No not the book! I went out this morning and did the first of my two bird surveys this week. Today’s was the Winter Bird Square (I’ve mentioned this in a previous blog) and this time was within walking distance of home. Highlight was a great view of a pair of Common Cranes, I wish I had a camera with me. Some other great sightings to make it a wonderful morning. Tomorrow we do our monthly survey by the banks of the Severn and a major Bore is expected. So we may have to retreat quickly!

Been busy writing this week. I am now writing regularly again with a fountain pen, I find it flows better. I later tidy up on the computer.

Also have a dilemma about one of my bikes so the moment of truth is to decide what to do.

What a cracking few days we have had, winter sun is always precious! We had a great weekend with all the family in a converted chapel near Southampton. Feeling tired after our late nights and a really busy end to last week. Not only did I do Story Telling at Wick Court and hosted Book Club  but I did a long bike ride with the Old Groynes.

The Two Severn Bores performed our first Severn Stories and Songs on Friday afternoon.  We were pleased with how it went and we will develop it further. Our next performance is on the 1st March at Kingshill House, Dursley.

Wonderful Book Club meal last night where we discussed Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Interesting discussion and as always wonderful food cooked by us all and a first for us no meat featured at all (usually someone comes with a meat dish in amongst all the offerings).

Delighted with my Story Telling this afternoon especially my retelling of the “Golden Apple” and the difficult choice of Paris having to decide which Goddess should have it.

Two Severn Bores are performing to SP3 tomorrow afternoon. It will be the start of our “Severn Songs and Stories” tour. Our postponed Kingshill House Gig will now take place on Friday March 1st at 7.30-hope some of you can come along.

Not sure if I have had Deep Purple song for a blog title before, so a rather tenuous link because I have just been doing some pond clearing. Not sure if there was any smoke! Needed to do it before the frogs arrive to spawn. It was cold!

Tried out “The Golden Bird” story at Wick Court last Thursday. I’ve only ever told it once before a couple of years ago. Feel it has potential to develop so I will work on it. Currently looking for a new story for primary school middle years.

I am managing to get some decent miles in my legs on the bike (just under 400 miles for January making my best start to a year).

Thoroughly enjoyed playing football with many youngsters last Tuesday-my touch was gradually returning!

Finally it was a joy watching the Mighty Hatters yesterday fingers crossed this continues. It is always a bit of a roller coaster watching the Hatters over the years. You learn to savour the good moments because there have been plenty of dark days!

A Cat Stevens song for today’s title. Stretching a point a bit but thought it went with my day with the young people at Wick Court. I was asked some delightful questions during our Bird Watching session. We did see a “Deceit” of Lapwings, what a name for a group of Lapwings! One group saw a Sparrowhawk fly past the Hide.

Been busy on a couple of writing projects, I am rewriting an old story of mine for a potential project I want to develop.

Had a lovely jaunt out into the Forest today. Clare and I do the Winter Bird Survey in November and February. you are given a random square to survey for a couple of hours. We had Staunton in the Forest, lovely walk through the woods and saw a beautiful Nuthatch. We have another square to do but closer to home!

I should know in the next couple of days when the Kingshill House Gig for the Two Severn Bores is being rescheduled-hopefully early March.

You will notice I am not mentioning cricket! I made the mistake of watching that rather than the rugby yesterday-big mistake! However, it is good that West Indies are slowly developing a decent side again.

Sorry folks but the Two Severn Bores gig at Kingshill House is postponed-hopefully we will try again in March. When date is confirmed I will put it on the blog.

Sorry folks this is mainly a football blog. Although I will start with saying how delightful the young people from St Stephen’s School East Ham were yesterday at Wick Court in the cold doing the Bird Watching. It was a pleasure to work with them.

I travelled across country afterwards to watch the top of the table clash between the mighty Hatters and Pompey,  surprised that the BBC didn’t feature it as a game on Radio 5-sadly they are  so obsessed by the Premier League. I couldn’t believe the quality of football my team played in the first half, I rubbed my eyes midway through thinking is this Barcelona? Although we should of been out of sight at Half Time the game ebbed and flowed second half and we scored the winner 5 minutes from time. So 3-2 to Luton. I am certainly enjoying the ride, fingers crossed it continues!

Going back in time to the Grateful Dead for today’s title! Thought we might need a weather related title listening to the forecast for the week. Will be interesting tomorrow I am doing my bird watching with the children at Wick Court then we are setting off across country for football-fingers crossed that it won’t be too bad! It is a big match!

Busy on the Story Telling front. Lovely day at Kingshill House yesterday. A lovely buzz throughout the day. I was approached by one mum who asked me if I used to teach at Stroud Valley, it turned out she was in my first ever class. I was very lucky to start my career at that time and we had a lot of fun during the year and my anarchic stories about Wilbur it turns out are still fondly remembered. I think we had 70 to 80 people at the event yesterday. Of course I am back there on Friday telling stories to adults as part of Two Severn Bores. Dan and I had an encouraging rehearsal on Friday and we have another planned this week. Two more Story Telling events for me my usual Thursday slot at Wick Court and I am doing an Old People’s Home in Cheltenham on Wednesday afternoon.

Had a super ride today clocking up miles and hills!  It has been my best January for miles covered.

Don’t forget 7.30 on Friday at Kingshill House for the Two Bores doing Severn Songs and Stories. All welcome!

Blurb about the Bores!    I’d like to say it is us surfing the bore! A picture I took a few years ago and we are going to include it in our publicity! Don’t forget we kick off our Severn Songs and Stories on Friday February 1st 7.30 at Kingshill House Dursley. Please join us!

The Two Severn Bores will take an unusual journey along the Severn using songs, stories and a bit of history. They will travel through space and time: from estuary to source…….prehistory to present day.

I’m the one with the hat!