The organist librarian

Monday swam 20.  After mosaic and tai chi went on the hard hat tour of St John Upper Norwood. Impressed by the underpinning. Catenian council at Kevin's - I made a strong case to do away with clergy night and replace it with lunch for parish priests. We will continue but have 2 events instead of meetings which will save some rent. Philip has a grizzled beard. Good food at Rupees and lager. Brendan gave me a lift home. I went on the bus and there were delays because of a robbery at Shell garage in Portland Road so buses diverted via Elmers End.  Tuesday swam 20. Liz to West Wickham. I parked near Dulwich college and got bus. Really enjoyed the Met opera Rusalka excellent production and singing conducted by Sir Mark Elder. Went to Dulwich Books but Chetna Makan (Great British bakeoff) had left but I had pancakes and delicious cakes.

Played Henry G. Ley on Down Ampney and Bach Piece d'orgue. First time I have played the whole piece in public and it went well. Good presentation International Needs. Nice lunch with white wine as there was no evensong. Wrote to PM and Home secretary about reneging on the Alf Dubs agreement to bring 3000 unaccompanied children to the U.K. Sang songs from the Edwardian songbook and enjoyed Painting challenge at Whipsnade painting flamingos and elephants and the pottery throw down. Call the midwife dealt with GCM and electroshock treatment. Songs of Praise. Watched the Pope's visit to Anglican church in Rome much of it in Italian.

Clapham for the film "Lion"! An emotional and touching story. To Dulwich gallery to see the outstanding Vanessa Bell exhibition. Drew a Poussin (2 female heads). Spent the evening doing youth matters meeting minutes. Saturday to South London liberal synagogue Nathan led us in pairs (with Rod Quaker) to discuss Abraham's Tent. Welcoming the stranger unconditionally. Shabbat service. Delicious lunch and launch of project by Alice. Rabbi Neuberger was there and we spoke about the Alf Dubs amendment. To Bloomsbury - huge queue outside British Museum so to Pret for tea and Michael O'Leary joined me thanks to Facebook. Daniel Moult played an English programme including Parry and Whitlock. New Hall choir sang at Mass - beautiful Haydn, Nyestedt and Mawby Ave verum. Mendelssohn Sonata No 2 at the end from David Grealy who was cantor at vespers (I was late as I stayed to hear the Whitlock). Fell asleep during pottery throw down. Got on wrong train coming back but realised in ...

Another full day with horrendous winds thanks Doris! To oil painting then interfaith lunch drove to Manor Park crem to find it closed due to high winds so went direct to the Golden Fleece for the reception for Terry Day Putney music librarian. Then drove in slow moving traffic to Hartley for Catenian youth matters meeting - very positive.  Show More Reactions

Sean very happily playing. Ciaran and Sean now have lovely bedrooms painted blue. Sean has a great view to the station. Lance came to do the doors.  Did some more work on my life story blog. I am writing about Soweto. To Blackheath and Chislehurst Catenian meeting to express condolences on the loss f Gerrard Goodhind. His funeral will be at Erith 10.30 a.m. March 23rd. A great loss to the circle and the Province. Bob Cooper was clearly under strain and the meeting was moving and also amusing - really what we are about. Met Henry Potter visiting gentleman.

 Another webinar with Ben Lee on intentional networks . Sound kept going.

ji  Swam 20.liz went see Lion I went to the Gate to see St Joan NT from Dagmar great production with Gemma Atherton based around a boardroom.  Met Marian from Proms. Very impressed by Design museum. Fear and love an insight into Grinder while hunting textile trade,  food,  robots,  death marks,  Mongolian years in the city, European room. Fascinating excellent displays and cafe and good shops. Designed a family logo. Watched Doctor on health avoid alcohol. Use Insect repellent Deet.Food in the 40s NT secrets. 

Swam 20. Sang part of the Faure Requiem, Byrd Ave verum at Fr Tom Stevens' funeral at St John Upper Norwood. A good sendoff I think.  Deeply shocked to learn of the passing of Gerrard Goodhind Catenian and provincial newsletter editor and above all a great friend  To the Russian revolution exhibition at the Royal Academy and I as much taken by the work of Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin and did a sketch of Midday Summer which has an elliptical horizon! To Newman House for an excellent talk "Are all religions the same?" by  Damian Howard  SJ and did some useful networking. Eugenie was there. Good to see Stephen Wang and his Dad and Carolyn Morrison.

Today we had a long reading about Creation and Fr Jerry preached well on the Gospel which for some reason leaves out the vital section before about serving God or wealth. Last week he gave us a memorable analogy from "Who wants to be a millionaire?" You can choose 50/50, Ask the audience or Phone a friend. How often do we "phone" our Friend Jesus?  We sang Martin How's "Fairest Lord Jesus" and I played Andrew Moore's Prelude on "Bread of heaven" and Andrew Fletcher's Impromptu. I also learnt and played a new piece Tuba tune by Andrew Moore - it has a nice interplay between tuba and trumpet only possible on a 3 manual.  At Evensong played Thiman and Christopher Tambling on Slane and Rosalie Bonighton on St Denio. 3 in congregation. Choral Evensong from Queens Oxford included John Scott anthem, Noble and Francis Jackson sonata finale. Watched pottery and painting challenge. Eating up remains of baby shower food.  Wrote to John Varney...

Today's Office of Readings Proverbs 31.Her sons stand up and proclaim her blessed, her husband sings her praises "Many women have done admirable things, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceitful, and beauty empty, the woman who is wise is the one to praise. And Plus XII "The wife and mother is indeed like the sun shining in the family". Fr Andrew reminded me that all this applies to Liz!  An excellent Catenian membership and marketing meeting. at Reading museum. Bought Bristol conference tie.  Chatted in Marks to Philippino club chair and her husband.  Cathedral packed for Fatima statue and relics. At Mass Fr Martin blessed engagement rings and the couples. It was lovely to see them so happy. May they be richly blessed. Baby shower for AnnMarie and picked Liz up from Glyn Close.

More work on Last Night painting and article for Catena at last. Louise set off for Suffolk with the boys. To South London Catenian foundation dinner which was excellent but drank way too much wine. I was sick as a result of the mince at lunchtime. Earlier we served at the reception of our friend Hannah Perrera"s body into the cathedral where she was a faithful parishioner and I went to the David Hockney at Tate Britain.  We served at Hannah's funeral and choir sang Mozart Requiem. Nice reception. 14 on tour of cathedral mosaics. Tea in cafe. A great success. Loved Art of France part 3 and the Big painting challenge. 

Took the boys to Robot Zoo at the Horniman along with the hordes and they loved it. Ciaran held onto the bar like a bat for 50 seconds and Sean 40! Excellent fish and chips.  Excellent talk on the Prayer of the Church by Fr  Brian O'Mahony . Man Mohan Gupta and his wife on the Joy of Love. LSE radio 3 free thinking on Martin Luther with the incomparable Diarmaid MacCulloch, Peter Stanford and Ulinka Rutland so a plethora of riches. Perhaps my question will be broadcast

I tidied up and posted some more photos. To quiet time at St John's. To LSE for a most interesting discussion on "The age of anger" with the author Pankaj Mishra. A large audience. Unfortunately the chair forgot about the time so there were only 3 questions from the audience. I had seen a review of this book in The Tablet so I knew it was going to be interesting.  Louise arrived with the boys. Liz was at servers council. 

To mosaic and did a lot. 3 new ladies joined and one of them is coming to the cathedral mosaics tour so we have 10 for that. Skipped tai chi and heard a bit of the Bach Passacaglia at Southwark cathedral then to Guys. Very helpful audiologist cut the 2 new moulds and now it so much more comfortable to war in the right ear! I cam home and got wood glue to fix the bedroom drawers and I also got olive oil for earwax. Set off at 4.15 and reached the Maidstone venue at 5.40. Traffic bad in Chislehurst. The Kirkham cup went really well a slick meeting run by Maidstone and the presentation of the Mike McCarthy cup and scroll to Brendan Ducey was very well received and it was nice that Mick was present. Sad that Norwood and Canterbury did not support. Philip came from Dover. Indeed everyone greeted me very warmly. Bishop Paul was great and he is a great fan of Pope Benedict. He was interested in Explore and my library experience with Surestart and volunteers leading conversation. The judging ...

We sang Panis angelicus in 2 parts and I was playing well after the trip to Ware. Andrew Moore and Purcell Trumpet tune. Practised Bach.  At Evensong at St John Upper Norwood we sang Dyson in F and Edgar Bainton's And I saw a new heaven always a treat for tenors.  Richard Pilliner played really well at Christ's chapel Dulwich 2 of the pieces from memory! Nice eats and wine. Adrian, Terence and the Wests there.

Up early and got 8.30 a.m. train to Victoria. Arrived in Ware at 10.30 cold and sleet. Christ Church has an untouched Hill a great sound. The church uses percussion and overheads obscuring the fine stained glass. Peter Smith taught Jonathan Dods. Ian Verran has given up at the crem and been replaced by a machine. Lunch at new Prezzo service very slow but food good, took ages to work out the bill too. St Mary's organ is pleasant but not overbearing. Train back and Fr Martin at Mass. Hannah's funeral is on Friday.

To St Paul's cathedral for Malcolm Guite on Coleridge - I slept through the talk but enjoyed the questions. Redwood and Michael Redman were there. Another quiet day with Sean. Watched Anguilla and university challenge.Rather annoyed with Jerry who wants no sung psalms at the Vigil. I am fed up with strange ideas. More work on the life story. Thursday we both went swimming. Father Brown. Great pottery throwdown was good. To Dr Ojo to have ears cleared. Ivan had to go to a funeral and I have had to change my session with Sr Catherine because of Hannah Perera's funeral. 

Tuesday to St John's school Caterham by train and taxi (train was late and it was a long way). Mr Veale very nice and we discussed the situation . If Jerry agrees will try for a school choir singing at the church in May. It would involve going to the school on some Tuesday afternoons in April and liaising with Stacey the music teacher. She was there but I did not meet her. School is nice and Mr Veale has worked hard to bring in Christian symbols. His wife sings in Amici Coro! I went to the church and pu music away and found Holy week music. Watched Father Brown. Set off for quiet time but knocked wheel on traffic island and then found the road closed so came home. Nick picking up car tomorrow. 

Monday swam 14 as I was a little late. When I got to mosaic turns out the keys Tony found last week were Linda's so that was good.Did all the purple bits but I still think I am short of lilac. Hendrika took tai chi - she talks so much less than Tony and does not keep us late. We have 8 or 9 for the mosaics tour. Liz had gone to Acton to babysit so I watched Songs of praise and Come dine with me and made Malm 2 for our bedroom. Air bnb rang again and still won't talk to me but I pointed out that Nastase had wrongly written that we did not complain which we did on day 1! It's true other things like the cat happened later. The refund has gone through. 

We sang David Ogden's Christ has no body now but yours and I played Walther Jesu meine Freud and Clarke Trumpet voluntary. Excellent talk on the Church's year at St Paul's cathedral by Canon Mark Oakley.  At St John Upper Norwood we sang Greater Love (Liz sang the solo well) and Sumsion in G. Watched Call the midwife. I had a rest and did not go to Streatham mosque open day. 

More work on the life story blog including photographing old photos for inclusion and finding diaries from 1962 and 1963. I had my first organ lesson in 1963 aged 16 so if you take away a gap of about 3 years when I came to London I have been playing for 50 years! Father Brown X 3 still quite a lot to catch up on. Cannot find the Bible Grandma and Granddad gave me but I am sure it will turn up. I am feeling much better for the rest and have finished the antibiotics. Cough is better too.sets Liz went to choir and did some shopping - she missed the airbnb lady - the refund is going through. Saturday made one of the new sets of drawers and wrote some more of the book. Amici Coro at Mass and they were good. Watched Dawn French.

I spent most of the day in bed catching up on 4 Tablets and writing a church annual report and 2 articls for the church magazine, Liz came back around 2. I got dressed at 4 and watched Father Brown X 2 , cheetahs and the great pottery throwdown. Also heard vespers from Westminster cathedral.

Tuesday started my new blog John Woodhouse's story. Watched Father Brown X 2. Liz got new furniture for the bedroom. Went over to Acton. On Wednesday the painter came. I was very lethargic and coughing a lot so took it easy and read The Tablets. Liz stayed as Tom was in Norwich and Louise was out. I cam home to a warm bed and slept well. Staying home Thursday missing interfaith breakfast and art and have cried off guiding tomorrow as well.