Today’s title is because I’ve just been listening to Billy Bragg’s version of the classic Leon Rosselson song. It seems appropriate on so many levels! I did think about “The Emperor’s New Clothes” as the title which might also be apt. Enough of that political thought!

I’ve been busy putting together ideas for the next Two Severn Bores project. At the moment I need to focus on one theme I have several on the go! So mind all over the place!

I have just got back from an abortive journey to Surrey to play cricket but surprise, surprise the weather intervened. I have actually been playing quite a bit of cricket over the last couple of weeks. Friday I will be at Edgbaston  for the Ashes so fingers crossed the weather gods are kind! It does mean I won’t be able to get to the Mighty Hatters first game that evening.

Yes The Bard’s play for today’s title. On that amazingly hot day we were at the RSC Stratford to see a production of “As You Like It”. A great energetic retelling of the play full of verve and humour. Couldn’t believe the temperature on the dashboard as we drove back.

Enjoying watching the Tour de France it has been a really exciting race and today’s stage had a bizarre ending (no spoilers!)

Another Springsteen song title and this is a fairly recent one. Just thought we needed another summer/sunshine title with this heat wave.

We are currently looking after a four legged friend “Jake” so we need to get out early for our walks in the interests of the dog and his walker! He is a delight. A picture at the bottom of the blog of him sitting on my lap.

Had a lovely couple of days on the bike watching cricket-one was another day with old friends at the Cheltenham Festival, the other was watching the Glos Old Men. Talking of cricket I have been playing regularly on Saturdays and took a sharp catch in our last game was fined for fielding like a 30 year old (don’t mind those fines!)

I thought the  Waterboys song might be appropriate as we almost are spot on for the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing. I do remember watching on our black and white TV-always seemed to snow on TV in those days! Watching the programmes this week you realised the mood of optimism that was everywhere at the end of the 60s, a real contrast with today’s moods around the globe.

I managed to cycle to Cheltenham on Tuesday for the cricket festival-the cricket was a real contrast to Sunday’s marvellous game-this was old fashioned county cricket!

Had a delightful bird survey on Thursday morning highlights included a Peregrine, 34 Avocets on the river, and a Yellow Wagtail going back and forth from a nest.

Last night saw this Little Owl close to the church. Lovely birds!

Beat that! What a marvellous match on Sunday, I don’t think that can ever be surpassed for a sporting event that plays with your emotions in such a way! The tension was unbearable as the game ebbed one way and then another. I felt exhausted at the end and I missed half the match because I was doing cycling teas at Wick Court and surprise, surprise we were not that busy with all the sport that was on! If you want to eat home made cakes our next teas are on Sunday 11th August and because there are no children you can even get to look around the house (well worth it)-you don’t have to cycle there!

Now finished Story Telling for a while so hopefully I can learn some new stories and maybe get some writing done!

Of course today’s title is referring to tomorrow and the World Cup Final. Come on England! Sadly I will be doing teas for cyclists at Wick Court so will be listening to TMS on the radio. I did watch most of the semi-final against Australia apart from going  to Wick Court for Story Telling session and what a performance especially the bowlers. ( I meant the cricketers more than the Story Telling!) I will in a later blog share my conundrum about the Ashes Test I will be going to.

I was working with delightful Year 7s at Chosen Hill yesterday. I was in the school library and It was pleasing to see such an excellent facility. Libraries are wonderful jewels in our crowns and it sad what has happened in recent years. I cycled there and decided to come back a different way and ended up in parts of Gloucester I had never visited before and got lost! How many years have I lived in Gloucestershire?

I did enjoy bird watching with the children at Wick Court on Tuesday. Although the feeders were empty we had some good birds on the River.

A Bob Marley song to reflect our spell of good weather, I’ve had a few sun songs for my blog over time. It has been good to get out on the bike and not worry about the weather! I’ve started clocking up some decent rides.

Had a great day Story Telling in Swindon and at Wick Court on Thursday and I told a wide range of stories to different age groups. This week all my Story Telling is at the end of the week.

I am surprisingly playing cricket regularly on a  Saturday for my club, and enjoying it.

How about this old classic for today’s title! Just think we have had quite a bit of sun recently and I wanted sun in the title so very convoluted!

Had a really busy day in Swindon yesterday working for the National Literacy Trust in North Swindon Library. A wonderful resource but sadly only open a few hours a week-it is a scandal what has happened to our libraries in the last nine years! Sadly no mention of them or sure start for that matter from the two men who seem to be promising the earth in their scramble to be prime minister !

Thoroughly enjoyed my visit afterwards to the delightful Millbrook Primary School. So physically exhausted by the time I got home. Another day in Swindon tomorrow for NLT.

Pleased to see England winning the way to the cricket semi-finals today (phew) and sad to see our female footballers meet their match last night!

Thought I would pay tribute to the Severn in the title today to acknowledge the Two Severn Bores performance of Severn Stories and Songs last week. We had a great gig at Quedgeley Library on Thursday.  A couple of pictures below. We are now looking for any village hall/ arts centre venues for future gigs on this theme, so let us know if you can host us. We are now starting to write a new show for next year.

I am currently in the middle of a busy spell of Story Telling working for the National Literacy Trust as well as visiting a school this week.

The weekend was also hectic I played cricket in that furnace of Saturday’s weather which was sapping. Yesterday was Wick Court’s open day as well as the Handlebards evening performance. So I was helping getting things ready and clearing up afterwards as well as doing some Story Telling.