2006

Dec
2006

• CHL wishes Happy Holidays and a successful 2007 to all its clients and associates.
• Developed New Generic Specification Technical Writing Course for 2007and an Online Introduction (with video, audio and slides) to this new Technical Writing course: click on Online Introduction (On a new page of Internet Explorer only).
• Return to France for continued R&D and sales work for 2007.
• Huge amount of administration, accounting and system backups completed.
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• Presented the Technical Writing Workshop in Dublin - well received. Planning, writing and using additional facilities of the software in use proved the most valuable to most delegates (70% approximately).
• Completed custom development of the Technical Writing Workshop.

Nov
2006

• Commissioned to present a Technical Writing workshop in Dublin - updating and customizing work.
• Created new test version of Finest French Foods web site.
• Updated the English & French versions of lazulinil.com
• Installed new Broadband and telephone supply in Paris office. Removed spy ware including in the installation package!
• Checked progress on the Touraine property.
• London office clean up; installed new Broadband supply.
• Created of online IT Operations & Security Compliance course with video, slides and voiceover . Well received and awaiting detailed comments.
• Sales & Networking meetings - see Links page.

Oct
2006

• Returned to UK and France for business and social activities. Commenced development of online version of the course.
• Commissioned to create online version of the course with video and audio using Microsoft Producer and ULead VideoStudio.
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  Collected course statistics (above) presented at Management Review Meeting. Course material presented to 180 delegates at 36 events. See also Comments Ireland.
• Continued full-day presentations and developed half-day and 2-hour versions. Presented in Dublin and Mallow.

Sep
2006

• Bought a very small web cam for the laptop - so I can see and talk to my partner in Paris using Skype over a broadband connection - just as I do when in London with the desktop system. Changed the security settings having read about ‘Vishing’ attacks (VOIP [Voice Over Internet Protocol] nuisance calls endeavouring to persuade you to give access details to your online accounts).
• Visited the National Gallery and surprised to see a painting by a French artist - Fabre -of one of the founders of my club in London.
• Continued frequent presentations to seven different groups in the IT organization using a couple of PCs and projectors (memories of physical slides and a single Overhead Projector came to mind - but not with nostalgia).
   
• Made a hurried weekend visit to London (for the company administration), Paris and the Loire for a wedding and back to Dublin on the Monday.

Aug
2006

• Started regular presentations to IT staff; continuous modification in the light of comments and feedback, as well the changing news in the organization. Set up statistics reporting system.
• Presented first version to managers for review and then updated the lectures and the 65-page course manual and presented to two different user audiences. Also prepared a new version of part of the course for another user population.
• Visited Galway & Connemara on the west coast as well as Dun Laoghaire south of Dublin and the National Museum.
• Using Word, PowerPoint, Corel PaintShop Pro and Viso to create the courseware for the telecom client. Using SharePoint for version control and distribution.
• Updated the French version of lazulinil.com.
• Created first draft of web site for Finest French Foods in English and French.
• Working onsite in Dublin developing first-pass training materials. Impressed with the friendliness and helpfulness of everyone.

Jul
2006

• Visits to Dublin, Ireland for discussions on bespoke training concerning compliance for operations staff. Commissioned to undertake some development work.
• Technical research and resolution of minor issues on client XDK usage.
• Visited and reviewed the roofing, windows and masonry progress on the Touraine property.
   
• Proposal development, review and meetings in Dublin for a bespoke training programme.
• Meetings in Paris on Debreteuil web issues.
• Completed preparation and presentation of XDK training workshop near Bristol.
• Completed the updates for the three guides for the Learning Management System - User Guide, Site Admin and System Admin guides. Nice testimonial from Thomson NETg, see Comments.
• Completed VAT online filing for the first time.

Jun
2006

• Organized and catered for ISTC London Meeting. Good presentation on networking by Ellis Pratt to interested parties from the area. Food and wine in the garden was popular too!
• Commissioned to provide XDK training next month.
• Brought ‘Le Canard Complet’ product to London for Debreteuil and translated / converted brochure into English. Provided business advice on UK business practice.
  
• Produced new design and draft of the Egyptian web site.
• Selected broadband supplier.
• Purchased and delivered some marble tiling to the Touraine and inaugurated the lifetime dream of a swimming pool.

May
2006

• Developing new galleries for Egyptian web site.
• Review of broadband suppliers.
• Visited the property in the Touraine to review progress - the new roof:
  
• Organizing next ISTC London meeting at 19:00 hrs. on 14th June at CHL (see Contacts). A talk by Ellis Pratt of Cherryleaf on getting a permanent job through networking.
• UK drainage and bathroom maintenance; culling of old accounts files of 10+ years ago.
• Progress meeting and brand name change for LMS system.
• More sales activity.

Apr
2006

• Developed demonstration new versions of two existing client web sites.
• Visited the property in the Touraine to review progress - we are getting there.

• Produced second draft of the LMS User Guide and first draft of the Site Administration Guide.
• Completed company online filing (P35, P14 / P60, P11D & P11Db) - gripping stuff!
• Updated the Download CVs of Stephen Helms in English and French.

Mar
2006

• Produced the first draft of the LMS User Guide - over 100 pages in five days or so - fairly intensive work. Interesting work though - acting as both user and administrator to produce demonstration data for the Guides.
• Wrote proposals and received orders for the User Guide and Site Administration Guide of the LMS (see below).
• Holiday tour from Paris to Cairo - classic tourist visits there and on by minibus and 4WD round the western desert - Al-Bahariyah, Farafra, Dakhla, Kharga and finally to Luxor. Remarkable scenes, tombs and temples - see 8 minute film Egypt2006.wmv (7.8 Mb)  - it may not be strictly relevant to this web site, but it proves we have the technology! See also www.lazulinil.com  for more details.
  

Feb
2006

• Building, gas and water works completed successfully; collected Egyptian Visa.
• Audit completed and signed off.
• First full draft of LMS (see below) provided to client; updated with comments received so far.
• Interesting update on the antiques front - a friend wants to sell some antiques: A late 19th Century silver tea pot, H M Eyen & Co, Berlin 800, of white wrythen moulded baluster form 26 oz. in absolutely splendid condition - see http://www.chelverton.com/acatalog/Antiques.html.
• Collected all the information and wrote the first draft of the CHL Audit report for 2005 - a good year in many ways with some very interesting project work.

Jan
2006

• Building works and a gas leak in the UK and water leaks in France have kept me occupied when not working. Have planned a trip to the desert west of the Nile - should be warmer and drier there, at least during the day. 
• Continued update of the new laptop and video, web and utility software in the London office and updated the web site.
• Added some interesting information from Matthew Salisbury, Nick Bradbury and Jorge Martinez (see Consultant News).
• Updated the download CV of Matthew Salisbury.
• Continued work on  the latest version of the System Administration and installation Guide for an international Learning Management System (LMS). Versions produced will be in Acrobat and HTML with a JAVA Table of Contents created from a single source in Microsoft Word. Spent time learning the system, generating demonstration data and collecting nearly 660+ screen shots for the 376 page manual.
• End of year financial affairs, VAT and so on in preparation for the upcoming Audit.
• Following Christmas in the Touraine spent a relatively quiet New Year in Paris but continued work thanks to a shared wireless connection to the Internet with my neighbour.