts are “brought into the world”, I take additional steps to introduce them to relevant LinkedIn and Facebook groups; I “tweet” under appropriate hashtags, then I let them rest. A while later, I warm them up again – perhaps give them a new coat – and “repackage” them for Twitter under new hashtags and with fresh tweets.

Like every mum with a child in the vibrant school playground, they are hoping their little ones will be “liked”, “shared”, interacted with and commented on. This feeds them and helps them grow into strong, healthy, respected and independent blog posts.

If you found this post helpful, and you think others would enjoy it, please click one of the sharing buttons. Comments, using the box below, also very welcome. Thank you.

Photo credits: abbybatchelder / Foter.com / CC and Digimist / Foter.com / CC BY-NC

Tea with My Mom

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Reblogged from k8edid:

My mother is sitting at my dining room table with a book and a cup of tea. I remember that she loved to read, and loved tea. Although, in all honesty, I don’t remember ever seeing her actually sit down with a cup of tea. Or a book, for that matter. Eight children and mounds of laundry, cooking, and housework were what I remember.

The Pope’s there for life, right? Wrong!

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Pope Benedict XVI

What?! …The Pope doesn’t want to be the pope anymore? …Oscar Pistorious is in court, six months after the Olympics, charged with premeditated murder?

Both these news reports beggar belief.

Last weekend, if I had asked anyone if they thought the Pope was “in post” for life and if they thought Pistorious was a hero, it would be fair to say the results would have been a resounding “yes”. But this week, these two unrelated news stories have changed all that; they have shaken two widely held beliefs to the core, leaving us bewildered, baffled, blindsided.

Core beliefs are the essence of how we see ourselves, other people, our world. They develop over time; they are strongly held, rigid, inflexible, and are often maintained by a tendency to focus on information that supports that belief. The last time a pope resigned was 600 years ago, and millions of us watched Pistorius, a double amputee athlete, sprint down the track at the London Olympics – pretty convincing stuff.

Oscar Pistorious – London 2012

Have we put the Pope and Pistorius on pedestals? Undoubtedly. The Pope was placed there by his peers; Pistorius ran all the way up the steps. Being the pope for life is a “tough gig”, and the pressure of celebrity must be enormous for both of them. It now appears our widely held beliefs that “popes are for life” and “athletes are heroes forever” need changing. Changing a core belief is actually quite easy; you simply stop believing them. It doesn’t take much time… In these two scenarios, it was a matter of days.

Catholic Church (England and Wales) / Foter.com /

CC BY-NC-SA Sum_of_Marc / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Lindsay McLoughlin

Proofed by Linds