The organist librarian

Sent by Ann

Monday to Beckenham circle arriving late - found a good way tube to Stockwell, tube to Brixton, train to Beckenham junction. Long chat to John Parker was GLC architect. Meryl has been twice to look at selfissue positioning and take photos for possiboe refurb. Tuesday off at 2 after more weeding. Picked up Harry Mellor and drove to Redlibbets golf club near Sevenoaks for provincial council meeting. New PP Peter Stevens urged us to be more professional and then waffled on and gave summaries of reports submitted by people sitting there. I got my raffle prize of wine and miniature for 3 years - how long as this sentence? Wed lie-in and spoke to Ann at length. To St Michael's for Gary Sieling's recital of anniversaries - Stanley Vann, Schumann, Boyce, Wesley. Liz shopped and joined me. Mackerel for lunch. Wrote article for Oremus about interfaith group and rang synagogue. To see Ciarán and he rolled over from back to front for first time. Louise off to Whitney Houston concert. We w...

Dennis offered 4 year job in Manchester which is great. He had 2 other interviews and stayed over. More silly choir comments at practice. Did application for director of music at Clerkenwell RC Sat a.m. Recital at St John's for organists association AGM - one fumble before Mendessohn to find right stops and could not see Great to Pedal in Howells. Adrian to be President elect. Dennis glad I played Dad's suite. To National servers Mass at cathedral - sat in All Souls chapel. Organ very loud and people not singing. Procession out a mess. Tea at M & S then vespers and Mass. Excellent group from Paris sang Sheppard and MacMillan. Lou and Tom out to dinner and Ciarán did not wake. Saw him Sunday a.m. Coulsdon went OK Nicholson in G, Bob Chilcott The Lord is my shepherd, Worthy is the Lamb. Drove to Kennington and tube to Angel. Arrived at St Peter and St Paul Clerkenwell Angel at 12.30 p.m. Competent player (no pedals) on Eminent 2 manual, 2 good singers (professionals). Spoke t...

Liz and I set off via Selhurst only to find delays on the Shepherds Bush line so we got a 49 and Louise had the car ready for the drive to Neasden. Nitin Palan the National interfaith coordinator for the temple made us very welcome. He said the Archbishop had visited in November. He gace us a tour and then we had lunch. The men are separated from the women for the prayers. The exhibition on Hinduism is excellent and we saw a film about the building of the temple in 1999 done by volunteers. The marble carving and wood carvings are exquisite. Ciarán got a little gift too and we were all given booklets (there were 10 of us). I then went to St John's to practise. Watched mastercrafts on stained glass, the end of "A passionate woman" and Tropic of Cancer. A most satisfying day and dialogue should come from this visit.

Monday after finishing at 6.15 to Newton Prep for the 3rd interfaith meeting and we heard from Salim a Bahai journalist from Lambeth. After a break for more eats there was a good discussion about what to do next. Suzanne made a useful point about spiritual and material, body and soul. There were some looking for a practical outcome from our meetings. I thought Salim summed it up with his quote "By their fruits you shall know them". Tuesday was mostly spent on the information desk but I did manage to throw out a lot more thrillers and put up some new style notices.

Andrew Martin kindly sent photos from the Chorus 50th birthday party - I am sporting a bloody nose after a fall!

A day at Coulsdon. We sang Greening's arrangement of "O sons and daughters" and then practised with Molly and pieces for the next few weeks as I had done the May music list this morning. The organ report is rather bland - only 4 faults according to him! To Sutton but the 10 pin bowling super bowl is likely to close so cannot book for October. Have to ring the manager at the end of May. To Oaks Park and sat and read the Tablet and had my picnic. 3 p.m. memorial service for Mark Patterson who died 2 years ago of a heart attack. Started late - played 3 hymns and trumpet voluntary - lots of pop music CDs which are not to my taste. Just because the deceased liked them doesn't make them suitable. Evensong went OK apart from poor Amens in the Reading responses. The Shera canticles and Bach anthem were fine. We sang "At the lamb's high feast we sing". This morning I played the Hallelujah chorus. Home to see Songs of Praise senior choir final - I think Harrogate ...

Friday found that the organ had not been tuned so sent an email to Vincent Coggin. Saturday blue sky all day so fixed the water feature in the garden, hoovered and practised at St John's for the recital next Saturday. The Lewis is a joy to play. Took bedding and clothes to St Vincent's and Liz got dinner at M & S for tomorrow. Fr Tim at Vespers and Mass insisted on candles on the altar which we no longer do! Sine Nomine from Rugby sang well. Byrd, Allegri and Phillips. Like last week finished at 7.15 p.m. Watched Schama on Obama's America and programme on the Earth.Young musician brass final featured Sam of Portsmouth cathedral choir on trumpet.

Staff meeting on Tuesday and training at town hall on new financial system which is much better and even has online tutorials! Swam 40 so am back to form as bus was late on Monday so did not get much time. Catenians on Monday and Eric Tope installed as President. Did tai chi Wednesday morning with DVD - mirrored movements are hard to follow! Liz went to singing lesson with Timothy Penrose. To Coulsdon to see Vickie. Confusion over evensong dates - did not have this coming Sunday and had offered a memorial service at 3 to Kevin so I am doing it. Organ has been tuned and I briefly saw the report from John Norman. No evensong in June but I am requesting support for the May Ascension one. Wants a responsorial psalm in summer. Got trains and tube to Notting Hill to the Gate cinema to see "No Greater love" about Notting Hill Carmelite convent - lovely film with interesting interviews - loved the liturgical bits and the dancing. Liz saw it yesterday. To Courtauld gallery at Somerset...

The Balham library reading group are pretty lively. Once they had stopped talking about politics we talked about "Travels with Herodotus" which only 3 liked. I have now finished "Homeland" by Clare Francis which is excellent and also read Alexander McCall Smith's latest on Botswana - always a pleasure. Wednesday to spirituality day on the Resurrection with Fr Michael Dunne which was excellent. He gave us 7 questions to ponder. Friday Wendy Perriam came with Meryl and her book set in Balham library will be launced there in Sept and she will come to November reading group to discuss it. No choir on Friday and Louise and Ciarán were here for the weekend. I had to work Saturday but finished early to get to Vespers and Mass. Fr Kingsley and Simon Lloyd playing. David Greely was there too as the Lassus scholars had come from Dublin. Ciarán loves to smile at me and is growing well. Had a rare treat of a Sunday off. Visited Grandma and she came to lunch of lamb and pavl...

Maundy Thursday arrived at church to find Vincent Coggin had been and disconnected the flute but was unable to tune as he had no assistant in Holy Week - a lot of use! I used the piano for some of it as we sat in the transept. Vickie washed feet for the first time and we sang "To mock your reign". Psalm 22 went well at the end. Liz was at the cathedral. Good Friday Liz left the car at Victoria for me as she attended the liturgy. I got the train at King's Cross and had a quiet time after the rehearsal. Had a simple lunch at M & S and saw the end of the procession outside King's. Went to evensong at King's with the men only - plain chant and a 3 part motet. The performance went really well and the composer was most complimentary - I never got to speak to him. Jean and her friend accompanied me on the train home - a fleet of taxis got us to the station in good time. What a wonderful work it is! Saturday I was working but I did hear bits of the broadcast and it so...

I was acolyte 7 at the Chrism Mass! Photo by Martin Mazur

The Westminster Lent group booklet was again excellent focusing on Christian Unity. 3 or 4 at my group at 10.45 a.m. on Wednesdays - may not be a good time for people. I have also found the Magnificat booklet helpful and the excellemt meditation on Charles Wesley's hymns.

Lots of MacMillan rehearsals with Nick including rehearsals at Heythrop and St Luke's Old Street causing some ructions at home - you're never home. Delightful dinner at Royal Society of Mediciine with John Thing and Dennis was staying there. Reg Wilcox got his 40 year scroll at Swanley. Enjoyable visits to Ciarán including swimming at the Virgin health club and superb ice cream in Turnham Green! The Archbishop celebrating Mass for 30th anniversary of Oscar Romero. Organists visit to St Etheldreda's, St Alban's Holborn and Anselm and Cecilia Kingsway - 3 contrasting instruments. A good lunch at restaurant where Salvatore (Cathedral server cooks). Palm Sunday Saturday evening Mass crucifer. Acolyte 7 at Chrism Mass- MacMillan fest! Evensong from Ripon on radio 3. Watched Songs of Praise from St Jude's Hampstead and realised Nick was conducting! Excellent meal at Carluccio's with Louise (In Chiswick) having been to Brentford Watermans centre to try musical fun - pi...

I have been laid low with toothache and a sore right ankle. The doctor diagnosed arthritis in the shoulder as causing the tingling in left hand fingers. The dentist prescribed antibiotics and at the moment (touch wood) the pain has gone away but it looks as though the wisdom tooth will be removed as the filling is large and hard to reach. The ankle is a mystery but could be linked to the fall I had outside the hospital when visiting Grandma who has been in and out of King's College hospital and is currently due to come home. Happy Easter!