News - 2008

May
2008

• Added the Site Map to assist navigation.
• Updated details of Peter Murley and David Tebbs and their CVs in the Download section.

Apr
2008

• A short break with some hard work - painting 9 doors and a wall in the Touraine and the repaired conservatory in London, followed by a very short visit to Portsmouth before returning to Paris. Marketing and sales continued though!
• Updated details of Stephen Helms and his CV in the Download section
• Updating the web site (see Internet sections of Documentation, Onscreen and Comments from Brussels.
• Another piece of French culture - Chez les Ch’tis - a kind and amusing look at the north of France by locally born comedian Dany Boon. As John Lichfield said in the English newspaper The Independent: ‘Pity the pauvre biloute (poor bloke) who has to subtitle it into English’.
• Stayed in London for business meetings and a conservatory repair then back to Brussels to pack up and return to Paris by car.
• Eurostar to London to meet my partner, a cousin and his wife (not seen for 41 years!) and a close friend for Sunday lunch. CHL has no commercial link with Eurostar but without it, business for CHL in the three capitals would have been a lot less easy!

Mar
2008

• Finale to contract in Brussels with synchronizing speech recordings with six presentations and web site updates (see TeamSite).
• More progress in the Touraine with a kitchen and a videophone.
• Nephew has a son making your editor a great uncle!
• Completed Business Plan, Annual Report & Newsletter.
• Splendid dinner with my partner and friends in Tremelo and a weekend in Paris. Very good evening in Bercy for St Patrick’s day special event for all the Celts - memories of Ireland in 2006.
• Another video - this time on Interwoven TeamSite and updating Service Announcements on the portal (see Training videos).
• Continued the busy work period with the 5-year Business Plan, Annual Report for last year, latest Newsletter and Reports plus web site updates as normal. Lots of new graphics in Visio.
• Surprise dinner with a fellow technical writer - met in Rennes (see News 2005) and now in Brussels - ‘très convivial’.
• The usual rushed visit to London for dinners with friends and the mass of mail, bank reconciliations, end of month accounts, house cleaning and gardening.

Feb
2008

• Started editing / updating the 5-year business plan.
• Theatre visits in Paris - Brazilian dance and ‘Diner des Cons’ with Dany Boon & Arthur - entertaining.
• Installed and started experimenting with Paint Shop Pro 12 while still using Photo Shop CS2 for a client - interesting differences.
• Completed Newsletter and distributed to a waiting public.
• Developed and distributed a short video on software tool to back up Outlook files.
• Preparation of Outlook templates for announcements, requests.
• Another excellent visit to the Touraine to see the family and the newly installed kitchen and bathroom tiling.
• Lots of ‘exciting’ web updates - acronyms, glossary and assigning page ownership as well as updating the navigation a few times.
• Additions and changes causing some delays to the latest Newsletter and monthly reporting on project work.

Jan
2008

• Starting to introduce the scene and activities to the new incumbent who will take over the role I have been fulfilling with a series of interim projects.
• Masses of feedback and minor corrections on the newly launched web site, announcements and reporting as well as more research on IFRS and the December/January Newsletter.
• London for the 2007 year accounts and the audit, followed by the report, checking and signing.
• Busy first week back in meetings and updating presentations with the management team for the finale at the end of the week for a local and a remote audience.
• Back to Paris for a long weekend and the return to Brussels.
• Sending 2008 New Year wishes and restarting computer work.
• Starting the year in the Touraine with the planting of a present - a Brugnon tree (a cross of a peach and an apricot). One of my favourites but suspect at least a year or two’s wait before this tree bares any fruit.