The organist librarian

Tuesday 34 lengths as I woke up late having woken at 4 a.m. I was exhausted on Monday after PRP interview and important meeting about the choir. I was too tired to nip into the after Beckenham meeting for a drink so came home and got an early night. I am enjoying "The white tiger" very much and read it in the park at lunch time. I do love the spring with daffodils and crocuses out and the sun shining. PRP interview with Marie from Tooting - she is a delight and we are lucky to have her until the library reopens in December. She comes from Mauritius and has a slight French accent. Liz joined me for the musical at Battersea Park school. As guests we enjoyed bucks fizz in the headmaster's office before the show which was excellent. Not my kind of music or singing but all did really well and we enjoyed it. The cast were clearly enjoying themselves not least the lead who had an infectious grin. Straight to bed as tired out and woke at 4 a.m. Had a lie-in - no sign of Ann on Sk...

To Grandma's with lunch from Marks and Spencer for £15 - beef, vegetables, Chilean red wine and berries in jelly. To St Augustine's Grove Park for recital by Robert Munns and Sally Johnson marking anniversaries - Haydn, Handel, Mendelssohn, Purcell, Avison, Eben, Mathias, Ireland and Bridge. A good concert well thought out. Watched The No 1 ladies detective agency - delightful! Monday 34 lengths. To tai chi. To St George's Beckenham to see Nigel Groome with Vicky and John. Met some Catenians on way to Beckenham meeting! A positive and helpful meeting.

As I was up too early I was able to watch "No 1 ladies detective agency" on Iplayer. It was a family service today so we sang Taize Kyries, Anne Quigley's lovely "There is a longing" as a response to the prayers and Arcadelt "Ave Maria" during the distribution of the flowers. One unexpected aspect was guides giving the choir flowers while singing the anthem! Molly and Ella were admitted to the choir which is a joy and baby Pieter den Cate was dedicated. I congratulated Tim West on his engagement and bought a fruit cake. We had some cava to toast Pieter. We sang David Ogden's beautiful tender song based on St Anselm and this fitted the liturgy perfectly. As a mother cradles her child, so you enfold us, gently in your arms. As a mother comforts their pain, you calm and quieten our souls with your love. As a mother teaches her child, so, Lord, you guide us, leading us through life. As a mother listens and cares, O Lord, you hear us and answer our pray...

Just listening on Iplayer to evensong from Westminster Abbey featuring Purcell.

Bill Clark came to talk to the reading group about "The Mayor of Garratt". As Gill was off sick I was unable to stay in the staff room for the session but they clearly enjoyed it. He was delayed by car and underground. The book is unwieldy and needs editing. He is a true enthusiast. The library was quiet perhaps because it was a lovely day again. To Vespers and Mass - Fr Kingsley celebrated. The young choir from St Martin's Ampleforth sang really well - "Come unto him" from Messiah and Panis angelicus. Rose vestments for Laetare Sunday. I left after communion and got straight on a district line train. At Earls Court straight onto a train and at Putney Bridge a 270 bus so I was at Putney church by 7.25! The Thorington players are amateur. They played the overture to Idomeneo. Martin Neary played Bach's Fantasia in G on the smallish organ. The acoustic is odd perhaps because of the ceiling. The church has been much improved with an adjoining cafe and upstairs ...

34 lengths today and a lovely clear day if a little colder so lunch in the park. We had a theatre show for the kids - 3 groups came but one lot did not show. £325 for 2 actresses. To choir practice and Caroline is back from Oz so I filled her in on what has been going on and some of my frustration! We worked on Palm Sunday and "Cross of Christ" and Easter Day including the Haydn Mass so went on a bit late. I have made admission cards for Molly and Ella for Sunday. Also done the October 10 pin bowling booking form. I watched programme on Tom Driberg and the remainder of "Margaret" - Lyndsay Duncan excellent and John Sessions perfect as Geoffrey Howe. One even felt sympathy for her despite what she did to our country! Also saw a short programme on women becoming Chelsea Pensioners! Purcell evensong from Westminster Abbey. The cathedral is hosting Wednesday organ recitals again but free this time.

30 lengths - tad busy! The outreach leafleting is going well. To Royal Academy for members preview of Kuniyoshi prints. I do nto know much about Japan and Japanese art. These are very colourful and often amusing. Also found the superb Michelangelo Tondo and looked at videos of modern architects commenting on Palladio. Got straight on a 14 bus. I was thinking how so many people come to London for the theatre and we never go, nor to the cinema and even the opera! When I retire I can do all these things. I had a judge in today in denial about turning 60 and getting his freedom pass - crazy - it's great to have such a facility and it should be extended to the trains in the morning. Edward rehearsed Rachmaninov with speech coach and the rest of the programme. Finished late so we got home 10.30 p.m.

Monday Dennis went with Grandma to hospital to see the geriatrician and he flew back to Dublin. I missed swimming and said goodbye. It was great to have him here! Tuesday to Barnes for rehearsal of Bach motet "Jesu meine freude" with David Cairns. This was held in a fabulous music room complete with bookshelves and sculptures. The Torrington singers are good - 5 on each part. Martin Neary was playing the piano!Francis Herbert walked back to the station with me. Liz got home after me - she had enjoyed St Patrick's party at the cathedral featuring dancers and the Cardinal! Again overslept so no swim but I did go to tai chi on Monday. Wednesday watched last bit of other faiths programme and Turkey. To Royal Academy to see the Palladio exhibition with excellent audio guide. I have been to Vicenza so it was most interesting. Passed Sir Roy Strong in the street! 6 at interfaith group and we did not need the prepared materials as Indra talked about India! 4 served at Mass and I ...

I got annoyed at practice this morning - too much talking and back chat about Hilary Lystan Jones' excellent vocal tips. We sang Attwood's "Turn thy face from my sins" and my attempts to improve the diction were met with .... I played some Buxtehude and practised the Dorian. Just a minute on the radio coming home and picked up Liz at East Croydon. Dennis went over to Bow to sort out agreement so I went to the South London interfaith group AGM at St Mary's West Croydon. Excellent talks on Jainism and Zoroastrianism and I think the speakers may come to my group also a Sikh! Watched Baroque, Lark rise and No 1 ladies detective agency until Ann and Louise were on skype!

Friday's practice went well. Bob and Monica swelled our numbers as Karen and Janet were both off sick and we worked on "The Cross of Christ". Molly arrived in an outlandish outfit for Red Nose Day! Dennis arrived safely from Ireland with lovely linen napkins and a hilarious tea towel about tourists. Saturday was a delightful day. Dennis and I met Bruce at the Royal Academy and we went round the Byzantium exhibition using the excellent audio guide -saw several things I had missed before despite the crowds. Spotted the Bishop of London arriving with black hat! Had tea in the members room - much less crowded than last time. Dennis bought us the lovely catalogue and I got some postcards. Bruce is off to Birmingham to the new job and had been complimented by the managing director of Evans! Dennis went off the bank, cycle shop and hairdressers. I got the tube to Guys Hospital chapel for the RSCM event with Hilary Lystan Jones. She was excellent on the physiology of singing whic...

40 lengths today despite a busy pool! Did lots more emails inviting people to come in and use the library more. Liz sorted out the drains by clearing what appears to have been an airlock. Watched 2 more programmes in the Around the world in other faiths series which has been excellent. More wedding photos from Dennis and AnnMarie at last! Tax man has decided organ shoes do not qualify unless they are unusable as ordinary shoes which is in fact the case - they are dance shoes!

Set out the black sheet in the garden ready for more stones. Chatted to David up the road and little Katy - amazing how he climbs over their fence and walks about in bare feet. He will take some of our sawn up tree for his garden. To Wandsworth Unison AGM which was not quorate. John Hawes is applying for verger job at Salisbury Cathedral. 3 good speakers. 7 servers at Mass including Joseph who does all sorts of extra bows! 7 at Lent group which Virginia led. Pauline said she has spoken in tongues. We considered Pentecost and the early church living in common which sadly soon split. Saw Tanya and Sam outside Victoria station - Sam used to go to Newton prep and now goes to Heathbrook school. Watched programmes on the baroque and the Okavango flood.

Able to chat to Ann as we have a new mike and headphones set. Dennis is coming over at the weekend so Royal Academy card will be useful on Saturday morning. John came in last night to tighten up connections under sink and he tried to lift manhole cover. Liz was at servers council meeting for which she now takes minutes. Several nice replies to emails at work about using the library more.

Compline went OK - 5 in choir and 6 congregation joining in - described as "singalong" this morning. I played most of Mendelssohn 6 - another favourite!

Friday afternoon I went along to the school to visit Eunice in the library and see the artwork. The Picasso and Chesterton school stuff will be displayed at the library. I then went to the Rose community clubroom to see the display about the proposed new U.S. Embassy which looks impressive.

We had 7 servers at Mass last night so we had 4 consecration torches! The Challoner choir ruined Tallis and Purcell. Enjoyed Acts 2 and 3 of Madama Butterfly from the Met on the way home on Radio 3 - definitely a "Desert island disc"! Watched Grand designs and a programme on Victoria's men. Today we sang Mudd's "Let thy merciful ears" and Charles Wood. It went well but I had a frog in my throat which was a nuisance - might be getting a cold! Only one swim this week as overslept. Did get to tai chi. Our dishwasher and sinks are blocked so I opened the Ubend after lunch only to get my trousers soaked. Liz's tights were ruined as there was chemical in the water. Louise and Tom are enjoying the Maher wedding in Melbourne. Bruce's drains are blocked again. The rowan tree is removed and no sign of honey fungus we hope or the birch might be infected too. To lose the birch tree as well would be too much!

Saturday Feb 28th to Royal School of Church Music sessions at Gary Weston library, Southwark cathedral. Met the new director Lyndsey Gray who is impressive and I gave him some RC contacts. The presentations and discussions were helpful and there was opportunity to flag up concerns. In particular we have lost the "Martin Hows" available to come and advise at practices. To Vespers and mass - I was thurifer as Liz was due to go to Milton Keynes to meet Shirley and Flo but Grandma wasn't up to it. Sunday March 1 First of Lent. Nigel Groome RSCM rep came to practice and service. He said "Well done". Bishop Nick of Croydon presided and preached - he told Vickie the choir sounded good and they did well. To Sandra and Dave's in Chislehurst with Bruce for Gill's 60th birthday - surprise party which was great. Lots to eat! Monday March 2 Catenian meeting. Everyone enjoyed the 1000th - it was good to see Richard Nash there. Eric Tope is to be V.P. and he gave me a ...