I have spent quite a bit of time today working on the story I mentioned I had found yesterday. I think I might need to develop another a piece of action to enhance the main story and possibly flesh out another character as part of that. I will need to be careful that it isn’t contrived to disturb the flow of what I’ve already got.

I will attempt to do a quiz tomorrow but brain is exhausted now!

We ventured out for a ride this afternoon down beyond Arlingham to the River right on the middle of the Horseshoe Bend. So another two pictures today looking across the  River, the boat has been in that spot for a few years now. The buildings (mainly the church) in the second picture is of the village of Newnham on Severn. It takes about an hour to travel to Newnham by car from here. In 2000 as part of a Millennium Project the army ran a hovercraft across this piece of river and mud. So we got to Newnham in five minutes. A memorable day!

Today’s title refers to stories. Over the years I have written many stories and quite a few of these just disappear into the mists of time. However, occasionally I find them again for a whole host of reasons and enjoy being reacquainted with them. Today I found a story I wrote when I first retired from teaching which itself was a reworking of a story I wrote when my boys were at Primary School. The theme was magic long before a certain wizard with a scar on his forehead appeared. I think that was the reason why I eventually left it was because I thought the world might have had enough of wizards! Well having looked at it I have decided to do some tidying up of the story over the coming weeks. It does have environmental and co-operation themes running through it.

I also enjoy coming across stories that I have learnt  told over the years and put to one side. One was a Norse Folk Tale I frequently I told and have neglected in the last two years. I retold it on my recent school visit.

I had an unsuccessful look for Spring Migrants early this morning but the River Severn at low tide looked beautiful. The first picture below is looking down the River to Sharpness and the second one is looking across to South of Frampton you can just make out the spire of Slimbridge Church and you can see the edge of Dursley on the hill in the distance. (the quality of the picture loses something as I insert it into the blog so on the original the church is much clearer than in this reproduction!)

Disappointed by the performance of my football team yesterday. I do want them to finish the season well. Who knows if I will be able to go in person next season? I have tickets for  cricket this summer but not sure if that will happen.

What a super day today, sun shining and the wind had dropped. Tomorrow sounds like it is back to Winter so shorts might have to go away! Ironically did some preparation work down at the cricket club!

I went looking for migrants this afternoon (had seen a Willow Warbler yesterday) and apart from a solitary Swallow no luck but did catch a fleeting glimpse of a male Merlin (one of my favourite birds) which is unusual here at this time of year.

Completed our family catch up yesterday visiting my eldest son David and his wife Vicky in Exeter. Wonderful! It has been lovely to see many families reunite this weekend-many have chosen Frampton for this!

Yesterday’s April Fool answers

a) Richard Dimbleby and the BBC Panorama programme had spaghetti growing on trees.  b) Marvin Gaye was murdered on April 1st 1984  c) Burger King had the left handed burgers!  d) It was flying Penguins that were supposed to migrate to the Amazon reported by the BBC in 2008  e)  France is the country where April 1st is known as April Fish

Just a quiz today on April Fools’ Day

a) Who famously reported spaghetti grew on trees on April 1st?   b) Which restaurant chain fooled the public with it’s fictional sandwich for left handed people on 1st April 1998 ?  c) Which music legend was murdered on 1st April 1984? d) A 2008 a BBC news report suggested a flying colony of which bird species had been discovered in Antarctica, tracking their flight to the Amazon?  e) Where is the April 1st tradition known as April Fish?

I had thought I would do something on April Fool yesterday but I forgot! I always enjoyed April Fool at work and as a young teacher (it was a long time ago) I would often arrange something for my class. As a Head I would often think of something on my way to school and caught my colleagues out on many occasions (I may share one or two over the next few blogs). In my last year in school staff were determined to get me back! I arrived at school at my usual crack of dawn time to find a lovely typed letter on distinctive and branded paper. The heading was Dorset Ornithological Society…… the letter went along the lines that a Penduline Tit had taken up residence in the school wildlife area and recommended that I shut the school immediately. I smiled as I read it because somebody had done their homework because Penduline Tits are rare visitors to Britain especially in the West! To play the part I visibly picked up a pair of binoculars (Always had a pair handy at work) and marched outside. Ironically about three years ago I saw a pair of Penduline Tits in Gloucester. I remember smiling as I watched them!

Not mentioning sport today as my team lost to a struggling team!

Well not just one Swallow today but I saw two possibly three. I often see my first Swallows in March but it is only just April! On my long bike ride today with a pal we saw plenty of Wood Anemones another sign of Spring. Where we were cycling was close to the Daffodil Trail and saw plenty of wild Daffodils (they are smaller than the daffodils we are more familiar with the pictures below are ones I took in the same area a couple of years ago and have featured before in my blog).

Have to say it was strange yesterday to actually travel again in the car. For the last few months the furthest I have travelled is how far I can get on my bike. It was of course worth it to see family again. We are aiming to see our other son Dave and his lovely wife Vicky in Exeter in their garden on Saturday.

I aim to do a quiz tomorrow!