What a splendid day today,  weather was cracking Gromit! I was at Wick Court (Farm for City Children) doing my voluntary work bird watching with children from Battersea. We even saw the Little Owl for the first time in ages. It was a young bird. Children also enjoyed seeing Swallows flying in and out of the next as well as ducklings and Moorhen chicks.I do enjoying seeing that sense of awe and wonder from the young people.

I was pleased with my Story Telling last week especially telling the story about Thor’s Hammer which went down well. I have a gig next week in Bath (more about this in a future blog).

Had a couple of great pedals in the last couple of days with a few hills. I even posted my best time for Frocester Hill. Talking of cycling I am enjoying reading  Tim Moore’s humorous book Gironimo about his exploits recreating the epic 1914 Giro d’Italia. It is our current Book Club read.

Off to Devon on Thursday to play cricket for the Gloucestershire Old Men-weather forecast is good! Also looking forward to the football fixtures coming out tomorrow so I can plan some away trips!

I’ll explain the title later! Busy week for me (it all looks busy over the next month). Also trying to get as much gardening in as possible in my spare moments. That has seen me chopping and visiting the tip with the stuff I can’t shred as well as getting the fruit nets sorted.

A great pedal on Sunday with only one other Old Groyne saw us do a couple of decent hills and 40+ miles finishing at our favourite cake stop!

Ran a Story Telling Workshop today at a school in Cirencester. Lovely enthusiastic young people! Off later on a Book Club cycle we are going to the pub for a meal as part of our research!

Today’s title could have been called “Retro Man” because after a long time of not being able to play my vinyl records, I realised the stylus had disappeared so after a trawl of the net I have a new stylus, can play my old LPs (some of you may be too young to know that tem!) So gradually going through ones that have been dormant here for far too long! So Cat Stevens gives us today’s title!

What a splendid end to the week weather wise after those winds and showers earlier. I did manage a game of cricket on Wednesday for the old men against Cheshire. A good all round team performance saw us win comfortably, so an enjoyable afternoon!

Told a new story yesterday that went down well so is now added the repertoire! I will certainly play with it for the next telling. I am exploring another couple of stories to learn over the coming weeks. Writing has slowed with the arrival of the good weather! I am almost at the end of my story based at Wick Court (Farm for City Children) so I do need to knuckle down!

Thanks to Queen for today’s title-remember it! A gentle ride today not a race!  It was the Old Groynes with the Young Meerkats who went for the ride but unusually for us we didn’t manage a cake stop!

We enjoyed our visit to Bempton and I loved being so close to Gannets. I meant to say just before we went away I took young Alfie and Alex out bird watching. The highlight was Red Kite about 20 metres above our heads close to home.

I have a busy week in front of me including two midweek games of cricket. I need to get down to some preparation for Stories later this week and for the following week.

Gannets all around. Bempton cliffs are wonderful. A real cacophony of sound from the many sea birds here. Some good views of puffins as well. The sun has shone today.

Short blog today. We are away tomorrow bird watching in Yorkshire staying close to the RSPB reserve at Bempton Cliffs. Fingers crossed for the weather.

First of all what a cracking Test Match! Played by both teams with a positive attitude and great sportsmanship. It was absorbing cricket throughout the whole match. Bring on Friday!

Haven’t done any writing this week but I am learning another traditional fairy story with a twist.

Today’s title is the new album I’ve got by a band called Stornoway, not the bird for those who know that nickname. Great album! Had a busy week with my voluntary bird watching at Wick Court, Story Telling and doing my bird count on the Severn. That was a glorious morning and the highlight was a Cuckoo flying just over my head.

We also saw the band Leveret at Ruskin Mill. They are trio of talented musicians playing old English tunes. I’ve seen two of them before in other bigger bands playing very different music.

Had negotiations this week for a couple of interesting gigs this summer-will write about them nearer the time.

Putting my whites on later for a game of cricket with my club.

From the title just a cycle blog update. Not quite a bicycle made for 2! I mentioned last time I had quite a bit of cycling ahead of me. On Friday I joined my mate Colin on a lap of their epic ride from John O’Groats to Lands End (most people do it the other way!). I did 60 miles with them and although they were tired the had a few decent climbs to tackle. It was humbling to join them and I tried to take on the role of “cycling Domestique”.

Clare and I then had nostalgic camp at Morthoe in Cedric our camper. We used to go there camping regularly with the boys for our holidays. Lovely walk on the Saturday morning, till we joined the boys to go and watch the rugby at Exeter. We camped in Topsham not too far from Dave’s house.

Sunday saw me join the lads for a cycle on Dartmoor, stunning views, great climbs especially the second climb of Haytor from the village of Islington, and rapid descents! Even the bird watching from the saddle was good; saw a Cuckoo, Stonechat, Pipits, Skylark and numerous raptors! Now back in Frampton watching the rain!

You may have gathered from my last blog I wasn’t a happy bunny! It is no good moping so we have to get on with things. It was back to Story Telling yesterday evening and I was pleased with how my performance of an old favourite went, especially with some dramatic pauses that I added. This followed on from a convivial lunch with my old Headteacher colleagues, although this meant I missed the Red Kite that soared over the village.

Had a lovely cycle with our Old Groynes group on Sunday, so beginning to those miles into the legs. This followed from a close game of cricket on Saturday for my club on an awful pitch, a ball took off to hit my glove just as I was getting in (such is life). Today I was supposed to be playing in Somerset but the weather has put paid to that! Riding with my pal Colin tomorrow on his way to Lands End (I am doing the Glastonbury to Barnstaple leg) and then with my boys I am cycling on Dartmoor (weather permitting) on Sunday.

We had a super Book Club discussion on Bereft by Chris Wormsley. It did provoke some strong reactions (mainly positive) from us all.

A Ralph McTell song seems an appropriate title for today, of course I could have gone for Streets of London but that was too easy! Feel for all those vulnerable people throughout the country after the result from yesterday, they have suffered much already just look at food banks etc. It strikes me that the whole campaign has played to the lowest common denominator especially through a nasty press owned by vested interests. How Cameron can say they ran a positive campaign! Really worried what damage to our public services is coming.You may know I do voluntary work and I am now worried about this along with the Education Service and the Health Service. Ironic that they kept Michael Gove away from the cameras until polling stations shut!!!!!!!!!

Got on the bike for the first time since we got back from Spain. Got the legs moving again. A couple of decent rides planned for the next week.

Hoping to learn a new story for telling next week but I have a busy spell over the next few days. I haven’t touched any writing for a while because of being away.