Thursday, April 24, 2008

Thursday 24th April 2008

Good morning to you all,

After the lovely two week break it's now back to the paper mountain at work. I'm plodding through it slowly.

This week's update is of Cucklington. This is a lovely village. It was so peaceful when we walked around it that we both thought that we could easily live here. Whether the Little One would have liked it there is another matter. Anyway, I would recommend a visit if you're in the area.

Over the last month or so I've been increasing my interest in Victorian Stereo views. I've added to my small but growing collection of photographs and yesterday bought myself a Kodak Stereo camera. The next step will be searching the Internet for tips and instructions on how to get the best from it. I'm hoping I can convert some of the Stereo views into anaglyphs and put them on the main site. We'll see how that goes.

There's plenty for me to do over the coming weeks with creating the anaglyphs from the holiday and getting the book project back on track again.

If the weather is good we'll be off sometime over the weekend to get some more Somerset villages to add to the stock.

Right, time for me to get on with the day.

Until next week.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Thursday 17th April 2008

Hello from France again,

We returned from Disneyland Paris last night, too late to be able to do this week's update, so a late update it is.

The little one was thrilled to be there again and whizzed around the place like she was on skates. My secretary and I did all we could to keep up with her. I didn't take any 3d's this time. I thought I ought to give the time to my family this time.

Since the last blog we visited St Omer (where I lit a candle for my friend Charlie Barnet whose funeral took place last Thursday), Gent and La Coupole. My pronounciation of the latter nearly causing an international incident once we'd returned to base. In the best French I could muster I stated that we had visited St Omer and La Coupole, only I pronounced it La Ka-Poole. Cue much hilarity in my direction. Not really knowing what they were laughing at I tried again only to meet the same response. It was then that an elder stateswoman of the group took pity on me and helped me with the correct pronounciation, La Ku-Pole. Apparently, until I said it right, I was saying the word for Fringe which is used in the French speaking part of Belgium. Still, not one to dwell on the negative, I now am able to make myself much clearer to French speaking Belgian hairdressers.

This week's update is of Uphill. This village is close to Weston-Super-Mare. So close in fact that it is quite difficult to see the join. A pleasant place though.

Thanks to Dane for getting in touch last week after spotting an error. I'll sort it once I get back home. It's always good to receive feedback of any kind, so don't be shy.

Right, that's it for now. More next week.

Have a good weekend.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Thursday 10th April 2008

Bonjour de la France,

Yes I know it's Wednesday but we're off to St Omer tomorrow and it's going to be easier to update now rather than spend time searching for an internet café tomorrow. I'd much rather have an early update than a late one.

Before I go any further please forgive any errors as a French keyboard layout is different to an English one and I only have 40 minutes left to type this. My two typing fingers are currently a blur but the key I'm using most is the delete key!

Anyway, it's great to be away from work for enjoyable reasons rather than a virus.

This week's update is of
Burrington. Another typical looking Somerset village. We couldn't enter the church whilst we were there as they were having their Easter service, so I'll have to visit there again to capture the interior.

I've already been out and taken some 3d's of Blériot to add to the existing collection. As I said at the top we're visiting St Omer tomorrow, maybe Gent on Friday and possibly Bruges on Saturday. We've had all the types of weather since we've arrived. Bright sunshine, heavy rain, sleet & snow and high winds. Today has been a glorious day with wall to wall sunshine.

The 3d book is taking shape. I have completed the first draft and now need to visit a few printers to get an idea of the printing costs. After that the task will be to contact local companies to search for possible sponsors. So plenty to be getting on with.

That's all for now.

A la semaine prochaine!

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Thursday 3rd April 2008

Good morning to you all and welcome to April.

Boy has this been a busy week. I tell you, taking time off work when you’re ill doesn’t pay. It’s taken me until late yesterday afternoon to catch up with my workload. I think next time I’m unwell I’ll just dose myself up with chemicals (the legal kind) and plod on with it the best I can.

The weather here is improving greatly. We’ve had some really warm days of late with blue skies and light winds. I’ve been able to get back into my training by walking to and from work most days this week. It’s an enjoyable way to wake up or wind down from a stressful day at the office.


This week's update is of Isle Abbotts. A lovely village to walk around and, in my opinion, a good example of a typical Somerset village.

We’re off to France on Saturday so the updates and blogs, for the next two weeks, may be a tad later than normal. I need to go to the local internet café to do my thing and France is also another hour ahead of England, so it all adds up. We’re staying at
Bleriot-Plage with my in-laws and during the second week we’re taking the little one to Disneyland Paris for a few days. She doesn’t know yet so keep things to yourselves please. We also hope to visit Ghent in Belgium and, hopefully, more towns and villages in northern France. So plenty to look forward to for me and some more 3d’s to look forward to for you.

A holiday used to be a luxury, however, in today's world, it has become a necessity. Anon

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Thursday 27th March - Charlie Barnett

Hello to you all.

Although still not 100% I am now well enough to be back at work. The downside to being off work is coming back to see a mountain of paperwork awaiting me. By the time I get through it all and catch up I’ll be off for another two weeks booked holiday and then I’ll come back to another paper mountain to climb.

During the Easter weekend my secretary and I visited some more Somerset villages. This week’s update,
Milborne Port, was one, along with Burrington, Cluckington, Horsington, Wincanton and the fantastically named Nempnett Thrubwell. You will see the results in due course.

Sad news this week in the passing of a dear friend, Charlie Barnett.

Charlie was a character. One of a kind. A bit eccentric sometimes but always friendly and would always have time for a chat and a drink. Unfortunately his lifestyle got the better of him. After being admitted to hospital for tests he never came home.

You were a good friend Charlie B. We will miss you.



Charlie Barnett 1960 - 2008

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Thursday 20th March 2008

Hello again.

Another Thursday, another week off work. I do feel better than last week though. It’s been some time since I’ve had two weeks off sick. In fact, if my memory serves me, I think the last time was back in 1980 after the famous football/brick/nose incident. I stress to add that the whole thing was a complete accident with a large element of misfortune on my part. Still, at least it’s a better story than a virus.

Anyway, regular visitors to the Somerset3d website will (hopefully) have noticed a few changes to its look. As I’ve had some time to spare (you can only watch so much TV you know) I thought it was time to do a bit of spring-cleaning around the site. I haven’t done too much, just tidied things up a little. The navigation bar has been improved and the ‘Speakin Zumerzet’ feature now has it’s own page. This will make it easier to check how popular the feature is to help decide whether to continue it in the future.

This week’s update is
Bleadon and I’ve added more pictures at Milton Clevedon. There’s not much at Milton Clevedon but the church is worth a visit.

There’s not much else to say, as I haven’t been anywhere to do anything. So I’ll bid you farewell for now as I must head to the kitchen for another lemon based medicinal hot drink (no product placements here you know).

Sickness comes on horseback but departs on foot. Dutch Proverb.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Thursday 13th March 2008

Good day to you all.

Today's blog is being written, whilst heavily sedated, from my sick bed, hence the late posting. My 7 year old stepdaughter very kindly shared her virus with me at the weekend, and I've been off of work ever since. It's not the best of ways to spend a birthday is it? Yes, I'm yet another year older today. I now have 46 good years under my belt and now for number 47. Unfortunately my waist measurement is beginning to catch up with my age. I don't like the idea that the journey around my waist is longer than the journey down my inside leg. As soon as this virus clears it's back to the exercise regime.

As for the photography, well the virus has taken care of any trips out. Having said that, the weather here has hardly been photography weather. Extremely high winds combining with hailstones and rain means my camera stays in the bag.

So a short blog from me today. Too much computer work just amplifies my headache.

Just a quick mention that Loxton is this week’s update on the main site.

As far as my birthday is concerned, I’m going to do my best to ignore my virus and enjoy it the best I can.


I have no fear of getting old. After all, it’s much better than the alternative.