Thought the classic Manfred Mann song will do for tonight’s blog title! We have gone solo today for the first time as grandparents with our Grandson Owen. His parents have gone to a wedding so we have had him all day and are keeping him until tomorrow morning. So we visited Slimbridge WWT and Owen was entranced by the birds especially the Flamingos – we have been indoctrinating him for a while now so he can say a few bird names -his favourite is Cuckoo!  Pictures below of our Swan encounter and the Flamingo he studied for a while! Looking forward to taking him on more Grandparent outings!

Nearly melted taking the young people from the Battersea area bird watching yesterday. I am Story Telling for them tomorrow morning after Owen leaves!

Title today is from Spinal Tap (if you don’t know Spinal Tap look them up!) It refers to my bike ride with my friend Martin and we stopped at the Wild Carrot Cafe near Tetbury. Cake was divine and also a brilliant shop selling nesting boxes and general bird stuff. I may go back to buy some swift boxes at some time in the future (they need as much help as possible).

One positive is my book Pig The Legend has now raised about £800 for Alzheimer’s Society. Pleased with some of my Story Telling and recent sales from my first book sold to raise funds for Farms For City Children I  have managed to raise over £1200 in the last nine months or so.

Picture below of one of our visitors today! Like the way it is looking quizzical towards the camera.

Another scorcher today with more to come. I managed a ride this morning and needed plenty of water! This afternoon melted at Tewkesbury Nature Reserve where I met Robyn the Learning and Outreach Officer to walk round and plan a project for August. It was hot!

The title could be describing me on my bike a couple of twenty mile rides recently and it certainly is hot! I was really referring to my effort to steal two runs while batting at cricket to a young and fit cricketer. I lost the race! Good to play with much younger players and I was impressed by the standard of fielding by my team mate.

I mentioned cycling and at this time of year we are avid viewers of the Tour de France. It is a fascinating race and the endurance of the riders is impressive.

Tomorrow I have a meeting in Tewkesbury about a summer project.

Told an old favourite tonight at Wick Court an old Russian Trick Tale. Over a number of tellings I have added many extra parts and I play around with stereotypes. I do get fond of certain stories!

Took another two groups of young people from Vauxhall Bird Watching today at Wick Court (playing catch up from yesterday!) A highlight was two Oystercatchers flying up the river a first sighting for us at Wick Court. Surprisingly we have one turning up regularly on our cricket field throughout this last week.

Finally I have been asked to play cricket for my club on Saturday – a young man’s game!

Have to mention the cricket. What a wonderful Test Match and unbelievable run chase. It has been breathtaking to watch. I am at the Oval in September for another day at the Test. I also thoroughly enjoyed my cricket where we had a comprehensive victory against the league leaders Oxfordshire.

Only did a partial session at Wick Court bird watching today because we had a royal visitor which disrupts everything so I am going back tomorrow morning. Will shoot back to Story Tell in the evening.

Well a lot has been happening in the last few days so I have little time to write anything.

Friday was spent being “Gramps” down in Exeter with my delightful granddaughter Ellen. It is certainly tiring travelling down for the day and then being an active grandparent! We try and visit both our grandchildren regularly.

Saturday I was at the Test Match sadly most of the time was spent dodging the showers. However, I did see the most expensive over in Test Match!

Yesterday I was Story Telling at the National Trust’s Coleshill Estate for what was really a mini festival. Picture below.

Today I cycled to Stroud Valley Primary School to do a Story Workshop/ Book Promotion. Stroud Valley was the first school I worked in although now it is on a different site.

Finally watched our Peter run the Frampton 10K tonight he posted his best time for a 10K. Picture of him below.