Sorry folks this is mainly a football blog. Although I will start with saying how delightful the young people from St Stephen’s School East Ham were yesterday at Wick Court in the cold doing the Bird Watching. It was a pleasure to work with them.

I travelled across country afterwards to watch the top of the table clash between the mighty Hatters and Pompey,  surprised that the BBC didn’t feature it as a game on Radio 5-sadly they are  so obsessed by the Premier League. I couldn’t believe the quality of football my team played in the first half, I rubbed my eyes midway through thinking is this Barcelona? Although we should of been out of sight at Half Time the game ebbed and flowed second half and we scored the winner 5 minutes from time. So 3-2 to Luton. I am certainly enjoying the ride, fingers crossed it continues!

Going back in time to the Grateful Dead for today’s title! Thought we might need a weather related title listening to the forecast for the week. Will be interesting tomorrow I am doing my bird watching with the children at Wick Court then we are setting off across country for football-fingers crossed that it won’t be too bad! It is a big match!

Busy on the Story Telling front. Lovely day at Kingshill House yesterday. A lovely buzz throughout the day. I was approached by one mum who asked me if I used to teach at Stroud Valley, it turned out she was in my first ever class. I was very lucky to start my career at that time and we had a lot of fun during the year and my anarchic stories about Wilbur it turns out are still fondly remembered. I think we had 70 to 80 people at the event yesterday. Of course I am back there on Friday telling stories to adults as part of Two Severn Bores. Dan and I had an encouraging rehearsal on Friday and we have another planned this week. Two more Story Telling events for me my usual Thursday slot at Wick Court and I am doing an Old People’s Home in Cheltenham on Wednesday afternoon.

Had a super ride today clocking up miles and hills!  It has been my best January for miles covered.

Don’t forget 7.30 on Friday at Kingshill House for the Two Bores doing Severn Songs and Stories. All welcome!

Blurb about the Bores!    I’d like to say it is us surfing the bore! A picture I took a few years ago and we are going to include it in our publicity! Don’t forget we kick off our Severn Songs and Stories on Friday February 1st 7.30 at Kingshill House Dursley. Please join us!

The Two Severn Bores will take an unusual journey along the Severn using songs, stories and a bit of history. They will travel through space and time: from estuary to source…….prehistory to present day.

I’m the one with the hat!

I said I would keep going on about the Two Severn Bores! The Two Severn Bores are the talented musician Dan Everett and yours truly! We have currently got 5 gigs called Severn Songs and Stories-these include Kingshill House Dursley, Wotton Festival, Frampton Village Society, Bristol’s Folk Tales, SP3  so anyone reading this wants us to perform let me know maybe a W.I., Village Hall etc. Kingshill is Friday 1st February 7.30.

I have been busy writing parts for the stories I will be telling and learning stories for the Family Story Telling at Kingshill this coming Sunday.

Not sure if I have had a Steve Miller Band title before for the blog unless it was The Joker. Wanted a bird title for today for a couple of reasons especially with a hint of soaring! It was our monthly bird survey by the River Severn this morning. A beautiful morning although nothing unusual appeared. Saw a good number of Lapwings, Redshank, and Curlew. I also did a short session with the children at Wick Court before my usual Story Telling session.

Re- Story Telling I have mentioned before that musician Dan Everett and I calling ourselves Two Severn Bores have 6 gigs lined up doing Severn Stories and Songs between now and April starting at Kingshill House, Dursley  on the 1st February 7.30 kick off. Will keep mentioning these. I also have a few schools booked up over the next two months.

The other reason for feeling like soaring is my football team got planning permission for their cutting edge stadium-you will hear more of this but it is great news!

A great weekend for us up in Newcastle, visiting the Galleries, some great bars and sampling local ales. Also a lovely warm welcome wherever we went.

Of course on the Saturday we went with over 3,000 Hatters on the Metro to the Stadium of Light for our game against Sunderland. Absorbing game and we played some wonderful football and the home side were grateful to their Keeper.   Fantastic stadium and stunning views from the top of the stadium where we were.

An Elvis Costello song for today because I have been writing quite a bit this week so thought it might be appropriate. Been working on a couple of different projects. More news on these later.

Busy on the bike, big ride with plenty of climbing yesterday. Also seen the Short Eared Owl on a couple of occasions but keep missing the Merlin!

Had quite a bit of interest for Story Telling  in the next month., more news on this over the next month or so.

Been looking for Otters again but no luck although I saw a Short Eared Owl yesterday afternoon sadly just missed a Merlin.

Been listening to the Mighty Hatters in the cup and we did well to earn a replay. Big . game next weekend at Sunderland-we are up there for a few days. Fingers crossed!

Getting close to finishing my Severn story. Will need a bit of tweaking. Now really do need to rehearse our programme with Dan.

Had a meeting about the Story Telling Day at Kingshill House at the end of January for families and also our Gig there on the 1st February.

Had a lovely welcome from the WI on Thursday night  and I told three stories.

Just finished packing up my stuff for tonight’s gig for Frampton W.I. , a couple of old favourites on the agenda for telling.

Been busy writing in my spare time and close to finishing my final Severn Story for the Severn songs and Stories Gigs that Dan (the musician) and I are doing over the next three months. We now need to rehearse together to make the performance smooth! Also need to learn the other stories! We are being fairly ambitious with what we want to attempt. Our first gig together is at Kingshill House, Dursley on the 1st February more details in later blogs.