You might think that today’s title might be related to an upcoming story telling gig! However, it was a rehearsal for picking up our grandson Owen from school – we are down to do it on Wednesday!

Talking of rehearsals the Two Severn Bores had an encouraging one last week for our new show. We have our first gig next Wednesday in Bristol. Details in a future blog.

We had a lovely weekend in Lincoln. We were on a wonderful campsite with woods and lakes all around. We went on some lovely walks. We were surprisingly lucky with the weather – it hadn’t been an encouraging forecast. We also saw two lots of old friends over the weekend. I made the mistake of cycling to the football it is the third time I have cycled to watch the Mighty Hatters and they have lost all three – I should know better!!! Sadly they were very poor- a lack of fight and technique.

A busy time here. We have thoroughly enjoyed the Gloucester History Festival. Sam Dalrymple’s talk was outstanding on the History of the Indian Subcontinent on Tuesday.

I was back at Wick Court yesterday, not great for birds but the young people were curious and asked some really challenging questions.

I visited WWT Slimbridge today – got a soaking and it was windy as well. A couple of pictures I took below – a knot and a snipe.

We are off to Lincoln tomorrow (guess who are playing there on Saturday?) We are also seeing some old friends.

Short blog today. We always enjoy the Gloucester History Festival and on Sunday night we went to an entertaining talk on the History of Magic with super tricks thrown in.

Tonight we are off again to listen to Sebastian Faulks on his historical fiction and later Sam Dalrymple on History of India. Really looking forward to it. It is great to get so many talented people coming to Gloucester. We have one more talk on Thursday. There were a couple we would of liked to go to but we are off at the weekend.

Many of you will know I wrote a book called Pig The Legend. It was story inspired by the Siege Of Gloucester during the English Civil War. Today as part of the Heritage Open Days we went on a guided walk around Siege of Gloucester sites. It was an excellent walk and I was pleased I didn’t make an glaring errors with my book. Might of helped with some extra background to the book. A picture of the book cover below. (you can still get copies from me- sadly my first book Don’t Look At Me Like That has now sold out.)

We had a real soaking on Friday cycling into Stroud! It is certainly different to the cycling in the heat over the summer.

To say I was disappointed with yesterday’s football would be an understatement. The defending by The Mighty Hatters was pathetic.

A busy couple of days for me. On Tuesday I went with a Gloucestershire Seniors Cricket Team to Surrey for the vase Final as 12th man against Essex . Sadly they didn’t really perform with the bat and lost.

Yesterday it was back to Wick Court for my volunteering slot taking young people from schools in Yorkshire and Lancashire  birdwatching. There was a lack of birds but some great questions from some really curious and thoughtful young people!

We had a great discussion and plenty of laughs at our monthly Book Club meeting last night. We were discussing a short story by one of our own Brian.

We popped down to the Slimbridge WWT this afternoon mainly to buy birthday presents for my granddaughter Ellen’s 4th birthday. We wanted to get her some binoculars (not toy ones).We got her some! Clare wanted to look at a textiles exhibition so I slipped down to a hide for some bird watching! A few pictures I took below!

I had a lovely walk after story telling on Friday night. Only saw one other person but saw plenty of birds. About 20 long -tailed tits in a mixed flock of blue tits and amazingly at least 6 chiffchaffs. There were swallows darting over the lake and I saw a common sandpiper flying low over the water. Also heard a kingfisher but didn’t see it and a very noisy cetti’s warbler. Really good for the soul! Some pictures below but not mine!

   Chiffchaff

  Long-tailed tit

Common sandpiper

Just sitting watching the Tour of Britain on TV and the riders are about to go up the Tumble Climb. It is a climb I have done three times (later it is Caerphilly Mountain another climb I have done) picture below is me in this area a few years ago. Later this month I am riding to Stratford with some Book Club pals (more in future blogs)

Had a lovely day yesterday at Paternoster School in Cirencester story telling it is a special school and we had a lot of fun.

Very emotional Gramps here- just seen pictures of my eldest grandchild Owen going to school. Tears running down my cheeks as I see him in his uniform gripping his book bag.

Talking about school I have my first gig of the autumn in a special school in Cirencester on Friday.

I have been busy on writing for The Two Severn Bores. Our new show is based on Arthurian Legend with the ancient wizard Merlin. I have tried something different this time with the links between stories and music so watch this space.

Just had a wonderful weekend down in Exeter. On Saturday we had the pleasure of being with all three grandchildren. We visited Bicton and dodged the showers! I do love watch all three of them grow and develop- they are different. A picture of them on the little train round the grounds below. We spent Sunday looking after our granddaughter Ellen while her parents took in two games of the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

For the first time in ages I wasn’t watching the Hatters or listening to them and they won 3-0 is there a message there? I have still booked a ticket for Lincoln (one of the few grounds I haven’t seen them play on!