I am of course referring to tonight’s football more later but as this is supposed to be a Story Telling Blog I will talk stories to start with.

I am entering a busy period over the next few weeks with some interesting gigs ahead of me so i am currently learning a couple of new stories. I sometimes get asked to do stories on themes – in  fortnight I am at Kingshill House with the theme body/movement – I think I have it covered! I am in three schools over the next few weeks to do a post SATs workshop on stories and where ideas come from. I will use my last book as the basis for this work and hopefully it will be fun. Other exciting projects are in the pipeline.

The nerves are jangling already as the Mighty Hatters play the second part of the Play Off Semi-Final tonight. I did enjoy Friday’s game and hope we have enough fit players to compete! The injuries have caught up with us. I am watching it home because of my cricket tomorrow-fingers crossed!!!!!! I was just arranging to go on a long bike ride on Saturday but have been asked to play club cricket instead where I am likely to be the oldest player on the pitch!

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I nearly titled the blog where have you been? We had three days in the Warwickshire countryside as a short break. Had a lovely time visiting the gallery at Compton Verney, National Trust properties of Baddersley Clinton and Packwood House (picture of the Wisteria on the house below.). We finished up at the idiosyncratic Sezincote (A picture of the House below) near Moreton in the Marsh . The gardens were all different and with the good weather we made the most of them. Clare and I then separated she caught a train home while I hurtled across the country for a date at the Theatre of Dreams better known as Kenilworth Road for the Championship Football Play Off Semi-Final.

The match was tense and a draw was a fair result and the second leg is on Monday night-sadly I won’t be going because I have a game of cricket on Tuesday with an early start. During the match and subsequently afterwards I got many messages saying a sad old man had popped up on the TV broadcast of the match. so I was besieged with pictures of him! His picture is below!

A narrow loss yesterday in our inaugural Gloucestershire Third Over 60s team league match yesterday. I blame the captain! Really enjoyed playing despite result

Hoping my favourite football team don’t come second in the up and coming Play Offs. Fingers crossed The Mighty Hatters manage to break our playoff hoodoo we have lost all five so far!

We are currently away so blogs may be intermittent for a day or two!

The title sums up a good part of the day. Had a great ride with my friend Brian. The Wild Garlic was certainly well and truly out as was the Oil Seed Rape. Strange mix of aromas filled the air. The hedgerows look great and plenty of small birds popping in and out of them. There were many Buzzards soaring throughout the Vale. We thoroughly deserved our cake at our coffee stop-I should of taken a picture of my chocolate fudge cake -delicious and indulgent!

Looking forward to my first cricket league game tomorrow for the Gloucestershire Over 60s.

The play Between Severn Tides we performed a couple of weeks is now going on tour well across the River Severn at Newnham -on-Severn. We had a preliminary rehearsal today. It will be different this time not every can perform this time so some of us are playing more than one character and it will be more like a radio play in Under Milk Wood style.

Still buzzing from yesterday’s football. Just ordered my ticket for Friday night. COYH!!!!!!

Phew!!!! Of course I am referring to today’s football result in deepest Bedfordshire where the Mighty Hatters secured their place in the Play Offs. It has been a wonderful season whatever happens now. Of course the money is silly in the Premier League but if we were to get there it would build our new stadium. Atmosphere was fantastic today and the old girl (our current stadium was rocking!) Still now I will just dream! Picture from today!

I went back to an old friend for Story Telling today. I told the Japanese Folk Tale Shippeitaro it is only the second time I have told it since the pandemic hit. A story that grips the audience with the hint of the supernatural.

I am busy at the moment researching British Folk Tales particularly linked to the West Country for new stories to tell. That is for both older and younger audiences!

Saw my first Hobby of the year today high above the Sailing Lake -a great bird to watch. Did well for migrants Little Gull, Common Tern, Whitethroat and a few Swallows. Just need to hear a Cuckoo now! When I was cycling to Wick Court I stopped to watch the Swallows by the canal swing bridge (actually didn’t have a choice). They were checking out underneath the bridge for their nests they do this every year never worrying about the bridge opening and closing!

Pictures below are of a Hobby and a Swallow- they are not my pictures!

Took lovely young people from Streatham bird watching at Wick Court today. Watched the tide come up which is always magical. I did take a video but struggling to put it onto this blog. I am Story Telling for the school tomorrow.

Despite the awful football result yesterday had a lovely day with my family. We had a super walk with my grandson Owen and family. We thoroughly enjoyed the Bluebells ( I always do) they make woodland so special at this time of the year. It was extra special seeing Owen walking and of course playing with a stick! I deliberately don’t put pictures of my grandchildren on my blog but I had to put the one in below!

Had a long bike ride this morning after visiting a friend who has been poorly and saw plenty of wild garlic and of course that distinctive smell hung in the air.

Fingers crossed now for Saturday- I don’t want to see it become an anti-climax!

The less said about today’s football the better! Sadly the injuries have caught up with us and the team look very leggy!

Despite the football had a lovely weekend with my family in Maidenhead and enjoying playing with my delightful grandson Owen.

Proper blog tomorrow with some pictures!