The organist librarian

There was a good congregation for the service. We had a quintet and we sang Psalm 121 to Barry Rose's chant, Thou knowest Lord and Nunc Dimittis to Tonus peregrinus - the latter 2 unaccompanied as the keyboard is so naff! I played Vierne Epitaphe, 2 Brahms choral preludes and angel's farewell from Gerontius at the end. The hymns were Praise my soul, Lord of all hopefulness, Love divine and Immortal invisible and we used "O Lord hear my prayer". There was time for me to light 4 candles for the grandparents and all the names were read out. Arnold's 5th symphony on way home and William Mathias on The Choir with Stephen Cleobury.

Played the Howells Sine nomine prelude today and we sang Harris Holy is the true light. Congregation liked the drone effect during the said Eucharistic prayer but the pedal is too loud so not using that again. Molly practised and so did I including Howells Psalm Prelude Set 1 no 2. To Bromley for pie at the Partridge as Liz was rehearsing Howells Requiem at Bromley Parish church for Tuesday. Spoke to Dennis and watching "The big silence" for the bits I missed when I dropped off. Marvellous programme.

Friday missed swim again. More at practice and started on some carols after doing all the November music. I have started reading the new Alexander McCall Smith book and also the third Corduroy Mansions book online from the Telegraph. Saturday woke late and in for 10 a.m. There is no point in being too early and not getting the time back. Sent Meryl an email about the need for a new desk as we were very busy with queues. Have started getting rid of old videos and clearing up - only a month to go. To Tooting Bec for first Mass of All Saints with a visiting priest elderly but pleasant and he spoke about his family in the homily. Good programme on BBC on Piero della Francesca's Baptism.

Woke too late to go swimming. To South London interfaith group lunch at Quaker meeting house, Streatham - big discussion about the cuts. PRP midterm interview with Chris. To Catenian council at Colin's - carols are wanted at the Christmas party.

To see Vickie at 99a St Andrew's Road which has a lovely garden and very homely - much nicer than the vicarage which is being rebuilt.Short discussion about going freelance which makes sense. Am reading Introduction to Buddhism - it might be that the MA in Abrahamic religions is a better option? To St Michael's - a good audience for Marilyn Harper - the end of the series. Chat to Dorio Melfi. John Blitheman, Alain and Rheinberger Sonata No 8 including the mighty Passacaglia. To Acton in 45 minutes - connections all worked. Just missed Grainne who had taken Liz over. Ciarán brightened up on my arrival and laughed at sneezes! We were home by 8.30 and watched The Apprentice - Melissa has gone - hurrah!

Monday on till 8. 3 PRP interviews! Tuesday swam 30 as didn't sleep well again! One PRP interview and more clearing up. Home at 2 ans watched "The Silence" from Worth Abbey and St Bueno's. Harry Mellor picked us up Russell hotel Maidstone for mercifully short Provincial council meeting and a very nice dinner. We sat with the Aitkins. Home by 11 Harry hit a wall coming onto the M20 but OK. He is 82!

Took car seat from David to Grainne's.Only 4 in choir so we did Rutter and Howells My eyes for bueaty piane. I played Bedrich Janacek and Vaughan Williams on Hyfrodol. My playing is much more confident since the recital! Practised with Molly and organ. To St Leonard's Streatham for Lambeth interfaith meeting about helping the poor. Met the Imam. Rabbi and Fr Tom from Corpus Christi also spoke well. I quoted Lord Gummer about the widening gap between rich and poor in UK and that there are more middle class people in India than in Western Europe. Back to Coulsdon by bus (5th time this week) for Churches together in Coulsdon Bible Sunday service whcih was well attended. Watched Downton Abbey and Antiques roadshow.Nearly finished the Tablet already!

Did not sleep well again. Put away short sleeved shirts and sorted out some to give away - I won't need so many now! Haircut and tidying up. Arrived at St Andrew's early and set out cakes for the break, Rather disturbed by man who came in and said he wanted to sit in the church. I said I was sorry but No as I was on my home, He said "What are churches for? " but he left. The recital went well. I played Peeters, Ireland, Howells, Jackson and Armstrong Gibbs and it was appreciated. Norman Harper was complimentary and did not know Howells Sine Nomine prelude. After juice and cakes Martin Ball spoke about King's Cambridge organ and Rodney Williams spoke about being a chorister under Boris Ord. He was amusing and Charles Hazell joined in. Ann was there too - nice to see her again. To Cathedral and got diary at St Paul's. Vespers and Mass - Mill Hill fathers and Challoner choir singing Peter Hurford's In the hour of my distress and an unaccompanied Tantum ergo w...

Swam 40 lengths and pleased pool has reopened but gents change room in darkness! Had a run in with cleaner about cleaning downstairs and gardener about removing ivy. Comments form said staff were inflexible - can only think of 1 such! Lady distraught that library might close so I assured her that one of the busiest in London would not close! David came to lend car seat for Alexis and he folded up the playpen. Only 3 at practice as Jenny coming back from Lincoln and Bob in hospital with stroke.

To Coulsdon to discuss Nov music with Vickie who is very comfortable at 99a St Andrew's Road while the vicarage is rebuilt. She is quite relaxed about me going free lance. To St Michael's for Richard Cook's recital. Franck Chorale 3, Stanley and Jongen Sonata Eroica. He played well. Evensong from Tewkesbury featured Ascribe unto the Lord. To St Mary le Bow where I met Liz who had been in Bow and Spitalfields. Lord Gummer spoke without notes on social justice and it was most interesting. To the cathedral for David Hill's recital - Howells, Willan, Franck, Roger-Ducasse, Gardonyi, JSB - a varied programme. To Jugged Hare for drinks with Richard Cook, Stephen Disley and his Dad, Adrian and Carl. Today finished at 6 and watched The Apprentice as no internet downstairs for some reason. Liz went to chorus to take Stefan a letter.

Up early having woken at 3am mulling over retirement speech -once again the pool was closed so early to work and cleared up outside including a tramp's clothes, bedding, bottles and syringes! Did a lot of donations and more clearing out. To Maureen's farewell do at HDLS at Wandsworth Town and everyone talking about mine! To ENO for Handel's Radamisto - lovely sets and costumes and stunning singing especially from Lawrence Zazzo and Ailish Tynan.

Awoke early so walked to the pool only to find it closed as pumps had broken down. Met Geoff Boulton on the early train. I fixed up a wire cover over the desk wires using my electric screwdriver and also fixed a broken drawer. Did a lot of clearing out in staff room and music and basement. Have now got a recycling bin in each room. Tired out - had chicken and Christmas pudding left from yesterday's lunch. Harry will give us a lift next Tuesday.

Worked Saturday and before I left tidied up and hoovered as Ciarán and Louise came to stay! To St Anselm Tooting for Mass. Ciarán awake at 7am Sunday - I worke 3 to 5 am so read Tablet - I did crossword. We sang Boyce Alleluia at Coulsdon and first outing for the John Harper settings. Molly rehearsed and I got tradecraft stuff and practised for my recital. After lunch took Ciarán and Louise home. He is trying a step and enjoyed the lake this morning. At St John's sang Gibbons short service and Ireland Greater love - Liz did the solo. Howells Psalm Prelude Set 1 no 1 at the end.Martin Baker remarked that he only played Howells twice a year at the Abbey - not enough I say!

Thursday finished at 2 and met Liz at the Royal Academy. The Treasures of Budapest very well displayed with brown walls. Odd how the really great paintings stand out in such a collection - Raphael, Goya, Monet, Toulouse Lautrec. Interesting to see work by some of the artists mentioned in Caravaggio: a life sacred and profane by Andrew Graham-Dixon which I have just finished. Tea in the friends room and a stroll round Fortnum and Mason - brilliant presentation of tea! Walked to St Martin's in the Fields where we had chicken supreme in the cafe. Our Metro offer seats in the upper circle were good and we thoroughly enjoyed Faust which I had not seen on stage. Delicious chocolate icecream at 2nd interval.Lovely music and orchestra under Edward Gardner on great form. Toby Spence excellent and a brilliant production and more religious than I expected. We met John Almeida on the train.Friday staff meeting and Julian came to do PRP interview. At choir we tried the John Harper settings.

Spoke to Ann briefly and prepared organ recital programme for October 23rd. Picked up car from near Norwood Junction - did not get messages about it and came home on buses last night. Interfaith group - 7 there and a good discussion. To babysit Ciarán who has made great progress standing well and making more sounds. Louise and Tom went out for a boozy lunch. We had lovely chocolate cake! To chorus where we did carols with Stefan and Liz had brought chocolates to celebrate 40 years in the chorus! She is one of the longest serving members.

Monday enjoyed Voces 8 concert at St Mary at Hill. I was on until 8 and pretty tired. Tuesday reading group discussed "Wolf Hall" and surprised how many did not like it! They seemed upset that I am retiring - you've only just come!

Had a wierd dream about driving in Oz to a holiday house and Liz said we would have to share the house. The man was nice but his wife was not. First thing happened he went in the one bathroom and I was going to be late for church and burst into tears in the kitchen saying the holiday was ruined! To 8am Mass at St Mary's - not a great experience - priest uses voice box and is sometimes intelligible and a man moans at the back all the time and loudly! Harvest at Coulsdon was not a Eucharist as Vickie in Israel and Teresa in hospital. We saw a presentation about Tanzania and sang Harvest samba to the CD. Choir sang Thou visitest the earth by Greene. Practised and bought guide cakes. Harvest lunch quiche and damson crumble - very nice. Evensong from Lincoln Dyson in F and we sang it later at St John's along with King of Glory by Grayston Ives. David Bednall on The Choir on Radio 3.

Spirituality day with Fr Robin Burgess on Benedictine prayer was excellent and he did not use notes! Thursday on to 8 and tired. Friday to funeral Mass of Bob Macey Bromley circle Catenian - church was packed so stood in the porch. A big family. Sorry to miss the good wine at the reception - there were lots of jokes. Fr David O'Regan and Canon Jack Madden were there. Walked to Bromley South and to work. Liz was at Bow and then at Acton. Saturday to work (swapped Saturday for the Papal visit) so doing 3 in a row - putting music scores back onto the catalogue. At lunch time went to artist's open studio at 175 Ramsden Road - lovely sunny pictures. To Martin Baker's recital at St John's. excellent Bach Passacaglia, Howells and Vierne and clever impro on chimes of Big Ben and the Archers! Terence, Ian, Christopher, Michael, Martin and Peter Wright there but not a big audience. Walked home - Liz at Bow to see Dennis.

I found Louise's video of Ciarán pushing the walker we gave him and then saw a whole lot more videos of him I had somehow missed. What a star! Seemed to have missed Ann as got up late. Dentist is postponed so I can help clear upstairs. Big clean happening at Bow today. I am going to spirituality day and then to Acton.

Monday letter is written and retirement on Nov 30th! To Catenians only 12 there and a Beckenham brother acted as chamberlain. Colin was chatting about the Pope and David had seen my Tablet letter. He borrowed the Oberammergau book. Tuesday told staff about retirement - some not surprised. To Southwark cathedral for RSCM open evening. Liz and I did name badges and there was cheese and wine with grapes. Lindsay Gray was there and Ginette Nye's band from St John Redhill was impressive. The choristers of Croydon Parish church sang well and Peter Wright played the organ including the Widor Toccata.

Saturday to Mass at Tooting Bec. Instead of a homily we had an appeal for Cafod which was overlong. At Coulsdon we had 2 baptisms and we sang Alan Smith's "Like the dove". To St Teresa of the Child Jesus, Morden for baptism of Clodagh McGovern along with 4 others. Could not hear the priest except when he sang! A great opportunity to reach out to the unchurched missed - no Bible reading, no homily. In fact chaos with cameras everywhere. To The Surrey Arms for nice lunch - we were with Jan. Home to hear evensong from Southwark.

Wednesday was our day out by coach. We crossed to Anglesey and visited St Siriol's cell and well at Memnon Priory which houses some fine crosses. At Beaumaris we had a simple lunch and ice cream at the Red Boat. The parish church is fine and in each place we had a simple liturgy. The misericords are fine and it was a pity we could not play the organ. At Bangor cathedral we sang vespers with organ interludes in the Magnificat. This did not work as well as it should have done as there was no censing! About 30 people came to listen. Abbot Richard was on the organ beforehand so I never got a chance to play. After supper we much enjoyed a traditional Welsh harper who sang and played. The weather was great after lunch with stunning views on the drive back over the Menai bridge. My 64th birthday was celebrated with chocolate cake and an informal concert. Sr Julian also has her birthday on the same day - she is from Stanbrook now moved to Yorkshire and is a delight! On Friday we had a free...

We set off on Monday to Euston. In the end we got the underground from Brixton. Changed at Chester where we met Anne Holt and at Llandudno Junction we met Fr Martin from Downside. We were collected at the station by Sister Jean and had our session with Fr Henry Wansborough on the new translation of the psalms - he is such an interesting speaker and humourous. It was great to see old friends again like Sr Madeleine Cuddy and Fr Philip. Abbot Richard from Roscrea and Fr Aelred from Northern Ireland were excellent cantors. We soon settled into the monastic routine of mattins and Vespers with sung eucharists for Anglicans and Catholics. John Harper produced some fine simple settings and gave excellent talks about liturgy and music. The food was very good. On Tuesday I skipped workshops (might have tried zither!) to go with Liz on the tram up the Great Orme and then on the cable car back to the pier. We saw the Barbary sheep and enjoyed the fine views and display at the top. We all missed F...