Not a Dylan title today but closely connected this one is a classic by The Band (just watching a programme about them!) There were of course a great band, I first came across them through listening to Dylan.

Busy day domestically a visit to the tip and sorting out the garage-well there was no cricket today. I also went to visit where our Two Severn Bores gig is on  Wednesday it is in a wonderful large garden. We are really looking forward to playing together again in front of a real audience- we have both done some things individually during Covid but little with real “live audiences”-online gigs are not the same!

Moved from a Dylan title today to reflect today’s bike ride. I went with my friend Martin for a long ride today (I did nearly 65 miles and almost 3,000 feet of climbing) to Ross on Wye. Caught a glimpse of a Goshawk in the Forest of Dean – I would say number one predator in this part of the world. Delighted to see a Red Kite swoop over us (don’t see that many this far west) and later a Kestrel.

I slumped in front of the TV when I got home and watched the cricket which was absorbing -real Test Match cricket.

Still using Dylan songs for my blog titles, I could go on for the rest of the year but I won’t!

Another rehearsal  planned for tonight with Dan . Hopefully we won’t be as rusty as we were last week! The bookings are steadily coming in! Life is gradually coming back but hopefully we will pause the 21st June if we have to, they have made  too many mistakes over the last fourteen months-we can’t have any more!

I went with the Gloucester Seniors first team yesterday as 12th man and there was a bit of a mix up and one umpire didn’t appear so guess who had to fill in? Talking about cricket I am off to Edgbaston next week for the Test Match -I have to do a lateral flow test the day before! Think it will be quite emotional going as a spectator again- my last live sporting  event was March 7th last year (Wigan-Luton).

Apologies for no posts over the weekend we were away visiting my delightful grandson Owen. We even managed to baby sit so his parent’s could go out  together for the first time in fifteen months! Hope you all enjoyed the wonderful Bank Holiday weather?

Not sure if I mentioned the Two Severn Bores rehearsed last week and we were very rusty! Another one planned this week before we perform next week! Talking of Severn Bores I mentioned the Bore came up when I was on the bird survey on Thursday. Some pictures below-this was only a one star!  Record Bore is 9.25 feet!

We had a lovely early morning walk around the local lakes caught a glimpse of a Treecreeper and about six Terns.

I will attempt to carry on with Peru musings later this week with part one of the Inca Trail.

Decided not to have a Dylan title today thought we would pay homage to Eric Carle who died today. He wrote that wonderful classic The Very Hungary Caterpillar one of best children’s books every written! I always made sure we had it in all of the schools I worked.

Today has been an action packed day. It was up at the crack of dawn to do the monthly bird survey. A stunning morning! I was observing in a different area  today so I missed the Bittern that turned up in my normal area. Saw the Bore and several surfers. I took some pictures so may post them when I get the opportunity.

I then rushed off to captain a mixed Gloucestershire Senior’s Cricket Team against Wales at Usk. A delightful scenic ground.

Looking forward to Grandparent duties this weekend.

Thought we would have Dylan titles all this week! Think the hardest thing will be which ones I decide to choose there are so many! We may go right up to date tomorrow!

Still waiting for the book proofs! Time is running out -I assume once I have approved them it shouldn’t take that long!

Had a delightful ride into Gloucester today with Clare- we are looking forward to when their extend the towpath on the Gloucester to Sharpness Canal to nearby Saul so there is hardly any road to cycle on. Planning some hills for tomorrow’s ride with a pal!

Thought we had better have a Dylan title for today on his 80th birthday. Lovely play on Radio 4 called Dinner with Dylan this weekend. Those of you who know their cricket will know Bob Willis gave himself the middle name Dylan – I was reading this weekend that Bob Dylan had made a contribution to the Bob Willis Foundation which did make me smile -I can’t believe that Dylan knows anything about cricket but with him you never know! I am currently listening to the enigmatic Like a Rolling Stone! He was certainly the soundtrack of my youth and beyond!

Sadly my expected two games of cricket this week has already been cut to one with tomorrow’s game already called off. My feet are growing webbing between the toes! The only good thing about the rain it has meant I have managed to get some writing done. Still playing with a sequel to one of my stories- it does mean I have to go back to the original to check the new story complements the original.

I mentioned Dan and I are aiming to rehearse for our Gig in a fortnight-this means I have to relearn my stories ahead of that rehearsal. Pictures below are the Two Severn Bores in action before Covid! One in Quedgeley Library doing our River Severn show and the other is Kingshill House doing Walking the Tightrope last year , I hope you are impressed by my hair style! We need to get more pictures taken when we perform! (I have posted these pictures before!)

I have been considering that  maybe our next collaboration is Gloucestershire Folk Tales or possibly expand to West Country Tales. It puts pressure on Dan to come up with the songs and music-I know plenty of stories!

As I write this it is raining Cats and Dogs or more like Hippos and Rhinos. I read that we are on course for the wettest May on record! We had the frostiest April on record!

We knew the weather was going to be awful later in the day so got my ride in first thing and we managed some gardening in as well. Hoping the weather forecast is right for the middle of the week because I have two games of cricket! Hope the body can take it!

I am still waiting for the final proofs on the book-hoping they will arrive soon! I also have a rehearsal with the Two Severn Bores which I’m looking forward to.  I think I have mentioned one or two bookings have come in for later in the summer.

Apologies for no blog yesterday we were visiting our Exeter family in the high winds and rain. Still lovely to actually hug son and daughter in law!

I did say I would mention Wednesday’s Book Club in person and not on Zoom. We were lucky it was the one evening in the week when it didn’t rain. It was brilliant to be together again and we had lively debate on Wendall Berry’s World Ending Fire. Certainly the book was a provocative  read. The debate is so much more fun and you have to be quicker in thought so I think more intellectually challenging than when you wait for your slot on Zoom.

A busy week ahead which shows life is changing for the better.

Have always been fascinated by the Incas ever since I was in Royal Hunt of the Sun when I was at school. I was an ordinary Inca who danced in a group and was then butchered in slow motion by Pizarro’s Spanish Soldiers. My acting career never progressed beyond being pantomime dames and the back end of a horse! if I find the picture of a young Bill semi naked as an Inca I will try and put it on the blog at some point! It will come x rated!

Going back to the Royal Hunt of the Sun it certainly made an impact on developing my political outlook in my formative years. So I was really excited when we were able to visit many Inca sites when we were in Peru. The Incas believed that many stones were people (not all stones) these were both stones used in buildings and mountains. They managed to blend the built and the natural environment so it looked aesthetically pleasing on the eye. They fitted their stones together without using mortar. You can see jigsaw style of fitting the stones together in our pictures below. Their building did come at great human cost.

The pictures are all from the site of Sasquayaman and Pisac. Will write about the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu next week (with pictures)

We had a special in the flesh Book Club last night in a garden that was a thousand times better than Zoom! You don’t realise how much we have all missed over the last fourteen months till you sample it again! Will talk about the book next week.