What a day it is more than Cats and Dogs today! More like Horses and Cows or even Elephants or Hippos! Just had a wonderful ploughmans at the Three Horseshoes here in Frampton. Sorted out arrangements for “Poetry in the Shoes on the 19th December when my brother Mike is coming up to perform. Not sure if I will tell a story or not on the night.

Yesterday we had wonderful news about the bid Hill, Valley and Vale Children’s Centre put into to run Children’s Centres in Stroud. We have been selected as the preferred bidder by the County Council. It has been a superb effort all round. We now wait for the cabinet to approve and hopefully I will be signing papers in the middle of December. Now the work in earnest begins!

Still writing regularly, I’ve got two projects on the go at the moment.

Since my last post I did another bird watch at Wick Court with children from the Southwark, once more full of enthusiasm. Book club was a good discussion on Carmen Bugan’s “Burying the Typewriter” a book about childhood in Romania. She grew up with her father arrested by the communist regime, very moving and thought-provoking especially her anger at her father’s political activity putting the family at risk. George’s Romanian background really enhanced the discussion.

Saturday night we went to see Bellowhead who are a really dynamic talented band. Edwina joined us and we met my brother Mike and my niece Carla. Fantastic gig, really good support band and the Colston Hall was rocking!

Today I went for a 30 mile ride with Peter Spargo, it was a super ride and wonderful weather. We rode out to Painswick via Harescombe. Views were stunning.

Title of one of my favourite songs, that voice, melts me every time! Done much since my last post. Went and watched Luton forget to perform on Saturday-what a disappointment! Sunday was spent mainly on doing things for the cricket club, working on the pitch and attending the quiz in the evening. My team won!

Monday saw me doing a voluntary birdwatching session at Wick Court with children from the Charles Dickens school in Southwark. They were pleased to hear I had cycled by their school! Lovely group who were enthusiastic about what they saw. In the evening we went with our friend Bernie to see Domby and Son performed by the Red Dog Theatre Company. It was stunning and imaginative use of set and costume-plenty of ideas for my Story Telling as well.

Today we met up with one Clare’s ex colleagues in Bristol for a tour of Medieval  Bristol. Really enjoyed it and finished up in the second-hand bookshop and got a book on Napoleon  on St Helena, last time we went there I found the Observer Book of Bird Eggs! Tonight off to watch Chris Raffle (my wonderful secretary at Dursley) acting at the church. More Birdwatching with children tomorrow and Book Club in the evening, “Who knows where the time goes?”

Spent Thursday in Bristol at a conference for Trustees of charities. A useful day for my role as Chair of the Hill, Valley and Vale Children’s Centre. We are still waiting to know if our bid to run 7 centres in the Stroud area was successful.

I am writing regularly on two different projects, will keep you updated.

Well me actually! Tonight we had a celebration meal at Wick Court for our epic cycle ride. Wonderful food, good company and a delightful evening. Clare presented certificates to all involved based on mr men characters-for some reason I was Mr Cheerful! I had my own special vegetarian pie cooked!

David and I went for ride earlier up to Haresfield Beacon-my goodness that is a steep climb. I had to go back down to get moving!

Had an enjoyable day on Saturday. Watched FGR in the cup and then Clare and I went to watch James Bond “Skyfall”. Enjoyable romp and a decent story until the predictable shoot out at the end. Good pantomime “Baddie”!

I enjoyed cooking a super fish recipe yesterday from the Hugh Fearnley-Whittingsall/Nick Fisher book that David and Vicky gave me for my birthday.Sadly our monthly old man bike ride was cancelled because of the rain. So I pedaled into Stroud this morning and Dave and I are hoping to do a ride on Wednesday. We are off to Hereford tomorrow to watch the Hatters possibly go top (fingers crossed).

Did start writing another book as well will update my progress as it develops but don’t want to give too much away.

I’ve been watching starlings on several nights this week. A few thousand each night. I also saw a Short Eared Owl one night, a lovely bird to watch.

Finished doing my information sheets on the birds of Wick Court. Delivered them today for the children to work with.

Met some old Head Teacher friends tonight and they are all going to give my story to children to read so I get feedback.

Saw Martyn Joseph sing at the Albert in Stroud this week, a great gig, he is a passionate singer with a political edge who has also written some beautiful sensitive songs.

A year older today (21 again and again , again etc etc etc etc). David and Vicky were with us this weekend and we have just come back from a marvellous lunch at the Old Spot. I’ve been given an automatic wildlife camera that you leave out to photograph whatever turns up-it should be fun!

Yesterday was a tense top of the table game at Forest Green. Thankfully we just managed to nick a win with a penalty at the death. Disappointed by the security operation and how much that has cost us as taxpayers! Hopefully this is the start of Luton’s return to where we belong!

On Friday I took Alfie a friend of mine’s grandson for a delightful birdwatch around Frampton. lovely to see such enthusiasm! Later I went to watch the Starlings and saw about 5000 coming in to roost. got very exciting when a Merlin shot into the flock, also saw a Sparrowhawk watching all this. A Kestrel took a Starling from the reed beds.

A strange feeling I have now not quite being sure when half-term is after it dominated my plans for so long! Despite the persistent drizzle I have had an enjoyable week. I am about to go up to the canal hopefully to photograph a “murmuration” of starlings, this is when they make their wonderful patterns in the sky. Saw it last night just as we were going out, it is a real wildlife spectacular. I am hoping we get this show regularly over the next few days.

We went to see Show of Hands last night at the Roses Theatre Tewkesbury. Fantastic performance, they always set high standards and one more raised the bar!  We went with Bernie (my gig mate) and had a curry before the gig. Steve Knightly (part of the band) was having his curry before the performance, I did ask him would it help his singing!

On Tuesday we saw David being  awarded a letter of commendation at Somerset Cricket Ground from the Chief Fire Officer of the Devon and Somerset Brigade for his work. We were proud parents beaming at the back!

Finally I have just been interviewed by Richard Joyce for Stroud FM, because I am a Luton season ticket holder who lives close to Forest Green about the game coming up on Saturday.

I used to love doing assemblies on Trafalgar Day and engage children with the story of one of national heroes. Nelson is an interesting character, not sure how he would cope with the tabloid press if living today!

Clare has given me good feedback on my story so I am going back to read it through.We had a good laugh about giving it a title (Misty the Magician) was always a temporary title while writing it. Some of our suggestions today would need the censor’s scissors! I am also having a few new ideas to develop which I may share sometime in the future.

I cycled up to Forest Green yesterday to watch their cup game against Dartford and met fellow Hatter Mick at the game . Apparently I am being interviewed by local radio (One of my ex young cricketers) about the match with Luton next week