The organist librarian

Swam 20 and to mosaic. I took my laptop and all enjoyed the Giant's house photos. 10 came to tai chi lunch at Jack's. I had eggs Benedict and chatted to the Japanese lady abut education. Liz had gone to collect Molly. Watched programme on George III, Island parish, university parish Anguilla.

Friday 27th a quiet day at home catching up on emails, etc. and watching Father Brown X 2! University challenge X 3. Saturday to Bloomsbury Baptist for the excellent organ day. Had to drag myself away from Dame Gillian Weir's masterclass on Bach and Franck. She really told us how to play rhythmically. The RCO students with Simon Williams did well.    William Whitehead told us about progress on the Orgelbuchlein project which will feature at the Proms on Reformation Sunday. He played pieces by Ronnie Krippner and Gabriel Jackson. Alexander Binns played Bach and Herbert Brewer and Paul Hale told us all about Binns organs. To vespers and Mass and Peter Stevens played Dorian toccata. Lots of servers. Sunday back to Caterham and trains OK. I played prelude for Candlemas and Moore Light of the nations. Vi and Peter in choir and we managed Nunc dimittis chanted. The communion hymn needs to be on organ. I think Jerry needs to choose well-known hymns to start and at communion. I playe...

To Burns Night at Holy Trinity convent Bromley. This was my official Bromley circle visit and I presented the icon. There was a good contingent from Tunbridge Wells not so many from Bromley. Enjoyed chatting to Andrew and Anna the vicar at Bromley parish church. The food was excellent including haggis duly piped in, cochaleekie soup and cranagh with whisky. The speeches were long and not very understandable apart from the ladies! Lie-in Friday and doing emails including Old Johannian reunion. Phone call from Trail finders managing director and we will get a voucher. he felt the advice we got was not good enough although I think Julian did his best. The Singapore hotel will be rechecked. Watched Father Brown and University challenge.

Went to Acton on trains and arrived after 10 so missed Louise. Tom showed us the work which has been done and it is all excellent. They have gained 2 rooms and a through lounge. Great to see the boys again and they liked the toy bilby and platypus - more presents later. I was very sleepy and slept well when we got home after an early night. Finished the fourth Laurie Lee book they give a great insight into Spain. To art and they liked the NZ biscuits we also had NZ chocolates. Worked on Henry Wood bust.  To interfaith lunch and report on Chennai. I gave out my group leaflets. Had a chat to Sarah about religious education. 

To see doctor Ojo who prescribed antibiotics and cream - it may be a bite! Long wait but he fitted me in. To Penge for AA speed awareness course which was well done. Quite a lot there and good to be reminded of things. Home for dinner and then 2 trains to Swanley. Dave picked me up and provincial council went well although 11 were missing. Bishop Paul spoke well on catechesis and evangelisation also education and interfaith. Mike gave me a lift home. Cold and feeling tired. 

To the airport at Christchurch in heavy rain we said our farewells to the family. Aidan not up. It has been a very happy time together. No problems checking in and getting wheelchair. we ate the rolls Malcolm had prepared and Liz spent the last bit of NZ cash on more gifts. The flight was 11 hours and we had nobody next to us. Not as good a choice of films but enjoyed Bridget Jones the edge of reason again and read Laurie Lee. Wheelchair plane to taxi at Singapore again. back at Park Royal shower and then to Gardens by the bay for the spectacular 15 minute light show. wait for taxi back. we had got cash earlier and bought some things in the supermarket. Slept a few hours showered and bleeding must have been bitten and left at 5.30 a.m. traffic jam near airport but in good time. then a long wait for a chair to go through passports. Special service lounge full and asked twice what was happening. it will happen shortly is no reply. Liz went off to get duty free and the lane took off 30 m...

Our last day of delights with the McCullochs. We picked up Emily who had been to a brunch and Liz watched a busker from the world buskers festival she talked a lot and her main trick was balancing on a large wheel and falling into the wheel. I enjoyed Christchurch art gallery which is splendid. Best bits for me were the landscapes and NZ photography. Beasts and bad hair day exploited the theme with a huge sea lion and cow. Lovely horse paintings. The modern stuff about energies left me baffled. We then walked to the Canterbury museum and did floor 3 brilliant Antarctic stuff, geology, birds, Asian art rather poorly labelled. We had lunch in the cafe and had another look at the Air NZ display the 90 minute turnaround is impressive. Malc picked us up at 3 and Ursula and Aidan had arrived back from the Jazz school in Wellington. Malcolm played his lovely cor anglais then Emily and Malc played Lully flute and oboe duets. Aidan excelled on tenor sax all the while I tried to sketch them. Ma...

To Orana wildlife park. Bernard really enjoyed it. Sunny with a cold breeze. Kiwi, Keas, NZ birds, siamang gibbons, gorillas, plains zebra, white rhinos, bison, yaks, giraffe, ostrich. No sign of tuatara. After lunch we saw lions being fed with people inside the trailer. To ruined cathedral and Quake city which is informative and moving. Played piano and sang Schumann, Purcell, Enigma from laptop. Good dinner of fish with wine from Marlborough Sacred Hill and a 45per cent liqueur from Düsseldorf! Woke at 1 am but slept late.

 Weather bomb hits West coast leading to flooding and landslides. There has been a quake at Kaikoura. As the morning was fine we enjoyed the Botanical garden roses and dahlias. The display is very good and saw a film of the Queen in 1954. Canterbury museum is excellent and we did much of the first floor Maori, Paau house, bit of   Air NZ and had lunch. Must go back. the cardboard cathedral is very impressive and we bought some Christmas decorations. Also lovely soft toys at the museum. We saw the ruined Catholic cathedral and the pro cathedral.very impressive music setup for Don Whelan. The empty white chairs are a moving memorial. New Brighton was windy and a huge beach with pier. Library there closed and many houses demolished especially near the river. We had excellent NZ red wine with spaghetti bologna she and watched hilarious NZ movie with Sam Neill "hunt for the wilder people"

Slept well. To Te Hapua Halswell leisure centre with pool, coffee shop, community  rooms and magnificent new library. We stopped at Little River for coffee, art gallery and shop, Silohotel and old station with shop and historical items. saw cheese making at Barry's Bay. To Giant's house mosaic garden and art gallery amazing. lunch at The Bach pizza. Akaroa museum being rebuilt but a good display and DVD. lovely Menzies carvings. To the harbour and lighthouse. to Lyttelton and much demolished. Supermarket to get food and look al wine an beer. enjoyed Bill Bailey's guide to the orchestra from the Albert hall.

Dear Ann and Paul, Thank you so much for a lovely time together despite the heat! It was such a joy to have the time with Claire, Owen, Mick and Mark. Owen will give you all so much happiness in the years ahead. We have indeed arrived in the land of the shakes and been given advice on what to do - it seems you stay where you are and check for anything which might fall onto you! The evidence of what happened is appalling. The two cathedrals stand ruined and we have already seen much evidence of buildings either gone or rebuilt or just left covered in graffiti some of which is very impressive. I must say the flight was excellent - the staff especially the more mature ladies very helpful and no problems at all with the wheelchair. I watched 3 excellent BBC earth films Wild New Zealand and had a muesli breakfast and Liz had scrambled eggs. We came through very quickly with dogs and X-rays checking the bags. Malcolm arrived soon after and drove us round the centre of the city an area whic...

Delayed as bathroom in use. This place really is a dingy dump. Went with Claire, Owen, Ann and Paul to the Pug and pastry for delicious berry and lemon curd oatcakes. Enjoyed chatting to Owen who smiles and tries to turn over. paul scanned photos and we all enjoyed looking at photo albums. I finished Dad's book apart from the missing sections. After Claire had gone went swimming but my knee played up so only did 10. Sun in my eyes too. After dinner Lauren and Andy came good chat. I went to the shops with Ann a rare opportunity for a quiet chat. It has been most enjoyable but sometimes too many conversations going on! We later heard that Lauren and Andy are engaged! 

a delightful Sunday. We walked to All Saints Petersham with Ann and Paul and the welcome was friendly. Church looks great lovely stained glass covered by screen. Very low church almost Baptist. They do not follow the church year. Had been there before. Met lots of people and wore name badges! Choruses hopeless as tune not played first a concert by singer and noisy band. Paul read well. Children go out chat time. Good sermon on John and enjoyed chat to preacher about Judas, sacrifice, humanism. Sydney diocese doing is own thing. Very nice salad lunch and loved chatting to Owen who is lovely. Dad some sketches. Mick told us his story he has a bad time mother died, father nearly died. Went for Asim. Lebanese takeaway. Went though photo albums. Woke at 3 am. Rather made up for the week just past. Friday was the hottest Sydney night ever! Cannot wait to leave this dingy bnb. Cannot find name of Bronte cafe to review it. 

Another appallingly hot night. Woke early and waited for pickup at 10.30. Did trip advisor reviews. To Sandringham beach on Botany Bay and swam. Sketching. Spilt coffee on my thirst so Paul lent me one. Excellent barramundi at Kiss the Barista. We went to 5 pm mass at Lewisham huge church very dusty from refurbishment. Priest sang very well unaccompanied. People sang Agnus was weakest and reader singing gospel acclamation a third below the priest. Sermon on baptism which was helpful as it emerged later that Mick is not in favour. I had another sleepless sweaty night over this. We all went to see Allied at the. Cinema in the front row which wasn't great. Brad Pitt very good pity about the swearing and violent deaths but well done. I think it wasthe right decision not to go to the cathedral and symphony under the stars with 1000s as it rained later.

I wrote to the children to thank them for the opera and told them about our unhappiness here. Ann took us to Bronte beach the rock pool is much improved but cold. We had delicious fruit pancakes. Went shopping at Broadway and I read my book. Passed Glebe. More work on the book. We took 3 books to the post office it cost 55 dollars by sea. The book about Hobart Town Hall and 2 of Dad's scrapbooks. I went to life drawing at the art gallery and enjoyed it.Had a chat to the model. Home in daylight cathedral looking lovely in the warm sunlight. 2 beers gone from the cupboard there are now 5 sharing one bathroom which is not good. room very hot despite fan. snow at home.

To Gladstone park in Balmain on the bus to meet Candy, Jonah and Arwyn. They were pleased to see us and liked the sweets. The priest showed us St  Augustine's church which has an old organ. We went to the house which is lovely and bought some books at the independent book shop in Balmain before bus back and a swim in Petersham pool. Saw Ann and had dinner at b n b. a night to remember at the Opera house. Cav and Pag in a great production we had seen. At the cinema. Excellent singing, acting and playing the orchestra sounds really well and chorus excellent. Good conductor. The tenor was a bit wooden at first. It as the first night and we met a Melbourne couple hole we were having our brut rose. He came from Verna the village Mascagni based the opera on. Thanks to the kids for a wonderful present. We got a train back straight away and had a cold beer on our return.

To pool at 9 37 degrees swam 20. Retreated to the house and read books 2 and 3 of Dad's book reminding me of things I had forgotten. after lunch Ann took us to Cremorne to deliver the Thomas More icons, Graham and Ann gave us tea and Philip Guiney joined us with Christmas cake.At one point there were 4 conversations going which I found hard! They loved the icons and Graham gave me a lovely calendar of his own Sydney sketches. BBQ and beer on our return. 

hot in the night up at 8 and swam in the pool with Ann. 22. To Barrangaroo and a nice walk round Walsh Bay. Did some sketching. To Norton St cinema to get cool and enjoyed Lalaland. Bit hard to follow at first but romantic and good singing and dancing. After dinner went through book 1 of Dad's book for references to self and family. Finished Laurie Lee A Rose for winter.

Ann and Paul picked us up at 9.30 and we drove to the zoo which is much improved. Saw platypus swimming, bilby, phalangalore, echidna, mice, birds, elephants, giraffes, squirrel monkeys closed, seals, took cable car back to top. To Balmoral beach for a cooling swim a lovely spot. Bought wine and ale and a sketchbook and pencils so did some sketches. Mark left for Melbourne. Hot and sunny. Ann beat me at Scrabble.

Breakfast and met girl from Cambridge. Train to St James. Thomas Wilson greeted us as we arrived at St Mary,s cathedral for Mass. Surprised to see Fr Dennis there also Michael Butterfield was cantor. Ended up chatting to them all and juice with Fr Dennis. He is national director SSG. Thomas put in a ref to I was glad at gospel. To art gallery loved Oz pictures, Rubens self portrait, not so keen on modern stuff and videos. Liked aborigine and calligraphy and we both had a go. Botanic gardens lovely and to Circulae quay past opera house. ChristChurch st Lawrence Epiphany carols and benediction with bidet as and incense. Choir good but 2 sopranos singing at us and forcing high notes. Of the father!s love too slow and same for last verse of Cruger. Rachmaninov, Bennett, Gardner. Saw sister Rosamund and priest who reached at Mum and Dad,s funeral there 10 years ago. Saw Peter Jewkes and whizz kid assistant. Ann came with us on train. hot.

David and Marnie Watts picked us up at 5 and we had a lovely meal at their home. Marnie took us to Light's outlook for the view and we passed the cathedral and Town Hall. The gin and tonics in the garden had Liz dropping off. Such lovely people and how much they appreciated Mum and Dad's welcome to them in Tasmania when the locals were unwelcoming! David brought us back via a lookout over the city. Third day in Adelaide we toured. Adelaide oval which was great especially the old scoreboard, the press boxes, change room and soundscape as you went up to the pitch. Sheffield shield and Sir Donald Bradman memoribilia. St Peter's cathedral, Pilgrim church huge organ, RC cathedral very dark. Shopping then on free bus to Art gallery great mixed collection, W WI shrapnel moving. South Australian museum has great aborigine Pacific and natural history collections. Pasta and wine in our apartment. packed and left 8.30 a.m. Liz pushed me in wheelchair and good flight with Virgin Austr...

Woke at 10. Swam and checked out at 12. Ate at eat well go well in amazing plaza,Taxi to Gardens by the bay  fantastic 2 large indoor conservatories Christmas display, baobabs, succulents, Mediterranean gardens, the other is the cloud forest showing different forest zones as you walk down. We ate at cafe  Rain so skyway closed taxis to hotel then airport. Wheelchair and able to have food and shop. Good flight in a 2 and slept. Watched programme on port. Taxi into Adelaide dry heat and lovely serviced apartment at Oaks Embassy. got shopping at Coles and slept. To State library to get on Internet, good displays of fine books. Spoke to Ann. Slept well woke at 3. 45) to tourist office and played organ at Scots church very friendly. Walked to the zoo and saw pandas, bilbys, potoroos glider squirrels

Louise rose early and drove us to Heathrow. Very good of her as the family would be at Beanie'zs for the New Year. We had breakfast and the wheelchair service was OK although it was quite a walk to the desk and also no Wheelchair while in shopping area .i was able to get an eyeshade and water. The flight was excellent. Singapore Airlines staff and food excellence. We were in a 2 on top deck. I was able to do my exercises and watched Bioto Mefistofele from Munich brilliant chorus, Pape, Calleja. Lohengrin which I have not seen before from Dresden again great singing and acting Netrebko. Lan Shui conducting Singapore SO. In Berlin Schumann cello concerto with Jan Vogler, Strauss, Ravel, Hindemith. Did not sleep much 12 hours. taxi to Park Royal on Kitchener unimpressed by staff. Arrived 8 am no room until 3! Trailfinders will hear of this. Shower at pool Liz very cross. Taxi to Good Shepherd cathedral for packed mass got a seat Liz outside. Homily rambling, overheads, odd choir lots...