Entertaining Saturday for me. Went to watch my favourite football win a match at Exeter yesterday; a pleasant surprise after a depressing month where we frequently managed to self destruct thanks to not being able to put up any sort of defence. We were lucky yesterday but my David paid for it! Going back to his house after the game for a cuppa he discovered he had lost his keys! Thought he might have dropped them on the bus so he had to flag down the bus! Turned out he had dropped them at the football and because we were in the away when discovered the nice people at Exeter had put them on the Luton team bus! Might be a story to develop there about travelling keys!

Reflecting on the recent flurry of Story Telling gigs, I was pleased with my performance which I feel I am taking to a new level. Not sure if that is down to confidence or experience!

Very tired after a busy week Story Telling to a variety of audiences including last night in the Three Horseshoes where I told a new story. It was a ghost story one of those that doesn’t become apparent till near the end. It is one I can add to my repertoire.

Will blog properly tomorrow when I’ve stopped yawning!

Did two school gigs today and one of the developments to my “Angels” story is some new audience participation. The audience provided me with department store “Music” today I asked the staff to do Slade’s Merry Xmas, we added air guitar as well. Great sports and great fun!

Two gigs left before I finish! One in my old school and Wednesday night in the Three Horseshoes Frampton. It is my Book Club’s Christmas entertainment. Please feel free to join us for good old-fashioned entertainment. My brother Mike will be doing his poems and others will be doing songs and poems. I am doing a new story with a Christmas twist!

An old Beatles classic for today’s title. I trying to think of one with Owl in it, didn’t do very well. Only because I went to talk on Little Owls last night. As a result I am signing us up at Wick Court to be part of the monitoring project on Little Owls. We do have a nest each year at the farm. It is a lovely bird but they are declining in numbers so it is important to monitor them.

I enjoyed yesterday afternoon’s Story Telling. I am pleased with the way my “Angels” story has developed as well as Savitri. I add something new to each telling.

Tomorrow I am off to footie or the “Theatre of False Dreams” or maybe “Fading Hopes”. You can tell I am not too confident but you never know!

Testing me out to come up with song titles with wind in it at the moment! I still have Cat Stevens up my sleeve! I am getting fed up with the wind while cycling. This morning I hurtled down the Green in Frampton and then had to battle my way back up. It is worse when doing the hills because you get quite a buffeting! Anyway just heard I won’t have to battle against it Story Telling by the camp fire today it is indoors! Much easier for me. Just entering a busy spell with Christmas Stories. I am learning a new one for the pub next Wednesday, a ghost story of sorts! Don’t forget anyone who wants to join us in the Three Horseshoes Frampton we will be starting around 8 p.m. Mike my brother will be there, Brain and I’m sure others will be performing. Should be good old-fashioned fun!

Today’s title covers the last few days both here and in London. My Thursday Story Telling at Wick Court proved difficult because of the conditions, it was really windy and wet. Normally I can adapt well but I struggled! Friday’s performance  for the adults  proved much easier to adapt my performance. Stories went really well and Edwina’s cello certainly enhanced the atmosphere. Hence the title because we had “Streets of London”  in one of the tales I told. My Christmas Angels continues to develop and I have another couple of ideas for the next telling of this story.

After Friday morning’s performance we made our way up to London to see Peter and Nicola. So we really did walk the Streets of London. We did go to see “The Celts” at the British Museum. I was underwhelmed by this exhibition which could have been curated more imaginatively because there were some wonderful things to see. We all went to see Miss Saigon  on Saturday evening.

Well we do seem to have a buffeting on a regular basis at the moment! It does make being on the bike hard work at least in one direction!

Busy on learning stories at the moment for upcoming gigs. I will attempt a telling of my Christmas Angels Story this week to two very different audiences! Thursday will be my regular Story Teller in Residence slot by the camp fire at Wick Court ( a mixture of Y5 and 6 pupils). On Friday I am performing to the ladies of SP3 (mainly ex teachers), for this group I’m doing an Arthurian legend, a story about a deadly pact and finally The Christmas Angels. On Friday I am being accompanied by Edwina on her cello, we are supposed to be rehearsing on Thursday. I am quite excited about performing with musical accompaniment and it would be good to develop in the future.

Today’s title is because of the incessant rain outside. It has curbed my plans to do a decent cycle today. So instead I am taking stock after a busy week on the Story Telling front! I was pleased with my telling of Savitri the Indian tale of how she fooled Death on Thursday, I do emphasis her as a strong feminine character, I am conscious that many of the stories I tell, particularly the traditional ones are dominated by male characters. The supernatural tale “The Shadow Cage” by Philippa Pearce also had its second telling by me it is a good well crafted story.

Yesterday was a first for me in a school because I shared the performing with my mate Brian. This was wearing our “Farms for City Children” hats! A wet cycle to get there!

I am now preparing for next Friday’s Story Telling for the ladies of SP3. I did buy an angel that lights up for my story “Christmas Angels” which I am telling  a few times this December.

Well what a hectic start to the week! Monday’s gig in NWLondon was a long day. Harlesden is a delightful school with a wonderful caring ethos and chimes with my educational philosophy. Performing nine stories to eight different age groups tests your resources! Despite being tired at the end of the day I came away with a lovely feeling thanks to the warmth of Harlesden.

Had a great bird watch with the children at Wick Court yesterday. Today we have celebrated Clare’s birthday in some style! We have had a succession of visitors calling- plumber, gardener and boiler man. We then had an early meal with the two young lads we are looking after. I am blogging from their house, they are now asleep!

More Story Telling Thursday and Friday!

Off to London tomorrow for a Gig at Harlesden. A lovely school I was there around World Book Day earlier in the year. It is an early start! I have had to learn some new stories and returning to some old favourites. I am entering a busy spell of Gigs as Christmas approaches.

Had a marvellous bird watch on Friday, spectacular views of three Short Eared Owls, Stonechats and Kingfisher.   Saw two Owls have a spat and locked claws! It certainly made up for our Bird Survey Thursday morning where we got absolutely soaked! I also saw my first Brambling of the winter and it was in the garden!