MERRY CHRISTMAS  to all my readers!!!  There are surprising number of you out there so many thanks for reading my ramblings!

Some pictures from Tuesday’s Story Telling at Tuffley Library. Note I tried to look festive!

A cricket reference in today’s title! I have to pay tribute to England’s cricketers on their outstanding tour of Pakistan! No team has ever won 3-0 in Pakistan! Ben Stokes has been a revelation as captain showing both imagination, sensitivity and outstanding leadership.  The cricket has been breath-taking and can’t wait for the Ashes this summer!

Signed off with my last Story Telling of the year today with my old friends at Tuffley Library. Hope over the next couple of weeks I get do. They were a radical wn to some serious writing.

We are looking forward to providing childcare for our Grandson Owen tomorrow. 

Sad to hear Terry Hall of the Specials died today- they were certainly a radical

Over the last few days we have noticed our regular Winter visitors in the garden. We have both male and female Blackcap on our feeders. The picture below of the male I took this afternoon. I aim to get some better pictures over the next couple of weeks hopefully on the trees! Last week in the cold we had 21 species in the garden on our regular bird count. Today I even spotted a Redwing in the garden!

Final Story Telling gig tomorrow at Tuffley Library! Currently learning corny Christmas jokes!

I spent Saturday helping my at my youngest son’s house getting a Christmas Tree, put it up and put up their outdoor lights! (picture below). Pete has damaged his shoulder and Nicola is pregnant so they needed me! Good to be useful still! Clare wasn’t feeling too well so I was solo! I also spent the rest of the day playing with my grandson Owen.

I enjoyed the cricket this morning because My team’s game was off this morning (thank goodness!) I even watched the World Cup Final this afternoon which was surprisingly compelling!

My final gig of the year is for young people at Tuffley Library on Tuesday.

We are still in the grip of snow and ice in our part of the world. It was close to -10 last night. So I went bird watching today hoping I might see a Bittern. Not much to see- there is more in the garden. have already recorded 21 species for the week. So instead some pictures of icicles from my walk and the water fowl with a small bit of open water on the frozen lake.

Some pictures from last night’s entertainment at the Three Horseshoes, Frampton.

Dan Everett the other part of Two Severn Bores. Yours truly below the other half of Two Severn Bores wearing his new top hat!

Just back from telling my Harriet the Hippo story at North Nibley. Hope I may get a picture from it in the next few days. Do enjoy telling this story even if I forgot one or two of my alliterations within the story! I really must do something about getting this story published it has the potential to be a different sort of picture book!

If you want to join us tonight in the Three Horseshoes we start at 8. We have slots of performers young and o…..mature! I will certainly be wearing my new stylish top hat! Hopefully will have some pictures to share in the next couple of days!

Not a comment on the state of the country although it could of been or Shakespeare or my state of mind after a double footballing loss on Saturday. Thought I would use the Richard 111 quote for the wintry scenes of recent days. Pictures below is Frampton on Sunday Morning and the Fox mid morning today.

Finally I have a double Story Telling tomorrow. I am telling my Harriet the Hippo at a school tomorrow as a leaving present for the Head. I always enjoy telling this one and have a lot of fun with it.

In the evening my Book Club are doing our Christmas entertainment at the pub. (click on link below to see the poster)

Poetry Poster 2022 (1)

After an incredibly mild November we certainly know we are in December now! I pedalled out this morning to drop off a birthday and was clad in balaclava, winter gloves, tights and overshoes etc. Roads were ok until I went down a side road and hit some ice so I was cautious on the last part!

Festive treat for me later I am out with my friends from Wick Court where I volunteer for our Christmas meal – my second one this week!

Looking forward to a sporting day tomorrow watching the England cricket and football teams on TV. More importantly my football team resume their season after our World Cup break so I will be listening tomorrow afternoon! Think my nerves will be frayed by the end!