Finished off sanding the window on Monday and have started doing minor repairs and filling. Wales are going back into more or less full lockdown for a couple weeks from Friday. They already have in Northern Ireland. We watched UC and they had screens between the contestants for the first time. They had had a break in filming during lock down as all the previous programs had no screens. Went for a swim on Tuesday morning. The new wood filler I bought seems to have worked on the window sill. I've finished the prep apart from sanding the middle sill. Sort of finished the Superstar video but I'm not entirely happy with it. Rick has suggested a get together at his place. Roy has a chest infection. He must have been worried that it was covid. On Wednesday it was announced that Sheffield is moving to tier 3 so the trip to Rick's is now off. Didn't do much as it rained most of the day. Got a text from John Lewis saying my guitar playing chair is ready. Re-did some of the Superstar video. I'm a bit happier with it but not entirely. On Thursday morning I arranged for the chair to be delivered, its coming next Tuesday. I'm very excited. M went for a swim but I didn't go as I wanted to put a coat if primer on the window. I used a bucket to put the paint in when using the ladder and managed to get it done by lunch time. We then had some very sad news. Fran and Ian's son Jake has died. He was Fran's son from her first marriage. I only met him a couple of times when he was very young. He has spent most of his life in care homes. He had epilepsy and then developed brain damage as a result of a bad attack. His condition had been deteriorating so they we're kind of expecting it. They don't think it was covid related, just his systems packing in. He was 44. I went to buy some paint from Johnstone's as Kelvin recommended it. It's kind if a trade shop and I think they found it odd that I only wanted half litre tins. It was very pleasant out so decided to go out for a quick ride when I got back. Headed out along the Kennet towards Theale. Bumped into Roger who looked very smart for someone out walking. He was with his niece visiting from London. I decided not to go the usual way as I thought it might be muddy so crossed the bridge just after the Cunning Man. It was fine until I got to the field where the path ran out and it was full of cows with calves. A bit worrying but I think they were used to humans.
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I took the usual footpath over the M4 and took a snap as I dont think I took one during the great footpath quest. You can see that the leaves are turning.
A good ride. Heard that nearby Sloughbhas been put in tier 2. Had a zoom with Penno, Kevin and Adrienne in the evening. All OK, Penno is now at uni in Farnham as she didn't like being down in Bournemouth. So she's commuting but at the moment doesn't need to go in that often. Its part of the University of Creative Arts (UCA). I was going to do some painting on Friday but it wasn't a very nice day so didn't get round to it. Then went for a swim and the next thing I new I was doing my blog and it was nearly 4 o-clock so too late to start. I'm been trying to following the underfloor insulation for the green deal thing but no luck. I tried to contact 3 companies initially. 2 said they would get back to me but haven't. I tried them again. Left a message with one but they haven't got back, another said phone Monday, the third didn't answer. They were the ones I gave up on initially. The weather couldn't make up its mind on Saurday but I wanted to crack on with the undercoat. There was a bit of fine drizzle but I stated anyway and the bottom bits. The paint is really good, very easy to apply. I stopped for a cuppa and it started to rain so had to abandon. It really chucked it down but the paint seemed to survive. Watched Reading v newly promoted Rotherham on iFollow. They were all over us in the first half but we had one shot and Meite scored. He then got a cracker with an overhead shot in the second half. Hopefully this link will work. Joao then won and scored a penalty to make it 3 0 and 5 points clear at the top. It was an unexpectedly nice day on Sunday so I finished off the undercoat. Got an email from my cousin Sue to say aunty Phil is in Scunthorpe hospital with a broken hip. No visitors allowed. Also got an email from Helen saying she has tested positive so wont be on the next walk. No symptoms but a slight sore throat. According to the covid app the number of current cases in Reading has jumped to 552, thats gone up by a couple of hundred since yesterday, only an estimate though. The clocks have gone back. Nice autumnal light on Kelvin's cherry tree.