An Elvis Costello song for today because I have been writing quite a bit this week so thought it might be appropriate. Been working on a couple of different projects. More news on these later.

Busy on the bike, big ride with plenty of climbing yesterday. Also seen the Short Eared Owl on a couple of occasions but keep missing the Merlin!

Had quite a bit of interest for Story Telling  in the next month., more news on this over the next month or so.

Been looking for Otters again but no luck although I saw a Short Eared Owl yesterday afternoon sadly just missed a Merlin.

Been listening to the Mighty Hatters in the cup and we did well to earn a replay. Big . game next weekend at Sunderland-we are up there for a few days. Fingers crossed!

Getting close to finishing my Severn story. Will need a bit of tweaking. Now really do need to rehearse our programme with Dan.

Had a meeting about the Story Telling Day at Kingshill House at the end of January for families and also our Gig there on the 1st February.

Had a lovely welcome from the WI on Thursday night  and I told three stories.

Just finished packing up my stuff for tonight’s gig for Frampton W.I. , a couple of old favourites on the agenda for telling.

Been busy writing in my spare time and close to finishing my final Severn Story for the Severn songs and Stories Gigs that Dan (the musician) and I are doing over the next three months. We now need to rehearse together to make the performance smooth! Also need to learn the other stories! We are being fairly ambitious with what we want to attempt. Our first gig together is at Kingshill House, Dursley on the 1st February more details in later blogs.

Our Peter came back from a run this morning and was chuffed to have seen 3 Otters on the canal about a mile from our house. I’ve never seen an Otter locally but have seen their tracks in several places like the River and nearby Reed Bed. We went to look later but no sign. Means I will now do a couple of early morning walks to search! On the wild life front there have been a few sightings of Waxwings in Gloucestershire, so fingers crossed!

Early Floyd song for today’s title.

I hope everyone had a good Christmas. We certainly did and yes the bike has featured over the week. I mentioned I did cycle with Pete on Monday. Well we all had a family ride on Boxing Day that involved climbing over Selsey Common, and for Clare a first descent of Frocester Hill. Today I did a further 20 odd miles which took me to over four and half thousand miles for the year not bad for the old boy. Planning a big adventure for next year!

Busy writing my third story for our “Severn tour” and pleased with it so far. Hope to be close to finishing by the end of next week.

My football team continue to do well and I’m looking forward to Saturday’s game.

Almost there, Christmas Eve!

Lovely ride with our Peter today up and around Painswick. Have been working on writing the final story for our Severn Songs and Stories and encouraging so far!

Merry Christmas one and all!

A delightful old fashioned  evening last night watching Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band doing their Christmas Carols and Capers. Wonderful talented musicians playing a wide variety of instruments with great enthusiasm. We saw them doing one of these evenings about fifteen years ago. It seemed to transport us back to another time that was what we thought a rural Christmas  was all about but was probably an illusion. We left with a warm glowing feeling, catch them if you can.

Appropriate title for today! It was the monthly Bird Survey in Frampton. We start as soon as it gets light and what a start! I spotted a Ring-Tailed Hen Harrier near the sea wall. Hen Harriers are probably the most persecuted bird in England by game keepers etc. so it was a special moment!

It was a lovely morning and plenty of Curlew, Snipe and Redwings to view as well as Stonechat and Reed Buntings in a couple of places. The River Severn looked great in the morning sun but sadly there was more evidence of significant erosion by the river.

Seasonal football song title  for today. Sorry to any Coventry fans reading this . I got a complete soaking walking back to the car on Saturday the weather was foul but what a fantastic footballing performance by the Hatters. Feel a nose bleed coming on if this continues!

Now finished with Story Telling till just into the New Year when I have a Gig with the local W.I. Need to start writing for Dan and I’s as “Two Severn Bores” Spring Tour on the River Severn. I have one modern day story to write based on the Saxons drowning in the River following the Battle of Dyrham in 577 as well as learning two other stories for this Tour. Dan has already written a couple of songs.

Had a super ride today with plenty of climbing. I decided to make the most of the decent weather.

Not quite an up to date song title-it is from Mumford and Sons 2009. I thought as it was a chilly wind today it was appropriate!

It was a busy spell up to my last blog and now things have calmed down but of course Christmas is looming-we finally acknowledged that today by doing some Christmas Shopping. Will think about decorations at the weekend. Last week was the last school at Wick Court and I finished with my Christmas Angels Story in the Roundhouse. I mentioned my lovely day in Swindon on Monday telling a few old favourites half of them my own stories. Hoping to settle to some writing over the next three weeks.

Great Book Club meal last night. It was Dutch themed as a precursor to next month’s book “The Last Painting of Sara De Vos” by Dominic Smith. As usual all the boys excelled in their cooking.

Finally I mentioned I played cricket on Monday night, wait for it I played football on Tuesday night. Not bad for an old un.