Well it is now four days since Christmas Day so it is the past! Just beginning to think again as the festive season draws to a close. Will hopefully start writing again this week. I want to continue my dreams story (properly another 3 or 4 weeks work if I get a good run) and also think about developing a script for a First World War performance for schools for September.

Need to start preparing for my January Gigs as well-I know I have to learn at least 2 new stories.

I love Christmas football; missed Boxing Day this year but went yesterday. Great crowd and what a performance 6-0. Some of the passing was sublime! Fingers will remain firmly crossed till the end of the season! Won’t mention cricket surprised I wasn’t called up! I would have willingly gone Down Under for my country!

Well let the wind blow and the rain pour more like! There is plenty of surface water in this part of deepest Glos!

Added a bit to my Dreams story this week and have a few potential twists to add over the next few weeks. Very excited by how it is developing.

Just to wish any of my readers (there are a few of you out there surprisingly who read my incoherent ramblings) a Merry and Peaceful Christmas.

The Horseshoes night went well despite the awful weather. Great atmosphere and Mike was on top form with a varied dish of poems! I did my adult story An Odd Tale I first told a couple of years ago so this was a second performance.

Finally finished my Ho-Ho routine with my third Father Christmas outing. This one was two parties!

Social seasonal whirl now but I even managed a game of football Friday night-not bad for old one! Yesterday watched Luton play some cracking football in a 4-2 win.

A reminder that we have an action packed evening on Wednesday in the Three Horseshoes, Frampton-on-Severn. poems, music and a story. At least 4 different performers! Should be fun everyone welcome (and it is free!)

First Santa Gig out-of-the-way. Another tomorrow and final one Thursday.

Enjoyed watching Pete’s band in a great pub near Chalk Farm. Very tired today after our social whirl of a weekend-not as young as I used to be! Wednesday night I will be doing a story in the pub. A dark adult tale I think! Mike my brother is performing his poems and we have live music as well. So Three Horseshoes Frampton from 8 onwards. Enjoy a drink and a laugh!

Got soaked on a ride yesterday with the Young meercats! Very muddy on the canal and strong wind against on the way back!

Sitting here waiting for the cricket to start in Perth. Tea interval. Why? Hopefully this time we might compete! It is 43 degrees out there! I did pack my kit in case I got the call but obviously not needed. Game evenly poised as I write but we need to take some more wickets.

Later today I have my first Father Christmas gig (I’m doing 3 altogether). Have to take my own wellies!

This week has seen me do quite a bit on my dream story, pleased with the way new twists keep coming in. Strange because I know where the story is supposed to go but the main emphasis has changed in the last week or so. I have had a Trustee meeting and was pleased with the way my colleagues question and come up with new ideas.

Last school of the term at Wick Court this week. They had come from Grimsby and had some younger children. they were pleased with the views of the Little Owl. Tomorrow night we have a Thank You do with music to look forward to.

Tonight we are zooming up to London to watch our Peter’s band play probably their last gig (lead guitarist is going travelling!)

No more wickets!

Very touching to see all the stories about Nelson Mandela over the last couple of days. Always a hero for me and a wonderful example for all of us; quite ironic how the political elite have changed their tune in recent years. I remember the demos in the late 70’s and early 80s when we certainly were in the minority. Our current prime minister went on an all expenses paid by the Apartheid regime in 1989! Of course our former female prime minister gave much support to the Apartheid government. Lovely stories about him with a sporting connection today.

What a storming win yesterday by the rip-roaring Hatters 5-0 away. I won’t mention the cricket, I’ll pack my kit in case I get a call up! Had a good ride with the boys today probably getting close to 30 miles all told.

Playing Father Christmas three times in the next 10 days, am I being type cast!

Short blog today! We watched Show of Hands on Tuesday night. As always the music was superb despite Steve’s cold. I was pleased they played the Blue Cockade; I haven’t heard them do that for a while. It was strange to see the support act! It was each of them doing 3 songs as a solo artist before the break.

Had a good ride to Wotton via Frocester Hill during the day on Tuesday to see a mate for a beer. Struggling with my Garmin at the moment will try and go on line to fix it because I want to download my ride!

Much to write about both professionally and socially. I’ll start with the Story Telling today. I went to Stroud College and worked for an hour with students (16 to 18 year olds) on story telling techniques and how they might help them with getting a job. Also told a new story I learnt from Scotland that went down well. Afterwards as I was drinking coffee with Maria their tutor I met several of my old pupils from school who asked if I would come in and work with them. I was very touched by their enthusiasm. As if to emphasis my potential versatility I had an enquiry today from an Infant school (they want stories from  India and Pakistan). Clare then came in and asked if I would be prepared to do some stories  with SP3  (females who had worked in education in the Stroud area). So a wide range of stories likely to come up in future weeks! I am still writing regularly (although not this weekend) on my dream story.

Will be telling a story in the 3 Horseshoes Frampton on the night of Weds 18th December (from 8 p.m.) where brother Mike is our special guest performing his poems. If you want a good entertaining evening come along  it is free!

Now a brief summary of social outings. Yesterday we were among a group of guests at a  delightful dinner at Burleigh Court for our good friends Dave and Dorothy Bolland Golden Wedding. It was a lovely occasion and enjoyed talking to the many different members of the family who I have got to know over the years. In the evening Bernie (an old mate) joined at Stroud Sub rooms to see the Oyster Band. Superb!

Wick Court has been fun Saturday and today. Children very enthusiastic especially when they saw the Little Owl!