I was performing in South Cerney this morning on a specially commissioned gig!   Carters the construction company asked to to do a story about safety on building sites. I played with a story they had sent me. Felt slightly uncomfortable doing something that wasn’t really on my terms. Still I think I managed to get the message across. (I may have pictures later so will put a couple on the blog.

Telling stories later at Wick Court with young people from Croydon there are Y8 to Y10. It is then a rush to be quiz master for the quiz league (we are doing it because we are not on tonight.).

I had my first cricket net today. I had to do two sessions altogether so two and a half hours on my feet bowling and batting! The body is aching now! Still good to hold a bat again!

We have been busy the last couple  days with odd jobs and appointments.

I have also been working on a storytelling on Thursday morning for a project I have been commissioned for- will write about it later this week.

Looking forward to doing my usual bird watching session at Wick Court tomorrow. especially with this good weather.

Where has he been the last few days you ask! Well it has been action packed on many levels. I mentioned in my last blog the perfect weather for my cycle ride. Well I followed that up with a pleasant storytelling at Wick Court

I had a further storytelling at a care home on Friday. I am certainly now on that circuit – this one was a first in a  lovely home in Leonard Stanley- I managed to cycle there.  We rounded off Friday night with babysitting stint for our two grandsons- we stayed over and the youngest Robin who is only two had a disturbed night with a cough so it was up down a few times in the night!

On Saturday i was serving behind the bar at the Village Hall for the Community Play (a matinee and evening performance) written and directed by my friend Brian- Clare was on the ticket desk. A delightful play with lots of laughs and some real poignant moments. You might remember I performed in the last two plays.

The coming week also looks busy!

What a glorious day! Certainly got rid of the bite in the wind of earlier in the week! I went for a super ride over the  tops with my friend Martin. Heard  plenty of chiffchaffs and on the top and we were serenaded by many skylarks trilling. Also saw yellowhammers on the ride. To cap it all I had a chiffchaff in the garden this afternoon. We have had a couple of swallows in the village but I am yet to see one.

Following on with this spring theme I had a lovely time bird watching yesterday at Wick Court with young people from Camberwell. We saw a chiffchaff then as well! I am storytelling with them later this afternoon.

Pictures below – my picture of a skylark from last year and a chiffchaff (not my picture)

A busy sort of day here. A lovely Spring day as well. Did some jobs in the garden, some writing (more about in future blogs) and a special visit to Wick Court to say goodbye to the Chief Executive of the charity Farms For City Children.

I will also be there tomorrow (bird watching) and Thursday (Story Telling).

Just off to Book Club to discuss Jules Verne!

How on earth did my team not score a goal yesterday? We created so many good chances especially in the first half. It should have been three or four nil at half time!!! The visitors only got into our penalty area once in the first half!

Currently in Exeter having great fun with our lovely granddaughter Ellen.

Our David and Vicky’s dog Tully sadly passed away last night. He was a good companion to our Exeter family and they did him proud, he was a retired racing dog.. The joke in our family he was the only professional sportsman in our family! A couple of pictures of him in action in his younger days below.

The other sad news is the sparrowhawk that I took a picture of on Wednesday also died.

had a lovely story telling last night at Wick Court.

Off to football tomorrow hoping the Mighty Hatters carrying on where they left off on Tuesday night.

What a relief. I went to Cardiff last night and actually saw my team the Mighty Hatters win an away game. It is the 6th away game I have been to and the previous 5 have all been defeats! Scoreboard at the end in the picture below.

Also a picture of a sparrowhawk taken on my phone at Wick Court today. We first saw it tucked under a hedge behind a wire fence. Surprisingly it was still there a couple of hours later. I told the children you don’t normally get this close to a sparrowhawk! The young people from Maidstone asked some great questions 

had a bit of a disaster last night I dropped my laptop and it still had the plug attached and the pin sheared off! So I had to get a new plug unit – you won’t believe how many different variations of pin there are! I got one in the end. Talking of accidents when I was away I fell into a hole (wearing sandals) and hurt my toe- had a lot of swelling and although almost back to normal still hurts! There is picture below of it!- it is a little way down in case you don’t like horror pictures!

Did my third successive monthly visit to a care home in Nailsworth yesterday- they must like me!!!

I am off later to watch the Mighty Hatters later. Fingers crossed it is now getting desperate!

We had a lovely time today with our two wonderful grandsons. There are at that lovely age where everything is full of fun. Owen loves riding his bike  and is now able to stop which is a positive development. His two year old brother Robin now has a speedy waddle with a permanent grin and is always wanting to share a book! It is good for the soul, I do love the whole grandparent role!

Bitterly disappointed with the football yesterday where the referee certainly had a significant impact on the game – didn’t think I would ever say this but VAR would of helped us yesterday. I am off to Cardiff for a real six pointer on Tuesday- some might say I am glutton for punishment!

Since we have been back we have seen our male blackcap frequently but it might soon be on it’s way. The first summer migrants are beginning to trickle through!

Story Telling at a Care Home in Nailsworth tomorrow.