There is no truth in the rumour I have avoided writing the blog following my football team’s humiliating exit from the FA Cup. It was painful!

No I have been incredibly busy. Wednesday was my volunteering day at Wick Court taking young people from the Charles Dickens Primary School bird watching. It was followed by a Book Club meeting discussing “Beyond Black” by Hilary Mantel. As always an excellent wide ranging discussion.

Yesterday was split by attending and speaking at a funeral and followed my full on grandparenting duties.

Today I am Story Telling at Wick Court in the morning followed by another gig at a local primary school this afternoon. I am cycling to both!

Thinking of brighter days I went to my first cricket net of the winter! I actually hit the middle of the bat when batting! Can it last?

Now about to listen to my football team playing in the FA Cup. COYH!!!!!

The title refers to my cycle ride today. I was having a delightful 30 mile ride enjoying carpets of snowdrops and crocus by the roadside when it happened! An idiot in a transit van pulled out in front of me I shouted at him! Whereupon he tried to rune me off the road. Have to say my blood pressure rose at this moment. Generally I find motorists courteous and thoughtful but he certainly wasn’t one of them! Hope my next ride is a better experience!

Thought I would start today with some praise for Public Footpaths. Just got back from doing one of our Winter Bird Survey Map Squares so it involved using footpaths. It is great that there are paths all over the countryside in so many contrasting places. Really important we continue to use them!

It was a lovely morning up by the River Severn not far from Tewkesbury (where our square was- we always get a square to survey we would never normally have chosen to go bird watching!). Plenty of Fieldfares and Redwings! (Pictures of both below!)

Just back from my rehearsal for the Community Play I am in. I play the part of Charles Dickens! I have decided he would of had a London accent!

Have to mention yesterday’s football. My team played some superb one touch football in the first half. Great to see another win! Apparently we have the the best value in Europe for the last year of points (earned) per pound (spent)!!! I am very proud of my club doing it the right way! COYH!!!!!

That sounds a rather enigmatic title! I am referring  to the that small signal that Spring is around the corner the Snowdrop. I have seen plenty of clumps this week in different places and they do make you smile. Today on my ride I was disappointed to see a mass of litter sprawled under a hedge and then as turned the corner there was a mini-carpet of Snowdrops to cheer me up. (the picture below is not mine!)

Had a lovely time with St. Philomena’s School this week at Wick Court. A great day bird watching with them and a delightful Story Telling with them last night. I wish I could have an audience like that all the time!

I met up with Dan (the musical half of Two Severn Bores) to plan our next show. Some great ideas emerged and we now need to start developing them fully.

Have to mention the Mighty Hatters moving up to 4th in the Championship- fingers crossed for tomorrow!

Had my first gig of the week today at Wychbold First School. Was pleased to have a smooth run up the motorway was clogged in the opposite direction. It was lovely day and I pulled out some old favourites. I was asked some really good questions on Story telling. Will be Story Telling again on Thursday night.

About to sit down to watch ) on the internet) the Mighty Hatters play – couldn’t make the game because of today’s gig. Fingers crossed- we only seem to beat the top teams at home and tonight Cardiff are down in the relegation zone.

I always struggle trying to take pictures of Goldcrests, we saw this bird at Wildwood near Exeter on Sunday. My son David snapped this bird (ironically I forgot my camera!). We spent the weekend in Exeter we were needed to look after my delightful granddaughter Ellen. The picture of the Otter below is an Asian Otter we watched feeding (snapped on my phone!)

Busy week on the Story Telling front. I am off to Wychbold to spend the day at the school. I am also Story Telling at Wick Court later this week.

The Two Severn Bores are also meeting this week to plan their next show.

Good to go for a ride today and not worry about ice! Having said that it is cold-  I am still wearing my balaclava, overshoes and glove inners!

Quite a bit happening on the story telling front and I will elaborate in blogs over the next week or so. I have been busy learning stories today for Tuesday’s gig.

I did my bird watching with young people at Wick Court on Wednesday. Despite the fog we saw 26 species including some Pintail flying over the River and a single Mistle Thrush only recorded three other sightings over ten years with the children!

Had a delightful day looking after my grandson Owen yesterday and in the evening my quiz team scored a resounding victory with a really impressive total.

No I am not talking about Star Trek! An old school chum came to visit me – someone I hadn’t seen for about 50 years! We had a delightful birding walk around Frampton– it is a lovely village I live in! I do enjoy walks on frosty mornings and we have had a few lately! I did see my first Yellowhammer for a while and a striking Red Crested Pochard.

It is a busy period for me now nailing down stories for a couple of schools coming up. I also need to work on writing for the Two Severn Bores because we hope to get a show on the road for the Spring.

Looking forward to being back at Wick Court tomorrow – we had no children last week!

Some pictures below of the beautiful frost this morning. It is actually above freezing for the first time in ages as i write this. I do love mornings like this it makes January bearable!

I did make the pilgrimage North yesterday to watch the Mighty Hatters win for the second time in a week at Wigan! I actually had a beer with Chief Executive and Chairman before the game in a wonderful pub.

Off to a rehearsal later. Will need to start learning lines!