Well a busy time on the bird feeders this morning. I think I counted 14 species in a five minute spell. Our male Blackcap has been back for a month or so and an unexpected visitor was a young Moorhen. Talking of birds I have seen the Barn Owl  a few times from Splatt Bridge and I did hear a Little Owl from the garden a few days ago.

Just had an email from old friend Chris who publishes a newsletter from my old college and was surprised to see a plug for Pig The Legend ( reminder you should be able to order through your local bookshop or through the publisher Troubador, or direct from me – all proceeds  go to The Alzheimer’s Society).

On a positive note the days are getting longer! It was a beautiful cold morning with a pink coloured sky.

I am thoroughly enjoying reading Storyland – A New Mythology of Britain  by Amy Jeffs. I mentioned seeing Amy at the Cheltenham Literature Festival and Clare brought me the book for my birthday. It is a journey through mythological stories of Britain. It certainly has given me some ideas for future Story Telling. I particularly liked her take on a couple of the better known stories.

You may of noticed I have avoided mentioning cricket because it is so depressing. No doubt I will still stay up on Christmas night (Boxing Day morning in Australia) like all sport it is the hope that gets you!

I ventured out today on my bike with two pals (we call ourselves The Old Groynes). There was moisture in the air that I wasn’t sure how to classify it – was it Mizzle or was it Drizzle? I like both words! A good social ride with cake and coffee. Last year I managed nearly five and half  thousand miles cycling (thanks to lockdown) – I will miss it this year!

My voice needs a rest after almost three hours of speaking as Santa with lots of Ho Hos. You don’t realise how much you have projected your voice till the following day and you sound hoarse!

                                                              Guess Who? 

I spent late afternoon on a float/sledge pulled by a tractor. I was doing this for the Dursley Round Table I have now done this a few times although not last year for obvious reasons. Money raised goes to local charities. I am always amazed by delightful reaction of all the people who come out to see Santa with his lights and accompanying sound system,

Well after a busy spell of Story Telling it has been a day of chilling and recovering. I managed  dropped off the donations including some decent book sale money from the various gigs to Wick Court. 

The stories I have been telling this week have been ones I have written (albeit one of them from adapted from a story that was located in the other side of the country.) I feel I now need to develop another couple of stories for telling so I am hoping to write through these dark winter months.

Rather bizarre that I was able to wear shorts on my bike this morning in mid December. Real contrast with last week when it was tights, balaclava and Winter gloves!

Gig is on tonight albeit with reduced numbers. Not sure when the next one will be with current rate of infections. The Two Severn Bores are still hoping to do a Spring Tour and we are both writing parts at the moment. Not really looking forward to going back to doing things on zoom as a Story Teller I do like to interact with my audience!

The cricket is disappointing again! Just hope we can be competitive. Talking of cricket I am playing indoor cricket tomorrow which is a young person’s game – we must be short!

Short blog tonight. The Two Severn Bores performed last night in Thornbury for Eastwood Gardeners and we were pleasantly surprised at how many people were in the audience in these Covid times. We were given a very generous cheque for Farms For City Children. I am hoping tomorrow’s gig in Dursley goes ahead. Gigs are good for selling both books  and then I can sort out how much money goes to Alzheimer’s Society for Pig  the Legend book sales and how much to the farm for Don’t Look At Me Like That sales.

Anyone who wants a book let me know it is not too late for a Christmas present!

Nothing on Story Telling today but I will share a family discovery with you. I have been going through a box of photos and documents that came from my some of my sister’s things. I found my Grandfather’s identity tag (dog tag) from the First World War and a piece he had written about the Christmas Truce (see below). I have had his diary from 1914 which he stopped writing in early December so I was never sure if he took part in the Truce. He had gone to France with 17th Infantry Brigade which became part  of the Old Contemptibles. I have had a couple of his artifacts for some time his Princess Mary tobacco tin and a personal box with his name inscribed. Anyway I feel very proud he took part in the Christmas Truce here are his words written in 1975.

“By Xmas 1914 the brigade consisted of 1st North Staffs, 3rd Rifle Brigade, 2nd Leinster Regt, 1st Royal Fusiliers were entrenched on the outskirts of Chapelle Armentieres and on the German side was the German Saxon Corps. On Xmas morning some Germans approached our lines under a white flag and there was no doubt a truce was agreed with our people, when it was realised both German and British troops were out of the trenches and mixing freely in No Man’s Land.”

He goes on to say he has a picture but I haven’t found it yet. So a picture of him instead!

Classic Neil Young for today’s title as it sums up my busy weekend.

Yesterday I watched an absorbing game of football where the Mighty Hatters more than held their own against top of the table Fulham. certainly cheered me up after the gloom from the cricket!

Today we went for a drizzly windswept ride around the Longney Loop-good to get out! Later had a good go at picking up leaves. I love trees and they are great for our world but my goodness picking up the leaves is hard work and never ending!

Good news our male Blackcap is back in the garden. I went looking for Starling Murmurations towards dusk. Only saw a few groups of a couple of hundred but did see a  Barn Owl the pictures below are a bit fuzzy ( light was fading) but better than nothing!

Fairly exhausted with two successive Story Telling nights combined with some cricket watching. More gigs next week to look forward to. It has been a great to be performing to live audiences again but not sure how long for, certainly don’t want to be doing zoom tellings again! I feel my tellings develop the more I face an audience.

The title today is a reference to the cricket. A better performance by England last night but I think it is unlikely enough to stop an Australian win but fingers crossed!

I went on a decent ride today (to buy cheese in Stroud via Frocester Hill, Nailworth and Avening!) Encouraging  that it was dry today.