My Somerset Life

A diary by Brian Snellgrove

Sunday Pt. 1 – the pictorial low-down on the Cheddar Carboot

Friday 23 September 1664

…Pepys writes….My cold and pain in my head increasing, and the palate of my mouth falling, I was in great pain all night. My wife also was not well, so that a mayd was fain to sit up by her all night….Dined with little heart at noon…So home, and late reading “The Siege of Rhodes” to my wife, and then to bed, my head being in great pain and my palate still down.

You certainly needed to be tough to survive without the medications that we take for granted today. Average life expectancy was just under 40, but this is heavily skewed by the high rate of infant mortality. Over 12% of all children born would die within their first year of life.
I love the fact that Pepys reads to his wife. We do not know if she is literate. My wife enjoys being read to. I enjoyed being read to when a child. ..just one more chapter, dad……

*****

Today is day two of Somerset Art Weeks ‘Prospect’ Festival 2017. We plan to visit a few centres but before that, to celebrate breakfast with two duck’s eggs which we purchased yesterday Saturday at one of the events. They are about a fifth bigger than large chicken’s eggs. <later> they should be cooked for seven minutes. They are very rich so one egg at a sitting is enough.

*****

Cheddar Carboot and market is one of the larger events of its type in the UK. This is my first in depth report, and probably my last unless something extra ordinary happens. I do TripAdvisor reviews and to date I have done 671 written reviews and offered up 1,340 photos from 42 countries around the world. You can say I am fairly used to doing them.

History of Cheddar Carboot- started by a local farmer in 1996.
Location – Winchester Farm Wells Road BS27 3RP
Layout – at least 150 grass pitches, about 60 hard ground pitches, a large indoor area with many wet weather pitches.
Car park – large enough! You pay £1 per car but can walk in free.
Facilities – toilets, restaurant, cafe.
Hours – Sundays from 6am to 2pm ; the public can arrive after 7 am
Cost of stall or space – from £8 to £20
Contact Mr Ashley Hann – 07831277327

That’s the mechanical bit over, now the detail. The majority of the spaces in the grass area are families having a clear out of their children’s’ clothes, toys or removing from their house unwanted bric a brac. I can say that if you don’t mind buying second hand clothes there is no point in spending more than 50p an items for clothing your new child. People also try and get rid of books and rather old Hi Fi sets.
A few plant and flower stalls (normally good quality grown locally) can be found. Sweets and drinks are always of low quality, virtual sugar bombs with added chemicals. Garden tools, normally second hand, are available and are of good quality but beware petrol driven mowers and chain saws. People keep them in their sheds for years and swear blind they work well. Ask when they were last used. If they cannot answer you then take a chance but don’t pay more than a tenner.

An old fashioned look means that the model is well out of date and spares impossible to get. Paintings and photographs are neither well stored (been in the attic for years) or of ‘popular’ quality. Anything over a fiver and you are paying for the frame. There is normally a good fishing equipment table in the main hall. Cheese is available (and yes it is fresh). The star of the show is the amazing butcher who has the most convincing chat I have ever heard. For this reason he is popular with Chinese and Indian restaurants who stock up for the week. He piles on steak after steak, chops after chops, chicken after chicken and says ‘who will give me £20?’ and goes on piling the meat on until someone says yes. You only have to move an eyebrow for him to register it as a sale. See video here.

Having given all the caveats above, you can get some amazing bargains. My wife purchased five art books for £2.50 from someone who was clearing her mother’s house. As I left I saw a chap walk away with a Stihl strimmer, lightweight, new cost £230 + for which he paid probably about £40. Their Chinese equivalents are well built but weigh a ton and you need to wear strapping in order to carry it.

As the day goes on and stall holders are getting tired, the price of everything will come down. What was sold for £1 comes down to 50p. Anything to get rid of them and save having to pack them up again. When you leave, expect a queue to get out. If you are at all civilised you will move on to the Cider Bar about a mile east along the road. Part two will cover that noble establishment. And now, to the photos in random order…

why pay full price for a childs new bike?

the jam and marmalade woman is always here rain or shine

skeletons taken out of their cupboards

dog and some cat food

cheap and cheerful tools

good quality plants

sugar bombs

potted flowers

typical grass space – take it off me or it goes to the recycle

very good tools normally at the far side of the indoor hall

tools – detail

fishing stand – you name it…. they are regular attendees

the indoor hall – full when it rains

army stuff

Victoriana

a sad and unloved mower. Don’t touch it.

£3.99 for an item costing 50p tops to manufacture.

The amazing Garry Davies. He ‘performs’ high speed selling for up to 5 hours. Hypnotically amazing.

this mannequin needs a head and shoulders massage

click here for next part of day



My Somerset Life

A diary by Brian Snellgrove

Rockaway Park – back to the 60’s in full 3D

for the broad minded  – Ctrl and + key repeatedly for larger images

I thought I had been in a Dr. Who police box and been taken back 50 years. This place called Rockaway Park was BLISS. I love love love installation art and things that are way out there. I had no idea that such a place existed, unadvertised and unmarked. If I say to locals that it is in Eastcourt Road, Temple Cloud, you still could not find it.

I met the partner of the owner Marta (still with a slight Polish accent) and then her very approachable and extrovert partner and the owner of the land Mark Wilson. Some hint of what you can expect is to be found in the names of the artists that work at the place, an abandoned quarry. Rowdy, Joe Rush, Filthy Luker, Shangrila, Mutartis Boswell as well as on-site blacksmiths and woodworkers.

First there is a converted single story property with a few B and B rooms which they feed with AirB&B clients. There is a huge kitchen / eating area which is as big as some flats I can think of. ALL the  following pictures are from within this one room.

three messages in one

VERY ancient juke box

not maradona or a prima dona

the huge 15′ long dinner table

take your pick of condiments and spices

the relaxing corner

and now, outside this room but inside the building.

Mediterranean feel

many influences here

more panoramic view of the room. I noted that it had no wood fireplace and would benefit from one in the centre of the room. They use space heaters in the winter (pricey)

and now, some shots of the pathway outside this residential building.

well that’s clear and plain

looks out over a valley

Now, you may have thought you have seen everything but the main part is yet to come.  No image does justice to the extra ordinary melange of art that I saw before my eyes.   Ready?

Quite an accident

droll social commentary

the eyes have it

This is a clever art installation. The whole is a decorated rubber ball or bell. It is inflated and then deflated. When the latter the pressure is reduced and the eyes close.

two scrap aircraft engines

a whole car compressed into 6′ x 2′ x 2′ wheels and all

from the art studio

Paintings by ‘Dave PanIt’

cars parked on high

an amazing all terrain ‘vehicle’ built by one of the residents. It works as well but what a noise.

Guys I have made so many more pics. but you will just have to come and see. It is open until 8th October 2017.   I met some called Aemon? (I must write down peoples name when I meet them). He was an ex school teacher who resigned out of stress of various sorts and is now working for his board and food but ‘has no need’ for money at the moment. He was so full of enthusiasm for this creative place and wanted everyone to feel that they could come and make a contribution by doing something or by just enjoying the environment.

A cafe had just opened the day before at which moderately priced good food will be served.  This place is bursting with possibilities and I shall be visiting them again to offer my services.

 



My Somerset Life

A diary by Brian Snellgrove

Priddy Rural fun day – a Thai massage – back to the 60’s in full 3D

On to Priddy with its annual Rural Fun Day. The triangular Green offers a  natural environment for stalls and entertainment of all kinds. At first glance the layout seemed ramshackle and lacking in features but I soon started to be impressed. There were a number of ‘car boot’ type stalls offering tat with varying degrees of age and usefulness. I walked past them with hardly a glance.

the Green

The child showed no fear. impressed.

We then went on to the green itself. I noticed that one of the most popular attractions was a sled run which looked as if it had been designed in the 1950’s (no criticism but a compliment).

One feature I really appreciated. The public address speakers were playing very laid back 60’s and 70’s music and it made just the right atmosphere.

the kids loved it and were drawn in.

a very docile (bored?) animal

one of two historic cars

two children making a glorious mess

natural building methods should be applauded and encouraged.

see text

Now this was a sight to behold. Three young women aged about 20 I estimate were walking about and were invited to build a wall from the stones provided. They obviously thought that was a cool thing to do and they approached the challenge without hesitation. This would NEVER happen in a big city.

I noticed a stand devoted to Thai Massage. The lady doing it had such a winning smile. I thought that the offer was worth the £3 asked for a ten minute demonstration.  She had been doing this type of work for many years and is managed by her English husband , an ex-policeman called Neil. She has an intuitive knowledge of where the tension points are and I jumped and wriggled with pain though she was only applying gentle pressure. Subsequently, Francoise and I decided to invite her to our home for a proper session of one hour. Contact barnesorathai @ gmail . com

putting me through my paces

the full massage is quite demanding as you can see from the images (use Ctrl and + to enlarge)

I walked off or should I say floated off to a large tent of arts and crafts. I came across a stall which intrigued me called ‘All Four Paws’ another English pun. ha ha.

type of canine problem addressed.

dogs with challenging problems

He is a good dog but …..  Ian Francis has had over 40 years experience living and working with dogs, and over 8 years working with dogs with problems. AllFourPaws visits and works at the home of the owner. Such niche markets are very important and although I have no dog I wished him the best of luck. PS I never ask for compensation for what may be considered an advert. If I think the person is the real deal I will tell you.

been coming here for years.

I have never had a so called Welsh cake before so I, forever adventurous, had a go. What have you got to lose for £1.  It is basically a bread mix with raisins added and coated with sugar if you wanted. Mine was a little under done but good enough. I would not have another. The old chap who was running the stand talked of the old days where the Green was ‘heaving’ with people and the sheep were ‘over there’ he said waving his arms and the horses ‘over there’. I felt he regretted the decline of a great event.

Little did I know that the highlight of my day was yet to come and to save you endlessly scrolling down I will write part 3 of my diary separately, and can be found here.



My Somerset Life

A diary by Brian Snellgrove

a sighting of Michael Eavis – a Thai massage – back to the 60’s in full 3D

Thursday 22 September 1664

…To the ‘Change at noon, and among other things discoursed with Sir William Warren what I might do to get a little money by carrying of deales to Tangier, and told him the opportunity I have there of doing it, and he did give me some advice, though not so good as he would have done at any other time of the year, but such as I hope to make good use of, and get a little money by….

Very much my ‘thought for the day’ BBC style.

We may have a pressing problem and we call a friend or colleague for help. Do we ever pause to consider if the timing is good for them? Were they waiting by the phone for your call, all other matters cast aside or were they half way through dealing with at least four pressing matters with children screaming in the background the while?
When I need help I always ask ‘do you have time for a conversation on ….’.  People who say ‘have you got a couple of minutes’ normally raise matters that take half an hour. It’s your call as a receiver of a request to decide what can be handled on the phone or what could really benefit by a face to face conversation (and I don’t mean Skype). Sometimes I call ahead to book a time to talk. The respect of people’s time is appreciated.

*****

My goodness, I did not realise what a rich day was in front of Francoise and myself when we set off for a round of art exhibitions, preceded by a visit to the historical museum in Radstock. Michael Eavis of Glastonbury fame was due to open an exhibition, the last of five temporary exhibitions in 2017,  devoted to the historical side of Westfield, one of the three districts Midsomer Norton, Radstock and Westfield.

The event was due to open 11.30. We arrived well before and took the opportunity to look round the permanent exhibitions which tells the tale of old Radstock with particular regard to normal home life, and to coal production. We decided to join for a year. For around a fiver you can come in as many times as you like. Is that a bargain or what. I could have become a member for £12 p.a.

There was a system of canals to enable the taking away of the local production of coal. Use Ctrl and the + key to view enlarged images.

canal system

Radstock Station of old

a kitchen and eating place in a miner’s cottage c 1900

a grocer

So in comes Michael. I get the impression this is not the first time he has opened an exhibition or a facility. Here is the video of his talk and the response from the museum committee.

Michael with his trademark shorts and sandals.

Michael waylaid by friends

The poor old Mayor of Radstock was trying to explain aspects of the exhibition to Michael but he was obviously far more interested in talking to the people, to the Mayor’s frustration of his carefully prepared plan.

a friend called John

On his way out, Michael saw an old friend and went over to give him a big bear hug. They chatted animatedly for some time.  Michael is quite obviously a community man totally centred in people. He gives his time unsparingly and greets complete strangers as if he has known them all his life. This is a gift indeed. His laugh is infectious.

*****

On the way to Priddy where there is a fun day, we visited Midsomer Quilting  which is shortly to move a couple of miles as the crow flies to a unit adjacent to The Holy Cow, a trendy but noisy restaurant in the most unlikely spot. I wanted to go there to mourn the passing of the lovely intimate outlet which has done so much for quilting world-wide through sales and courses and the like. I was not alone.

sales assistants chatting

Chris who is the manager with the silver hair

the room where quilting takes place.

the community area

Everyone remarks on the warm and welcoming atmosphere of this establishment. This is where free coffee and biscuits is offered with a donation tin to Dorothy House by the side. It is the unspoken rule that you can chat to a complete stranger with complete confidence knowing that you have something ‘safe’ in common, namely a love of quilting and design. Next Monday 25th September it will close and will re-open supremely optimistically the same week on the Thursday. No pressure then. Watch this space.

*****

the day continues in part two of this journal……


My Somerset Life

A diary by Brian Snellgrove

How much money is ‘enough?’ – My GP – global warming

Wednesday 21 September 1664

….But it is a strange thing to observe and fit for me to remember that I am at no time so unwilling to part with money as when I am concerned in the getting of it most, as I thank God of late I have got more in this month, viz. near 250l., than ever I did in half a year before in my life, I think….

So called ‘primitive’ tribes exist with very little money; they mostly use barter and free exchange. A millionaire feels hard done by because his brother has five million pounds. A successful business man is frugal about spending money on himself  because he remembers the time that he was poor and had to struggle.  Another one I read of does not wear socks to remind himself what it was like to be poor as a child.

50% owners of Walmart, the Walton family.

The American owners of Walmart, the Walton Family Foundation gave 0.04% of their personal fortune to charitable causes, vs. the average middle class earner with a salary of say $75,000 pa contributes 6% of their discretionary income to charity.

Well, this is not rocket science to discuss. There is pure and simple greed. There is the accumulation of money out of material insecurity, or the desire to ‘own’ more than others. For most of us the solution is to live within our means, not to rely on the lotto, and to focus more on things that money cannot buy such as friendship, trust and be trusted you could say, and community minded people.

So, how about winning the lotto?

Winners mostly report ending up about as happy as they were before winning with some notable exceptions such as the couple who won £150m and could not agree how to spend it. They divorced. Maybe they were going to divorce anyway.

A classic 1978 study on this compared 22 lotto winners to 22 control-group members (who didn’t win any money) and to 29 people who were paralysed in accidents.
In general, the lottery winners reported that they were happier than the paraplegics and quadriplegics – a 4 out of 5 instead of a 2.96 out of 5.
The control group averaged 3.82 out of 5, not significantly different from lotto winners. However, lotto winners reported getting the least enjoyment from what researchers called “mundane pleasures” – enjoyable aspects of everyday life like eating breakfast or talking with a friend.
Researchers were surprised that lotto winners didn’t report being significantly happier than non-winners, and that accident victims reported being above the scale’s mid-point (2.5).
Overall, winning the lottery didn’t increase happiness as much as others thought it would, and a catastrophic accident didn’t make people as unhappy as one might expect.

I reckon living is about giving daily thanks and being content for what you have (think of Bangladesh, Solomon Islands, Puerto Rico, Texas and all the people who have lost everything in the hurricanes). It puts our ‘difficulties’  into some perspective.

*****

Off to the doctors surgery. I forgot something that my doctor, Dr Shepherd, told me during the last telephone consultation. Once again I was asked by the receptionist the dreadful ‘what was your name’. I am now alert to this so I said, “no what IS my name. My name IS Brian Snellgrove” <cough> Present test? Past tense? I almost got a dirty look.

There is a new booking system. Appointments cannot be made via the Internet or by phone to reception. You call the surgery and your doctor will call back within 2 hours. He or she will decide if you need to see them in person, or otherwise prescribe or give advice on the phone.

Why the new system? Obviously the increased pressure on the NHS due to the completely absent Jeremy Hunt is one factor. Research shows that on average, 80 patients are DNA (did not attend) a medical facility each month. Missed appointments, according to BBC research, cost the NHS more than £600m per year. This new system will no doubt  cut this number down as if you have agreed verbally with the doctor to attend you are less likely to forget.  My dentist sends me 3 reminders, one when the appointment has been made, another E-mail a few days before the appointment and a text as well two days prior.

It should be noted that at St Chad’s, our local surgery, patients’ notes are combined so the doctor or secretary or anyone with clearance can see at a glance who said or did what and when.

amazing to see this – pinned on the wall in receptiion

Do I see this as less than a ringing endorsement of allopathic medicine? Well done Tris of Year 3 for this perception. As mentioned previously the body has a perfectly good immune system and it does not help to inject the body with chemicals when the immune system has not even had a chance to develop. It starts at about 2-3 months and needs exposure to ‘foreign’ challenges to help it develop.

*****

I was so glad to read in the Natural News E-zine that ‘global warming’ is a total hoax. I am sick of reading that carbon dioxide is the great evil when without it we would not be alive. The trees need it! Why bother reducing the emissions of the motor car when one belching volcano will release more in a two week burp than all the cars on the planet. As the article says “if greenhouse gases are so bad for the planet, why do greenhouse growers buy CO2 generators to double plant growth?

The current alarmism is I suspect similar to the schemers behind weather control (175 patents granted by the US Govt) in that it can be used as ‘pseudo warfare’ but then I would be called a ‘climate denier’ and ridiculed accordingly. ClimateScienceNews.com will provide further background information.

*****

We advertise “Jungles cleared” in our ad in the local paper. Business is a bit slow this year but as the mayor said to me “for many people the tide is going out” so people only spend money on essentials.  However we are doing a garden in Farrington Gurney, the home of the famous Farrington Farm Shop. The customer said she did not want her jungle cleared but ‘tamed’. So be it.

Before work

After work. Border cleaned (makes a big difference to a garden)

Anyway, my left knee is burning so I am seeing the good Dr Hubbard next Friday. Meanwhile his instruction to “keep taking the tablets” for pain relief will  be heeded. I never realised how important knees were.  🙁