Last full day today and we fly home Wednesday.

Body is wrecked after cricket and some very late evenings. We won a thriller on Sunday, a game that ebbed and flowed, and we had a ball to spare at the end.

Managed to see a few birds here. Lovely views of a Sardinian Warbler and a Serin. Went on the train to Calpe yesterday. A busy tourist resort with this great rock looming out into the sea. Got to the top quite a scramble and difficult coming down. An early night followed.

Last game today. I’m not playing which is a good thing!

Well I am actually here not that hot although the sun shone for our first game yesterday. We lost narrowly on the last ball. Body a little stiff today I did a fair amount of running. Rest day today so off for a walk soon with my binoculars, there were swifts flying over yesterday. More cricket tomorrow and Sunday I am playing the Sunday game.

Old Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young song for today’s title not the Carry On film titles! Although maybe it should of been. Today’s title is because today a group of us took part in the Malvern Sportive. 53 miles and over 3,000 feet of climbing. It was a stunning ride through the beautiful Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire Countryside. I am now taking it easy!!!

My blogging might be hit and miss over the next 10 days. I am off to sunny Spain to play cricket-yes cricket in Spain! It is with Gloucestershire Seniors, I went two years ago. I am hoping the body will cope!

I am working on a couple of ideas for stories to tell later in the year.

Well a bit of mist first thing on the water! I was doing the monthly bird survey by the Severn. Sadly no migrants although I heard a Chiffchaff. With the children at Wick Court on Tuesday we saw a small flock of Golden Plover fly over which was a first for a school. I had a lovely Story Telling with the same children on Wednesday night. They insisted I told them the Mollie the Sheep story even though I had told it at their school in September.

Had to choose that title after yesterday’s disappointment at football. More about that at the end of the blog for those of you not interested in football.

This last week has been busy on the Story Telling Front and other things. I had a lovely Gig in the Welsh Valleys on Thursday at a Special School. As a Story Teller who feeds off his audience this was an interesting experience. I had full participation with some groups and for one group I was struggling for a reaction as I told “Pirate Pete”, however, midway through one young man starting singing “15 men on a dead man’s chest”, I think that moment made my day!

Our Book Club meal this week was based on “The Martian” and if you know the book or film potatoes play a significant part. Every dish had to have potato in it and once again the chaps surpassed themselves with their offerings. It was hard getting up at the crack of dawn the next day for my Gig.

I had a Trustees meeting of the charity that runs Children Centres in the area on Monday night. I do feel angry about how  public services are being allowed wither on the vine and our Prime Minister’s words about a government for everybody sound very hollow. It is still the poor and the vulnerable that seem to be shouldering the burden for the country’s difficulties and I fear will get worse in the coming years.

I had a lovely cycle round Herefordshire with my Old Groynes cycling companions on Friday. Also caught up with many old pals from local schools in the evening over a beer.

Now the footie. I watched us lose at home yesterday. We didn’t play well although you could say the whole game hinged on goal keepers. Our goalie didn’t make a save and was at fault for the first goal in the second minute! The Stevenage keeper pulled off 4 top notch saves and had defenders clearing off the line when he was beaten. We do need to cope better with teams that press us high up the pitch.

Sorry but this is a mainly a football related blog with a mention of a dog, no Story Telling mentions today!

We are currently looking after Tully (David and Vic’s rescued Greyhound). He is growing in confidence and is great to watch when he sets off at speed. Forgotten what it is like to get a soaking first thing in the morning!

Had a marvellous day yesterday watching the Mighty Hatters at Yeovil. We were superb and if anything 4-0 flattered Yeovil. Some of the football we played was excellent. Two big games coming up and hopefully we will continue our good form.

One or two space stories this week in the news so the old Pink Floyd number chosen for today!

A real busy week with World Book Day with many stories told! I have one more celebration gig next week. Yesterday I was even given a Gruffalo cake-really good! Also had a lovely day bird watching with the children at Wick Court. One young lady was delighted to spot a Goldcrest.

Just finished reading Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography “Born to Run”, an interesting read. Now embarking on “The Martian” for Book Club.

Football update! An absorbing game on Wednesday night in the Mickey Mouse Trophy. We came second against Oxford but it was a far more exciting game than most of Premiership games I’ve seen this year! However, I hope our defence is better today at Yeovil. I am setting off soon!