We drove over to Woking on Monday afternoon, M is looking at stuff about Guildford in the archives of the Surrey History Centre for the next couple of days. We are staying in an appartment. We went out for a really nice middle eastern meal in the evening at a restaurant called Daarna. You had to take your own wine which kept the price down. No corkage either. On Tuesday I walked along the Basingstoke Canal to Farnborough. Its very pretty.The locks look well maintained but I didn't see many boats  and none on the move. I had spotted a route that went past Farnborough North station which I know from Northgate cycling trips is very close to an excellent pub called The Prince Of Wales. However I got there about 3pm. I got a train back from Farnborough main station. It was good to see the car park and bike racks quite full. It looks like a fair few people are commuting in this neck of the woods. Saw some intetesting sculptures back in Woking Walked about 11 miles in all. Watched England beat Czech Rep 1 0. I hired a brompton on Wednesday and cycled the other way along the canal to where it joins the River Wey Navigation and on to Weybridge where that joins the Thames. There are a lot more boats that way and saw a few on the move. Many of the waterfronts have been adapted.A few people fishing as there had been the day before. Saw a shoal of good sized possibly chub about 40cms long.  A nice bit of graffiti under the M25.Managed a pint and a bag of nuts for lunch.Had a bit of a problem folding up the brompton at the end and had to phone their support number. Got there in the  end. Did about 20 miles plus a couple walking. In the evening we went to a pub called The Red Lion in Horsell and had a really nice meal. I went for the liver. Watched the end of France v Portugal. Finished 2 2 as did Germany v Hungary. As a result we play Germany in the next round. We packed up and parked at the history centre on Thursday morning and I headed off into town. Then a major incident occurred as M had lost the camera. She checked the car and I went back to the flat but no luck. It turned up at the history centre front desk.  I had a look round The Lightbox, a sort of art gallery/local museum. There was an exhibition by  a guy called Michael Aryton that was quite good. I also learned that Brookwood cemetery was created to hold all London's dead with 2 trains a day but it didn't really take off. Another sculpture outside.

Had a bit of lie in and went for a swim on Thursday morning. Cut the lawn in the afternoon. Went to the Fishermans in the evening with Kevin and Penno. Turns out she knows Morwenna from Reading college who has just started coming on the walks. Small world. Got wet on the way there and back but it was quite warm so didn't seem to matter. Rained most of the day on Friday so started on the Tumbling Dice video. Kelvin, Andy, Ralph and Sue came round to watch England v Scotland in the evening. It was like old times particularly as the football was a bit dull ending 0 0. A good start to the day on Saturday, had a long lie in. Watched France v Hungary in the afternoon. From Budapest, full stadium, no social distancing. The games in the UK are only 25% capacity. Finished 1 1. Watched Germany beat Portugal 4 2 in the evening. That was from Munich and social distancing was in place. James phoned on Sunday morning as it was Father's day which I hadn't realised. Embarrasingly we were still in bed. Did a first export of the Tumbling Dice video and was quite pleased with it so published it.Watched Wales loose to Italy 1 0 and down to 10 men but they still finished second in their group so go through to the knockout stages.

We went for our PCR surge tests on Monday morning. These were at the new park and ride place at the entrance to the Oracle buisness park. Run by the RAF. You do it my yourself in the car. Very similar to the lateral flow test. I.e. use a swab at the back of your throat (on your tonsils if you have any) then up your nose. You then put that in a tube with a bit of liquid in the bottom. It then all goes in a bag which someone takes off you with some long handled tongs. You then register your test online and should get the results within 24hrs. For the lateral flow you shake the tube and squeeze a couple of drops of the liquid onto a plastic indicator and you get the results in 30 mins. If you get a second line where the T is its +ve. You're still supposed to register the result.The PCR test instructions were a bit confusing in that they mention blowing your nose on a tissue and using hand sanitiser so I assumed these would be the test kit. There was a pad that we assumed was the tissue so both blew our noses on it. It turns out this was an absorbant pad to go in the bag in case the tube leaks. Plenty of staff to help you with any queries though. Flash your hazards when you're done. Got the test results by email early on Tuesday morning and we're negative.

M went swimming and I did the loop out to Theale, Pangbourne and Mapledurham on Monday morning. Saw a strange zebra-like horse in Hardwick Stud. Also feathers on all the fence posts near Mapledurham.Lovely afternoon so just chilled in the garden and re-strung the acoustics. Some scientists are suggesting a delay in full relaxation of lockdown because of the rise in cases and the Indian variant (B.1.617.2) which has now been labelled the Delta variant. Took the car in for a free health check on Tuesday morning. All OK. Then went for a ride out to Sonning then looping North and returning via Mapledurham. Very hot, used sun cream for the first time this year. Lots of people out and about it must be half term. Its been annouced that Glasgow is moving to level 2 from Saturday so we can go up on 11th as planned. Contacted Ralph as not heard from him for a while. He's OK but phone had been hacked. On Wednesday morning did a ride out through Green Park to Theale and back along the Kennet. Spotted a cow all by itself and in distress as it didn't seem to be able to get up. Went to Holybrook farm to report it but they already knew. Met up with Kevin, Adrienne and Penno in the Nags in the evening. On Thursday M went to the BRO to do some research. I waited in for the chap to fix the dishwasher then went for a ride. A really good mainly off road loop south and up to Sonning. Met up for first Thursday drinks in the Greyfriar in the evening. Good to see them open again. Apart from the Hop Leaf I think its my favourite pub in town. On Friday cycled out to the Loose Cannon Brewery in Abingdon with Andy. Nice taproom and beers. We had intended to cycle all the way along cycle route 5 but had a delayed start due to rain so got a train to Cholsey. Got the train back from Didcot as planned. They are starting surge testing for our postcode area next week as cases are rising. We have 92 per 100,000 which is the fifth highest in the UK. Had a lazy day on Saturday. M's hip was playing up so popped into town for some pain killers. Very busy. Did a society walk on Sunday round Ewelme. Some picturesque poppy fields.The walk seemed longer than usual.