Had a wonderful ride today over the top. Testing out my dodgy hamstring! Slowly upping my miles again!

Up early tomorrow for the monthly bird survey-thunderstorms could be around so wish me luck!

Travelled to my friends at the Care Home in Nailsworth for a story telling session on my trusty steed. So in the last couple of weeks I have lived up to my name The Story Traveller. Had a lovely time and took quite a few puppets with me – I have found they go down well. Not today’s performance  but a couple of pictures of me in action.

Today is definitely a day for sitting in front of the TV! I am currently watching the Test Match from Old Trafford– hopefully it will be all done and dusted before the football! Also have to squeeze in the Tour highlights as well! I did spend time out in the garden early doors so I don’t feel guilty! I will do a couple of jobs in during the intervals as well as prepare for story telling tomorrow.

My body is falling apart! I played cricket on Tuesday and chased the ball to the boundary – dived full length to claw the ball back saving all of one run – I must of twisted my leg in the dive and my hamstring went again! So that is the end of my cricket season! It means my cycling is also restricted for a couple of days or so. Think I should have a more mature attitude in the field! Is that a flying pig?

Took much older group of young people bird watching at Wick Court on Wednesday.

In the evening I managed to see the rare white winged black tern that turned up on the sailing lake at the end of our road. A few fuzzy distant picture below. Also a bee on thistle! The last picture below is from the local birding site of the white winged black tern ( I never saw it that close and obviously a better camera than mine!)

Spent yesterday at Cheltenham watching county cricket, sadly Gloucestershire came second!

Over the last couple of weeks we have been enjoying watching the Tour de France as we have done regularly since our boys were at primary school. We thoroughly enjoy  ITV’s coverage which is quirky and informative, Sadly this year marks the last year of it being on terrestrial television and the excellent ITV team. It pulled no punches tonight on green washing by fossil fuel companies – not sure if subscription channels will be so brave!

The one thing the Tour does show is what a beautiful country France is. Enjoyed the  Pyrenees at the weekend which brought back great memories of me and the boys cycling up these great mountains. Still amazed at what we did eight years ago! A few pictures from then including the top of the Col de Tourmalet and the Col de Solour which were in this years Tour.

I managed to get through my club game unscathed! There was one moment when it could of had a nasty ending! I was fielding in the circle when the batsman launched the ball like a rocket (warp factor 6) and I tried to catch it- could of easily broken a finger with my stupidity! The Fairford Air Tattoo was taking place nearby so we had aircraft flying over frequently- the noise was deafening! The Red Arrows went over several times with a couple of really low passes – you could clearly see the pilots! Sadly we game second!

We had an unexpected visitor this week and certainly a surprise! I looked out into the back garden and I had to rub my eyes! Bobbing up and down around our rockery was a common sandpiper! Normally found near water- we do get them on the lake at the end of our road. It was a brief stay so I didn’t have time to take a photo so the picture below is from the RSPB web site.

I am playing cricket for my club tomorrow- almost certainly will be the oldest player on the pitch!

You dear reader are probably wondering where I have been this week! It has been pretty full on! Totally absorbed by the Test Match- what a finish!

I spent Monday night rehearsing with Dan the other half of the Two Severn Bores. It had been a while and we were fairly rusty!

Tuesday saw me take over the captaincy (temporary) of Gloucestershire 60s 3rd team away to Somerset facing a dodgy weather forecast. I managed to win the toss which didn’t happen very often last season. A dramatic first over saw me throw down the stumps from cover to run out the opening batsman. I would of been proud of that moment in my prime! Sadly the game predictably was ruined by the weather and had to be abandoned.

Wednesday morning the Two Severn Bores performed in Upton St. Leonards. It went well and we both asked about doing some individual gigs with other groups.

Today has been stories, stories and stories! I cycled in to Stonehouse for a whole day storytelling at Park School. Good to meet an old colleague who I hadn’t seen for nearly 30 years! Stories went really well but it is hard work sustaining the energy levels.  I then went to Wick Court for my normal storytelling session this time with Years 7-10 from Sunderland. Really pleased how well it went despite me being a little apprehensive beforehand. Now I am exhausted sitting watching the football with a beer,

I went for “hot” cycle ride on Thursday around the North Cotswolds with a friend. It was a beautiful ride with some steep hills to negotiate. When we stopped at Guiting Power for our obligatory coffee and cake we were delighted to have many screaming swifts shooting over our heads. The group word for swifts is a scream which is apt! They are incredible birds and the young people I take birdwatching are always amazed when I tell them they spend their lives in the air (apart from nesting) Picture at the bottom of the blog- not mine they are difficult to photograph- although if I had a camera on Thursday I might of got one!

Busy relearning stories today when not watching the cricket!

How is that for using a topical musical reference for today’s blog title? My youngest and his wife were in Cardiff to seeing the Oasis gig at the weekend. I wanted “story” somewhere in today’s title as I have a busy little spell on the story telling front. The Two Severn Bores are performing next Wednesday morning in Upton St. Leonards – we are doing our Destiny or Fate show. This means we need to get back up to speed -so I am relearning stories again and we are rehearsing together on Monday night. I also have a whole day in school next Thursday followed by my regular residency at Wick Court! It will be a tiring day!

To add to my busy week I maybe playing cricket on Tuesday in Essex- a long way to go for a game! I captained a Glos Seniors side against a Somerset team in a friendly yesterday. I even managed to give myself four overs (I am the only captain that gives me a bowl!) Despite being hit for two fours in my first over I took 2 for15- so I was pleased with that! We won with two balls to spare!