Just back from my Story Telling in Churchdown. I finished with my Christmas Angels Story which I am rather fond of. It does develop with every telling. I also told the story from our River Severn show that the Two Severn Bores did a couple of years ago.

Last night at the Three Horseshoes went really well with a delightful mix of poems, stories and music. My book club never cease to amaze me their many talents. We raised money for the community play Between Severn Tides that is being performed next April. My next gig is a Two Severn Bores gig for a gardening club down in the Thornbury area.

Not mentioning any cricket today!

We went on an interesting tour of the local incinerator today (still have concerns about the whole thing).

Why did I stay up last night for the cricket? My goodness I should of known to go to bed after the first ball! It is debatable if I put myself through that again tonight!

I mentioned briefly yesterday we went to watch Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band much of their music played with Christmas Themes. The Carnival Band are superb musicians with excellent voices playing a variety of interesting instruments. Maddy Prior is as always an excellent performer and she thoroughly enjoys performing. We came out feeling buoyed up by the whole evening just a pity about the cricket later!

Talking of performing I am Story Telling both tonight in the Three Horseshoes and tomorrow in Churchdown Community Centre.

Short blog written at 10 minutes to midnight waiting for the cricket to start. Good luck to England think it will be tough!

Just got back from Bristol where we have just seen Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band. Superb- will write about in more detail in my next blog.

Title refers to my technique on learning my stories for telling- I walk around retelling the stories that I am going to perform which can be embarrassing on occasions! Hoping to sell a few books at the up and coming gigs.

Sadly went to the funeral of one my cricketing chums. I had known Dave thirty odd years and had worked with his wife Sue before I knew him. A lovely talented artistic man.

Just come back from a rehearsal of my friend’s play Between Severn Tides ( it is in verse and heavily influenced by Under Milk Wood). We are performing next April. Picture below is the River Severn at Arlingham.

Talking of performances our Book Club are holding our annual Christmas entertainment in the Three Horseshoes Frampton on Wednesday night all welcome we start at 8. I will be telling at least one story! I am doing an evening for Churchdown Historical Society on Thursday night. (two more gigs next week).

Had a super day yesterday at my grandson’s Owen first birthday party (a family event) he is actually one on Monday. It was great to hear my football team won after a blip! Might come down to earth next week when we play Fulham. 

The title for today is the last song Ralph McTell played last night in St George’s Bristol. It is a song based on the iconic picture of Bob Dylan and his then girlfriend Suze Rotolo on the album Freewheelin’. It encapsulates the hope of the early 60s that was then shattered by the Kennedy assassination. (I tired to put the photo from the album on the blog but copyright won’t allow me!)

It was a wonderful concert and Ralph was on the top of his game . His voice is still excellent and his guitar playing masterful. Felt quite emotional listening to his wonderful songs live last night. The hairs on the back of my neck frequently stood up! He is one of the great post war song writers who like Ray Davies writes songs that comments often fondly about everyday suburban life. Ralph of course also has a great affinity to Ireland and writes and sings some moving songs about the people.

Not sure if it is a song title but it ought to be! Glorious cold frosty morning here in deepest Gloucestershire! Had a super ride and had plenty of good sightings of birds in the hedges.

Out tonight for a Ralph McTell concert at St George’s Bristol a lovely setting with excellent acoustics. Covid protocols look well thought out so feel it should be safe. I’ve decided I will take my face shield to my gigs this month but I am hoping my stage (sic) is far enough from my audience so I don’t have to wear it!

I always get a thrill seeing the fastest animal in the world and I had have a lovely view of one today out near the River Severn . He flew past and then landed on the ground and sat there for a good while! I have seen them chasing prey on a few occasions and brilliant to watch unless you are the intended victim!

I am learning stories every day at the moment for a busy December ( hoping things will still go ahead!) I am hoping to do the same stories for each of the four evening gigs I am doing

Elvis Costello provides today’s title and I thought went well the bitter spell of weather from the weekend. I certainly had to get my Winter gear out for riding-balaclava, overshoes and warmer gloves! Milder today when we went down to Exeter to see our delightful granddaughter Ellen.

Rest of the week I need to spend learning stories for my December Gigs.

Apologies for regular readers about the inactivity on the blog! We have  been on a Grandparent visit which was certainly an Up! We were delightfully entertained by young Owen- he will be a year old Monday week (we are up for his family party at the weekend). We have both enjoyed doing bed time story times with him – he sits on one of our laps while the other reads -his beautiful wide blue eyes and smile just makes you glow all over! On Tuesday we are visiting our granddaughter Ellen who is now two months old and looking forward to see her smile! She went swimmong for the first time with her Dad this weekend!

The downs of the weekend I shot off yesterday afternoon to watch my football team give an inept display in losing at home. Ironically three weeks ago the talk was perhaps the Hatters  getting close to the play offs now I am beginning to look nervously towards the wrong end of the table!

The other downs have been being plagued by a succession of punctures  on my Winter Road Bike  so I have just invested in more expensive tyres! watch this space to see if it was a good investment!