It has been a busy spell for me with all the gigs clustered  around World Book Day. I had another couple last week. One was on Friday night for a special Story Telling Evening to a family audience outside. It was cold but very enjoyable! This week is hopefully quieter! I am working on learning another new story; this one is from Japan.

Not going to mention football as the wheels have come off for the not so mighty Hatters! I did manage to cycle almost every day last week including to my gigs, wind was a problem.

What a beautiful day it has been today. Makes you feel better feeling the sun on you. I spent the day doing my birding with children at Wick Court. Wick Court is a Farm for City Children set up by Morpurgos. Michael visited today and the children loved meeting him. I have said before what a privilege it is to take the children out looking at birds around the farm. The children learn so much by being on the farm, hands on learning. It is real education and a million miles from the Prime Minister’s vision he outlined yesterday. What a charade the whole Free School nonsense is! I could go on and on about how politicians are ruining our education service but you will be pleased that I won’t!

Yesterday I did even more travelling following on from the intensive Story Telling spree. Went to the Theatre of Dreams yesterday and watch my beloved boys unexpectedly lose. Very poor for the first 35 minutes but played well to come and back from 2-0 down to equalise. We then looked likely to win but a lucky own goal finished us off. Those that knew me when I was playing will recall I was known as OG Church so I know how it feels!

This week is potentially a quieter one only my regular gig at Wick Court (Thursday) and another on Friday night to come. Hopefully I will be able to get on with my story writing this week.

Well I am now sitting at home following my intensive 3 days story telling (5 gigs in all.) I haven’t tallied up how many stories I told in that time but it was a lot! Impressively the voice stayed in tact!

The schools I visited this week were delightfully different and I had a lovely warm welcome at all of them. I was pleased because I performed two new stories as well. I was asked how many stories I have learnt for telling? I answered I don’t know! My final school was Harlesden today. Clare and I travelled up last night and she had a lovely day at the National Portrait Gallery while I was jumping around telling stories. It was good to perform in London and it was a super school to visit. The atmosphere reminded me of the two schools I ran.

Well morning actually! Lovely ride this morning one of my favourite climbs up from Nailsworth to Minchinhampton with my friends. I did more miles in February 400 than I did any month last year!

Over the last few days I’ve been busy getting the stories ready for the stories I am performing this week. More work tomorrow on learning some new ones!

Saw some lovely old friends at a meal on Friday and saw the boys win yesterday!

Well the bike isn’t really silver but Hawkwind didn’t do a song called orange and blue machine! You guessed this is a bike update. The bike I’ve been riding regularly over the last 3 weeks bike is Sir Gawain (without a rack on) and have clocked up the miles – 350 this month which  when you consider the time of year I think is fairly impressive!  My trusty workhorse Shadowfax is still at the bike shop. I am hoping to have him back for the Gigs I’ve got looming. I can pack all my props and costume bits on Shadowfax. If you have me for a Gig and it is likely that I will appear on this bike.

Tomorrow I am doing my monthly bird count for the estate the weather forecast means I think I will get a soaking!

More about stories I will be performing next week in my next blog.

Different song title this one! Refers to the gentleman wearing black at yesterday’s game. More later!

Writing is going well and I am managing regular sessions on both my current stories. Will update progress next week. Also starting to prepare for the run of gigs I’ve got at the beginning of March.

Had a good time with our Pete in Putney and we did ride round Richmond Park three times on Saturday morning. Lots of cyclists and parakeets!

Found a delightful pub before the football and met two pals there. Football was disappointing not sure if a referee is ever going to award us a penalty it was GBH yesterday and he booked the player for diving. This followed missing a handball plus offside for the first goal I’m beginning to sound like the Chelsea manager!

Went to watch the tide this morning come over the fields near Frampton. It is a spectacle. Not as high as yesterday’s tide looking at the debris.

I have been writing my new story that is based around the Farm for City Children where I volunteer and have my Story Telling residency. I found out that 17 parliamentary soldiers were drowned in the Severn near where the farm is in 1644 just after the siege of Gloucester. I’ve found the names of five of them because they were buried in nearby Arlingham Church and I know one of them came from London. So my story is playing on that link but set now at the farm. My research on the River was fascinating I found that Saxons were also drowned nearby chasing the Brits across the river-but that is a bit more folklore territory! This is a long-winded attempt to explain today’s title in that my lead character experiences a moment of haze (not necessarily Purple!)

I am hoping to update the website after Easter-I’ve got some more photos to add and I want to update the information on there.

On the two lovely sunny days we had this week I did a couple of decent rides with  two big hills to climb. I was pleased that I did my best times on both hills so I am almost back to where I was around my Alps adventure last June. On Saturday I am hoping to ride with my Peter either around Richmond Park or into Surrey before going onto to watch Wimbledon play the mighty Hatters.

Just back from a night in Portsmouth. We visited the dockyard today which has always been a special place with my Dad’s naval background. I always remember visiting the Victory as a nine-year old (about 400 years ago). The new Mary Rose museum is superb. I remember watching it being raised live with my class all those years ago. It will be even better later in the year when they take down the walls protecting the ship. The whole museum is modern with really good displays alongside videos and interactive parts. Will certainly revisit and enjoyed the Warrior and the trip round the harbour all part of the ticket. Go and visit! (I’m not being paid by the Portsmouth tourist board!)

Another Story Telling in the wood smoke at Wick Court today. I have quite a few bookings for March so may need to pace myself!

I have had quite a social spell over the last few days seeing old friends. I have been clocking up the miles on the bike. I may have got up to 500 miles already for the year and been doing more climbs over the last fortnight. Today’s ride which was to a meeting promoting Hill, Valley and Vale Children’s Centre. On my way back I saw a Dipper, Grey Wagtail and a Water Vole so we almost get Bob Marley’s title covered. The Dipper is a favourite of mine because it was seeing a Dipper when I first came to Gloucestershire that sparked my interest in birds.

I was very disappointed watching the mighty Hatters on Tuesday night. We should have been out of sight by Half time without playing well and then managed to go 2-0 down. We pulled the goals back but the referee spoilt the game and we ended up with a frustrating draw. We picked up several injuries as well so maybe I will need to take my boots on Saturday.