You can take a man out of the west, but you cannot take the west out of the man.
So it is for Robbie Bell, born in the heart of Somerset but now domiciled in Shelly Bay, who unabashedly has demonstrated his unadulterated love for Somerset during the Cup Match holiday period by adorning he and his wife, Kristi’s home with a red and blue design of vividly outlandish proportion.
It is impossible, day or night, for travelers to miss the property garbed in fabric and studded with glistening trinkets and sparkling lights, with many taking time to stop, observe and photograph the well-dressed edifice that screams SOMERSET from roof to ground.
Such is Mr. Bell’s devotion to his hometown, particularly during the Cup Match period that he gave his Canadian born partner an ultimatum that she pledge her allegiance to Somerset or take a flight back across the Atlantic.
“The idea (to decorate the house) was a little bit of mine,” said Mr. Bell. “I grew up on Scott’s Hill Road Curtis Lane in Somerset and even as I get older and drift further east I still have that love for Somerset.
“I met my lovely wife, who’s Canadian and the first thing I said was what darling?”
“That I cheer for Somerset or I can go back home,” chimed in Ms. Bell Added Mr. Bell: “There was no choice given. I’m the diehard Somerset fan that lives in Shelly bay and we have the lights, the flags and she’s my die hard red and blue wife and I love her to death.”
“Said Ms. Bell: “I would have been Somerset anyway because blue and blue is kind of boring, sorry.’
Asked for her take on the celebration time that is Cup Match, Ms. Bell expressed great appreciation for the festive atmosphere and the match itself.
“I love it, Cup Match is my favourite holiday,” she said. “One run and we would have had a two-to-one but it was an amazing win, I was happy to see it and glad we were able to have a game.”
Mr. Bell still proudly wore a Somerset coloured shirt he’d purchased in 2018 when Somerset had in fact achieved an innings victory.
“I put the shirt on in hopes that they might achieve a two-to-one again,” he said. “We almost got it, but we’ll take the win.
“To St. George’s, we’re thankful for you calling us out to the wicket so that we could take your wickets. Thank you very much.”
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