I have had a busy weekend pollarding the walnut tree in our front garden. I enjoy doing these sorts of jobs because I can think over stories and ideas. For some reason I remembered those delightful Joan Aiken magical books of short stories I once had. I thought they might be good tales to tell, once I went through my book-case I realised I must have left them behind when I finished teaching! I thought Meg the Baker’s Cat would be a good one for Infants to tell. Maybe I will replace them in the future. Those magical tales certainly inspired to develop stories in the early stages of my teaching career.

Talking of ideas last Wednesday was a sad day. We went over to Suffolk for the burial of ashes  of my old friend Chas Buchanan. Charlie as I always called him introduced me to “The Once and Future King” by T.H. White. That book sparked my interest in Arthurian legends and was probably the start of dabbling in Story Telling of Myths. Thanks Charlie!

I have really enjoyed the BBC’s Literary productions on Sunday nights. I thought “The Inspector Calls” was outstanding and as thought-provoking now as it was when first written. The current Refugee Crisis and the attitudes of some was what I thought of as I watched the drama unfold. I have to say I have been ashamed of my country’s response to this crisis. Next week is the “Go Between” another book I read in my formative years!