Thought my feet are adapting to the non=stop rain this week! I have had a couple of real soakings especially on Wednesday at Wick Court taking young people bird watching. I was really impressed by the young people from St John’s and St. Clement’s from Peckham who took the non-stop soakings philosophically and didn’t complain at all. Had a lovely Story Telling with them last night, I told them the story of Merlin and the Two Dragons. It has been a while since I told I last told it.

Off to a talk at Gloucester History Festival tonight. We have some  more booked later in April.

It is football again tomorrow and apprehensive about the derby game tomorrow. Our opposition have struggled in recent weeks but they have many Premier League quality players- just hope our from continues!

I refer to my my bike ride today. It was certainly blowy and hard work. I had kept putting the ride off because of the rain but needed the chance to stretch my legs! So missed the rain but not the wind!

I have been revisiting one of my stories Dreams (I wrote it six or so years ago) so watch this space. It does probably need some revision. I also feel I need to look at my two pantomime stories (my whole school stories Pirate Pete and Harriet the Hippo) which are aimed at younger audiences.

A quiet spell on the Story Telling front now – last one for a couple of weeks is on Thursday.

Delightful day at the WWT Slimbridge yesterday with our Peter’s family. Owen thoroughly enjoyed splashing around in Welly Boot Land. It is an excellent part of the whole reserve designed to encourage young families where they can have fun! It was great seeing so many youngsters having a great time.

Our social calendar is so busy we were out again at a party to celebrate our friend Brian’s significant birthday. As he is a poet we gave him a Simon Armitage book of poetry.

Off to a rehearsal later for the community play I am in- almost got my lines nailed!!!

My ears were ringing from my eldest Grandson Owen (age 2 and a quarter) regular refrain (today’s title) yesterday. Once they have language they can tell you what to do! I was with him and he was constantly on the move expecting me to keep up with his games! My knees and back suffered afterwards!

I had a lovely story telling with the young people from Baguley Hall yesterday and resurrected one of my old shaggy dog stories! I had almost forgotten it!

Finished off a busy day winning our quiz match. We are slowly moving up the league after a slow start.

I have mentioned Chiffchaffs a few times recently. Today with the young people from Baguley Hall Primary School Wythenshawe, Manchester we saw three Chiffchaffs flitting around near the moat. It does seem anecdotally there are many of these birds around at the moment. They are one of the first migrants that arrive in the spring. Picture below! We had a lovely day and saw 23 different species.

Third time lucky! I saw 40 plus Sand Martins in the distance over the Sailing Lake this afternoon. . There is a picture below of a Sand Martin – it is not mine- wish I could take photos of that quality!

Lovely to see some many signs of Spring now but sad it has been wet nearly all day! I did manage to venture out looking for Sand Martins  I managed a Chiffchaff there seem to be quite a few around at the moment. I heard a Swallow was sighted at the WWT yesterday. Blossom is out and the Willow trees are looking good. Pictures below are what I took last year it was too wet today to get my camera out!

I have been playing around with some ideas for a poem and looking at some of my stories for possible re-writing- didn’t get that far!

Had time to reflect on that penalty decision against the Mighty Hatters having watched it a few times. It was a shocker!!!!!!

I refer to today’s football where once again a debatable penalty was given against the Mighty Hatters. It is a mystery that when our players are manhandled/wrestled thrown to the floor in the penalty area that we don’t get anything given (one penalty all season). By all accounts we didn’t play that well today- a point is a point!

Spent time in the garden today- certainly a spring like feel!

Has it sprung???

We went to Dymock and Kempley to look at wild daffodils ahead of a trip Clare is organising next. These pictures I took when we cycled the “Daffodil Trail” about five years ago. This is a special area for wild daffodils. If I go next week expect more photos!

Good news a Chiffchaff was in our garden this morning! A very occasional visitor to our garden! I took young people at Wick Court bird watching on Wednesday and got wet yet again! I did my weekly Story Telling there last night.

Finally thoroughly enjoyed on Wednesday night watching the fluent attacking football in the first half from the Mighty Hatters we should of scored the proverbial hatful! Very difficult game tomorrow at Sunderland, I will keep my fingers firmly crossed but injuries are mounting at the moment.

Had a busy day working with Dan on our next collaboration. We seemed to be getting there and it was fascinating  to see him work out some tunes as we worked. My working title is Festival Fate because fate is a running thread through the stories and Glastonbury features! I think we will come up with something better in the next couple of weeks!

Feeling exhausted with my efforts now! Back at Wick Court tomorrow for some birding with the young people- I think it will be a cold one again!