Currently working on learning the stories for next week away on the course. I have to prepare something from an epic so I think I will do Odysseus not sure if I do Polyphemus the Cyclops or the final showdown with suitors at Ithaca when Odysseus returns home. Also have to do a short fable so I am not sure which one I will do at the moment.

I played my first game of cricket yesterday. Only just troubled the scorers and the body is suffering today, after my first session in the field!

I am about to get some cycling tops printed with the Story Traveller logo on it.  Our team will wear them on the Alps. When I say our team I mean my boys and George who have been charged with getting me to the top!

I love saying that “Champions!” Final comment on the football for a while anyway! A delightful orange day yesterday at Luton despite a poor journey up-Easter traffic! The “Brickies” was heaving and saw many old friends to lift a glass with. On to the ground with a carnival mood everywhere. Inside the “Kenny” flags were waving and songs reverberated around the whole stadium. Very moving to see the guard of honour for the team as they came onto the pitch. The game was more like a pre season friendly lacking an edge but after a lackluster first half we swept Rovers aside. The scenes afterwards were wonderful as the celebrations were so heartfelt. Would make a good story but unless you had been on our journey it might not resonate with you!

Back now to learning stories and writing after all that footie stuff! Need to do my homework ahead of my course with Ben now!

Just playing around with some ideas for a story. I’ve been asked to do a story about Shakespeare so I am at the thinking stage. I was thinking about setting it with a young  up and coming Shakespeare in London with him suffering with writer’s block. I was going to get him meeting one or two  “characters” that eventually are written into a play possibly Midsummer’s Night’s Dream. So I am looking for a way that stimulates his writing. I will try to start putting down these ideas on paper over the next few days. I have till June! Quite looking forward to the task to see if I can make a decent fist of a story for telling!

Off next week to do a week’s course specifically on the physical aspects of performance with Ben Haggarty. I’m really looking forward to this.

Enough for the time being about celebrations for kicking a ball around!

It looks like I will be doing some touring later. Well long trips to the midlands for a couple of gigs coming up. I am also off for week on a Story Telling course with Ben Haggerty looking particularly at performance, really looking forward to it. I am also trying to negotiate a couple of gigs around Sheffield but not sure when these will be.

My new t-shirts are shall we say are eye-catching, the colours are loud! I will try to get an updated photo on the web site. I wore the orange one (for some spurious reason)on the bike to Dursley Out of School Club to see my namesake…he is a guinea-pig! I ended up telling a story at the drop of a hat. Lisa at the club has agreed to do some illustrations for my Harriet the Hippo story.

I have now re-read the Dreams story and now sending it to one or two selected people for feedback.

Sporting Section:

I have been cycling up quite a few big hills over the last 2 weeks as I build up my fitness for the Alps adventure in June. Been to two Gloucestershire veterans nets  and I have a game next week (weather permitting). Of course on Monday I will be making my pilgrimage to see the Town be presented with the championship trophy.  We have a car load of Happy Hatters travelling up for the party!

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry not Story Telling but the Mighty Hatters are back!!!! After the terrible things that were inflicted on us, we have bounced back. It is an emotional night and I am enjoying raising my glass!!

A quick post!

OK she didn’t sing yesterday, she had to leave the stage for a comfort break! Yes I know I shouldn’t count my chickens before they hatch! On the plus side saw my first swallow but before anyone says it one swallow doesn’t make a summer! Yesterday’s match means we wait for summer!

Had a great ride this morning, best time up Frocester Hill and then did Stouts Hill all part of my training for my ride in the Alps. 27 miles today in wonderful sunshine. Stouts Hill is a grind of a hill! Trying to build up endurance so my next big ride will have 3 decent hills!

Sorry folks this post has little to do with Story Telling! It has everything to do with football! Although maybe I will fashion a story of sorts from it, you never know!

The proverbial fat lady is about to sing! She has been gargling for a week or more! She is on stage poised and ready at the piano! It has been a long ordeal getting her here! Several near heartbreaking misses. Tomorrow, all being well,  if the Mighty Hatters win we will be back to where we belong!  The vindictive 30 points injustice inflicted on us almost avenged! It has been a long painful journey through footballing purgatory. The only down side about tomorrow is it is on T.V. (silly kick off time as well ) and we haven’t performed well this season on T.V. Could be a sore head tomorrow night!

COYH!!!!!!!!!!

A quick blog before I start today’s writing. First thing to say is it seems to be feedback week. I have had quite a bit of encouraging feedback on recent gigs over the last few days which has quite surprised me. Thank you!

I am now spending a few days working on developing new stories for telling. I want to add a new one for adult audiences and I feel I need another one for the  younger children around Reception/Pre School age. Also hoping to spend some time on my various writing projects.

Finally the mighty Hatters are almost back to where they rightfully belong and I feel quite emotional about it. It has taken 5 years for that gross injustice to be righted and yet still the Football authorities show double standards when dealing with small clubs (Alfreton) and the big clubs (Sunderland)!!!!!! I am aiming at perhaps a couple of poems and possibly an article to mark the occasion!

Currently sitting having a cuppa after an action packed few days. Phew! The good news is our David is back but off work for a while.

I have been telling stories the last two mornings at a local school. Children were delightful and engaged fully with the stories. Fairs Fair for the Victorian topic went well although I did miss a segment! I did an adapted Jack and the Beanstalk with movements for the Reception class, I adapted to fit their healthy eating and growing topic! I combined my cycling to these events to wish two of my former colleagues Ian and Catherine good luck as they both leave their respective schools.

I have cycled many miles this week both for the gigs, Wick Court and for training! I am likely to be over 100 miles for the week when I complete tomorrow’s ride to Forest Green up the hill) for the HVV InSet Day. One ride (my training one) was up Haresfield Beacon it is a brute of a hill! Despite almost pedalling to a stop I was pleased to make it to the top.

Our Book Club discussed my choice of book “Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller. Some really interesting thoughts cropped up during the night’s debate. Consensus was it was a good read!