My Somerset Life

Over the Christmas period, I saw an excellent film on TV called "Flight" , 2012, which featured Denzel Washington. His character was a fully qualified and competent airline pilot who was unfortunately a cocaine addict...

We are thinking of staying in London for a few days. Other Half wants to visit a friend and we both want to visit art galleries. I do not want to entertain the stratospheric prices of most London hotels which are in...

The following essay is aligned to my state of mind at this time of year to reflect on what I have done or tried to do in the past and compare it with the prioritization that I would ideally like to see in place for the...

The inspiration for today's theme came when I was returning from the paper shop and an older lady who was standing in a driveway started to move forward. There was no way that she would have impeded me or caused any...

My goodness, what weather for a Christmas Day. No afternoon walks with the children and with the dogs. Who would want to with the wind at 30 miles an hour and rain to boot. It has been snowing today in Oxfordshire and...

I remember reading some years ago that the Christian festival of Christmas could not be advertised in any manner shape or form outside Christian churches in New York. If they did so, they would risk the possibility of...

Have you ever wondered what 1 million books look like when gathered into one place. The main town for bibliophiles in the UK is Hay on Wye. The Bookbarn on the A37 (BS39 6EX) is the largest second-hand book collection...

I cannot seem to break the habit of buying too much food for festivities. I comfort myself by the fact that most of it will be eaten if not on the day intended them shortly after. I reckon that about £125 has been...

The 17th century diarist Samuel Pepys was responsible for - or I should say gave me the impetus - to start this diary in his style. However, in the diary Tuesday 20th of December 1664 we read that he went to his friend...

Now what could be more exciting than that? Can I make a remotely interesting literary piece out of the most banal of activities, shopping in a supermarket. We shall see. Supermarket automatic doors open for me;...

This morning I had a series of extraordinary images appear in front of my eyes - or was it in my brain - in my semi-waking state.  I wish I could remember all the details. The first scenario was that I found myself in...

This post attempts to show that people in difficulty do not necessarily welcome the help that you see - oh so clearly -  that they need. I also want to talk about some of the basic principles of how to construct a...