The organist librarian

Trevor and Dave It was great having Louise home for lunch. To 10 pin bowling - buses were dreadful so I was a little late. However 11 teams took part and St John's Redhill won complete with a turkey by Alistair in their last round. Royal Russell school sent 6 teams. I took photos and gave out the certificates and trophy. A good time was had by all despite the NOISE and the darkness! Much moaning about RSCM! To St Gertrude's South Croydon for Mass. Asked Fr McCarthy if he was coming to Catenian clergy supper. To Hyderi Ismaili centre in Streatham for meal and Ramadan prayers - everything translated for us on screens! Excellent talks on interfaith co-operation by Rev Alan Gadd, an excellent young sheikh born in Streatham and an Orthodox rabbi who is totally opposed to Zionism! Most interesting but it did go on rather late! Met Ebrahim and he expressed interest in coming to meet our cathedral group. Also a delightful man rather like Zia called Rahman who was most helpful. Sunday ...

Busy day Thursday - Gillian started from Balham and is excellent. Did health and safety with her, Francis and Moses. Dead squirrel to be removed Wednesday. Fibre optic cable installed. To chorus for Berlioz Te Deum with Aidan Oliver - he is very good. Friday only 3 on but managed to get to interfaith lunch for a bit. Molly and Ella started at choir and very enthusiatic - we began with Harvest samba which they know. 4 at practice including Dudley - I sang bass. Louise and Bruce at St John's practice. I had a lie-in Saturday and Liz barbecued lamb chops.

To see Vickie and hymns chosen to end of December. To St Michael's - 60 there. Graham Powell of Limpsfield plays well. He played Vierne Hymne au soleil, Buxtehude, Howells, Langlais, Karg-Elert and Stanford Postude in D minor. I was a little puzzled by the Langlais Trois meditations sur le sainte Trinite. The programme notes said the St Anne fugue was present in all 3 movements but it eluded me! Home for lunch and then to Hinsley Room for interfaith group meeting. 6 came and we discussed the prayers for the Jews and others on Good Friday as in Anglican and Catholic liturgy (Alan Gadd kindly provided the Anglican ones). To National Gallery for a recital by the Seleljo duo saxophone and piano. They were born in Ukraine but educated in Hungary and Erzsebet is studying at the Royal College. She wore an attractive 20s style dress and plays really well. John Carmichael was present for his Fetes Champetres. Other works by Demersseman,Decruck, Tzkacs, Zador and Bonneau. To cathedral for Jo...

The final Etihad flight to Heathrow went smoothly. Watched "Cactus" "It happened in Vegas" which was funny and "The Visitor" which is about immigrants and might change a few minds. Landed early 6.30 and home at 9.l5 p.m. Sunday to church and we sang John Harper's attractive Hymn for Matthew as we were celebrating his day. Liz went to celebration at White City and we all met up for lunch at Lou and Tom's. bruce came too. It being London Open day I had hoped to get to the Ismaili centre in Kensington but ended up parking outside the Institut Francaise and saw the library - 1930s. We watched part 1 and 2 of "Tess of the d'Urbervilles". Monday 83 emails to deal with and various things. Ryan had stuck a poster on the front window because the sun got in his eyes - - why nobody removed it is beyond me. New staff starting this week which is good but Rachel has to go to occupational health in October so another delay. Did not go to RSCM commit...

Thursday we took John and Ann out to dinner at the Lobster Pot. It was an excellent meal. I had surf and turf, John had steak, Liz kingklip thermidor and Ann calimari. Friday we said goodbye and booked online for the Etihad flights. John has wonderful pictures in his office and study including a smiling Jesus. On return to the house found the front door key would not turn at all and Liz had bolted the back door so Joy got Ann's keys from the Village of Happiness where she works. John took us on a tour of the village on Thursday afternoon and they hope to retire there. Lovely place - much nicer than Castle Hill! Last visit to Hibiscus Mall to get embroidery thread and spices and biscuits and picnic lunch. Delivered car back without a problem and walked to airport in rain. Kahlua flight OK and Etihad flight to Abu Dhabi long but fine. Reading Walter Macfarlane's book on St John's prep which is fascinating - he was one of our favourite teachers and we met him in 2002.

Wednesday at last a swim in Granny's rock pool, Southbroom. Cold and bracing! Walked on Ramsgate beach. Lunch at Hibiscus Mall (lovely bookshop) and found Catholic church (foundation stone blessed by Archbishop Hurley and consecrated by Cardinal Napier who hails from Kokstad!) Back to Southbroom but high tide. Thursday to 9 a.m. Eucharist for which Mona played. Jenny there and had coffee afterwards. Another great sermon from John on forgiveness. Finished reading Michael Yancey's book "Disappointed with God" which John had lent me and I found excellent. Swam in the Margate beach olympic pool which was initially cold and Liz went in the sea which was warm. I seem to have omitted to mention our interesting visit to the crocodile farm and Waffle house at Ramsgate once the tea house of the blue lagoon!

Tuesday 16th First to Shelley BEach but the rock pool bleak and windy too. To Lake Eland where we saw eland, blesbuck, zebra, monkeys (Vervet and Samango) impala, warthogs. Bought a wooden mother and child. Then drove through Oribi gorge - lovely scenery. In the evening to Hibiscus choir rehearsal for carols - not bad. Andrew was there who had preached at Trafalgar. Also Wyn who had been at dinner on Monday. Choir not bad - extraordinary piano arrangements with wierd harmonies. Played Ann's piano and discovered Rutter's Angels carol in the stool and the South African national anthem. John does most of the cooking and he does it really well and we enjoyed real porridge and paw paw for breakfast on the stoep with it's stunning view out to sea.

St Simon the Zealot Trafalgar Rose early for 7 a.m. Eucharist with John preaching brilliantly. Dad would be so proud to hear him. Then to St Simon's Trafalgar where I played for the service. This included the Lees Lord's prayer which Dad incinerated at St Mark's! Gloria quite nice. This was much appreciated - the organ is an electronic which is no great shakes but at least it has a full pedalboard. Great tea afterwards with chocolate cake. John and Ann took us to lunch at Riptide above Southbroom beach and we enjoyed seafood. Had a sleep after lunhc. Found I woke at 4 and 5 am but slept in between. Monday was John's day off and so he took us to visit Jenny Mitchell on her farm. Fascinating historical material and she lent me 3 books. We saw where the June floods had swept all away. Also about the Royal visit in 1947. Then down to Port Edward to tour a coffee farm whcih was interesting and we went up the lighthouse. We had lunch at the coffee farm. I had not been so far...

Saturday 13th after such a wonderful evening we drove to the airport missing an important turning (not signposted properly) and going via the Northern suburbs motorways (traffic fast). Plenty of time to book into Kahlua airlines who treated evrything as a joke. Sat next to Scott former swimming champion and very good company. One hour flight to Durban and picked up car. This was Europcar and we were unab;e to increase the insurance cover! However we were given a larger car! Drove down highway to Margate with no problems and arrived at St Margaret's church. Lovely to see John and Ann again and we were given the bishop's room!

Soweto contrasts from squatter camp to Holiday Inn and World cup stadium Friday we saw Rob after breakfast and Bruce our mini coach driver arrived to take us on a tour of Soweto. Much had changed since 1970 and we saw no libraries. We walked round a squatter area and visited a home - the family from the Cape. Bought a green stone carving of the eye looking at everything. The tour ended at the Pietersen museum on the site of the Orlando student demonstrations. It was a moving experience and a harrowing one too. Very well done with all sides represented. Bruce returned us in time for lunch. We visited the new college shop and bought a hat and 2 books. We had already met Jean in the school library (my favourite haunt) and I presented the book I had read on the plane "South Africa; how are you?" to the library. She took us to see the museum which is fascinating and we enjoyed a walk from the prep along the Long walk as the sun set. The reunion of 1963/4 was a...

Deane Yates, Rob Baillie, Mike Matthews, We actually arrived at the club at 10 p.m. Unfortunately driving in the dark I had not realised that Harrow Road was now called Joe Slovo drive and turned into Yeoville. We passed St Aidan's and the Catholic church (both barricaded) and Fortescue Road with potholes and plenty of "urban decay". Eventually we returned to the mian road and reached the college without a problem. Our cottage was comfortable and very convenient. We enjoyed a kuhlau before retiring. I had a horrid dream about buying a house and seeing a man in a tree and insisting on going out while Liz said stay inside!On the plane I had seen much of "Earth" based on "Life on earth" and listend to Aled Jones! Thursday 11th. Rob Baillie swept us up after lunch for a whistlestop tour of the college and I played the chapel organ for 30 minutes - it is a fine Cooper Gill and Tomkins job from 1972 in memory of Noel Iverson who never wanted an orga...