I hope this goes away after this World Cup but being cynical and knowing how mercenary FIFA are I doubt it. It certainly disturbs the ebb and flow of football. It would of been far more sensible to only have them when the temperatures and humidity are a health risk. Mind you watching England at times feels like a health risk!

This Test Match has been a roller coaster – it just proves that it is by the far most interesting and compelling form of cricket. I am keeping my fingers crossed I might get a game in this Tuesday so far we have only played two out of six games because of the weather (either rain or heat)!

My week has certainly been disrupted by this sweltering weather. My cricket was cancelled on Tuesday because of the temperature (we are not allowed to play if it 32 or higher). My season has been disrupted by the weather we have only played 2 out of 6 league games so far- so it hard to get any sort of rhythm.

On Wednesday I had been booked for story telling in Hereford for the National Literacy Trust but it was postponed till later because of the weather.

Today I was in the Forest of Dean story telling in a school. It was an interesting one because I was booked by the construction company (EG Carters) because a care home is planned near the school. So I was in role as a potential future resident!

Wow it certainly is a hot one and looks like it for the rest of the week.

It was Wick Court’s (where I volunteer) Open Day. I of course was story telling  (it has been a busty week and next week looks equally busy)

I visited one of regular schools on Friday story telling- it is lovely being welcomed back- feel like a long lost uncle!

The story telling this week is certainly going to be different with a few miles to be clocked up. (will blog about them later in the week.)

STAY COOL EVERYONE!!!! 

First gig of my busy period! I was at a Care Home near Wotton for my second visit there. I am going back again in two months.

Had an enjoyable padel with mates this afternoon.

i watched my first World Cup game this afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed Cape Verde holding Spain to a draw.

Short blog today. Busy fortnight ahead with a mixture of gigs. Different settings and certainly very diverse audiences.

The Two Severn Bores had a mini rehearsal this afternoon. We are working on a couple of projects at the moment. I did write an extra story for our Merlin show so we are working on changing the order of the performance around.

Some of my bird photos from last week.

A couple of pictures of castles Bamburgh (from the sea) and the famous lighthouse on the Farnes where Grace Darling helped launch the famous rescue!

Okay- not Hare in the popular saying.

Below are pictures of a Hare I saw up near Craster in Northumberland. I was fortunate to get so close- lucky for the Hare I wasn’t a fox! You will get more pictures of wildlife from Northumberland in the next few days.

Also started my first story telling for a while tonight at Wick Court (I am now in a busy period.)

Last post from Northumberland! We cycled to Newton By The Sea again and this time did a lovely walk out on the northern headland. We were accompanied by many trilling skylarks and saw several fly up high. There were quite a few Eider Ducks by the shoreline. Once again we enjoyed the idiosyncratic Ship Pub for lunch.

This evening I was delighted to find some Tree Sparrows a bird becoming a rarity down south.

Tomorrow we have boat trip out to the Farne Islands before the long journey home!

I will post photos from my camera of the wildlife around the weekend. I have some good shots of a Brown Hare on it. Hopefully plenty of Terns and Puffins tomorrow to add!

I had a great bike ride today – I cycled up the Northumberland coastline to Bamburgh. The castle there dominates the landscape (picture below from the village. I cycled inland afterwards and it was a delight riding undisturbed country lanes. Hardly any traffic! What a super part of the world We are in.