Just back from Avening Primary. Had a lovely morning telling stories,  got very wet and mud splattered on the way back cycling the Nailsworth/Stroud cycle path. The Headteacher Jane was once my deputy so this was my present to her to celebrate her headship only a year on! Jane has always been a visionary teacher and it was great to see what a super job she is doing. Only the second time I have told the 12 princesses story from Grimms, I was pleased with this. Next week I have 3 gigs so working hard when I can this weekend.

I watched the mighty Hatters again on Tuesday only 5 goals. The whole atmosphere is positive and maybe the pain and the poison of that “eviction” is finally going to be ended. I will be there again tomorrow and it looks like there should be a good crowd.

A busy time ahead where I need to learn stories for the four gigs I’ve got coming up. I’m trying out a couple of new ones. We are also going up to London Wednesday and Thursday.

Football continues to delight. A lovely day out at Nuneaton yesterday with my brother and several friends from my youth. Along with almost 2,000 Hatters we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. I was thinking a draw beforehand not 5 nil to us! My nosebleed is flowing!

I’ve finished it! Well I have completed the first draft of my Dreams Story. Somehow I have written over 31,000 words. I now need to read it through to see how it all hangs together. I did find the action at the end difficult to write and I surprised myself by losing a main character; I found that quite emotional when it happened. It will now be a slow process because I am busy for the next couple of weeks so probably won’t touch it till mid March.

Did a decent ride today nearly 30 miles with a convivial lunch with old colleagues in the middle.

Wow!!! I have to start with yesterday;s football. Not often your team score 7. We are now looking very good, hopefully this time our purgatory mind end! Come on you super Hatters!

“As they say Saint it is a funny old game.” For the first half the football was grim, a physical battle and we were only 1-0 up; although we were kicking into a strong wind. The second half the football was sublime and we could have had more than 6. Some of the goals were wonderful team goals.

I am getting close to finishing the Dreams story maybe another thousand words or so to write. Not completely sure about the ending but that has been true all the way through! I have enjoyed the whole writing process of this story.

The weather seems to be dominating everything and we have had a few hiccups in our village. one or two people have suffered when the wind has pushed the water off the sailing lake. Pumps have been busy and doing a fine job. We have now had no power for 20 hours following yesterday’s storm. hopefully back on soon! You just wish politicians learn the lessons from all of this and look carefully at how we do things. The environment needs protecting I won’t get on my soap box!

Story is still developing but the lack of power hasn’t helped. Very busy now at the start of March.

Had a good time telling stories at the Parliament Centre on Thursday. Good pedal to the top of town, but, yes you have guessed it got really wet cycling home.

No tellings next week but need to prepare for the end of the month and the beginning of March.

Writing regularly the Dreams Story over the last week it is now 27,000+ words getting towards the final showdown. I don’t find writing action scenes easy so I suspect there will be several rewrites of these parts. I have enjoyed putting this story together especially as it started off as a story for children to tell!

Sadly the football was off yesterday so instead a busy spell in the garden moving compost-I get all the good jobs!

Good cycle today up over the hills and yes I got wet again! Noticed I’ve got webbing now growing between my toes!

This weather is getting depressing. Frampton is very waterlogged and the road to our house was closed today. Later they had a pump working to clear away the worst of the flood. I am telling stories at the top of Stroud tomorrow and cycling there-should be fun getting out of Frampton.

Lovely day at Wick Court yesterday and we were dry! Children had seen the Severn Bore on Sunday with all the surfers etc! It was a big wave!

Looking at the weather not sure if I will be watching football on Saturday. Oh for a spell of frosty winter weather!

Almost 60% bike if you know the surreal book The Third Policeman. The old boys were out on our bikes today. Despite a wet start it turned out a decent morning. We cycled out to Stroud and up to Painswick for coffee. A good ride (26 miles) although mucky especially on the canal. Feel tired now, got a few miles planned this week.

Story Telling at Parliament Children’s Centre later this week.