The organist librarian

Swim, got to Battersea to find mosaic class not on so to British library for writing exhibition. Southwark cathedral organ Harrison Cole playing Francaix and Langlais and saw Andrew Paterson's icons which were very pale. SPIDIR committee meeting. Started to watch Britain's Easter story part 2 with Gareth Malone. 2 programmes on sex education in the past were informative. To Beckenham Catenians. 

We sang O sons and daughters so I played the voluntary by Christopher Tambling and in the same book Barry Ferguson on Maccabeus. Finished with Worthy is the Lamb and Amen. Bit tired. Buses both ways. Listening to Choir and Organ. Still tired so am not going to choral evening at St Mary Caterham. It's just too far from home and it has been a stimulating but exhausting week. To Mass at Anerley. How dull it was compared to Anglican He is risen indeed Alleluia! The Orthodox really know how to celebrate Easter! We have emasculated the Alleluia! Enjoyed The Durrells and Victoria very much. Easter from King's was excellent. Jennifer Johnston superb and Stephen Cleobury is to be complimented. The boys sing with expression but why do the men adopt such bland faces? Is no enjoyment allowed? How can you sing Hallelujah without using the eyes and express joy? I did laugh at the male altos singing Ingemisco.

Dennis gave us a lift to East Croydon so we were early at the bus station. Straight through in 3 hours and Robert picked us up. His wife had an ankle replacement. Lovely upside down house very comfortable right next to Pittville Park. Good chat. Walked in park 23 degrees and to Turtle Bay Caribbean restaurant. Excellent cocktail jerk chicken whiteboard and grilled pineapple.Jamaican Red Star beer. Edinburgh won University challenge from Teddys but it was close. Tuesday Good breakfast with Robert. I woke at 4. Nice walk through Pittville park and got sandwiches atSpar. Arrived at St Nicholas at 9.30. 16 on course. Eucharist at 10. The rector prayed for all church leaders and bishop Declan. Great way to start. Holst's father played at All Saints Pittville. Drawing lightly. I chose Risen Christ which Ian did for Lichfield cathedral. Liz went to Holst birthplace museum. Wednesday. Slept 8 hours. Drawing and first lines after transferring the tracing. To the ladies college and Sarah ...

Served at Morning prayer at the cathedral. Superb choir and strepitus. Not sure it was a good idea to kneel for the Anerio. I was extinguisher 1.  Having a lovely family day at Acton delicious lunch and a sleep! The 3 boys are having fun! Back at midnight from serving at a fabulous Easter Vigil at the cathedral. The Vierne and anthems from the choir were absolutely stunning and the organ was just magnificent. The Cardinal again gave a fine homily and there were 4 baptisms and 12 confirmations. The neo-catechumenate attended in large numbers. Now to bed and up at 4 a.m. !Arrived at church 4.57 amazing full moon. The porch decorated with Easter eggs and flowers.Both Easter services went really well with good singing from the choir and cooked breakfast in between. Played Hallelujah chorus and Saraband for the morning of Easter and we sang 4 vigil psalms, Sing choirs of heaven and This joyful Eastertide. Fell asleep watching Pope Francis! Now enjoying St Mary Warwick broadcast. I...

Met Robert organist on the train. Three hours at Caterham with some stunning art. 3 in choir and went well. To Soper Hall to see Tandridge art society exhibition. Pictures of poppies and birds sell! Hard to know how to price paintings. Britain's Easter story with Gareth Malone and Karen Gibson (she directed the Gospel choir at the royal wedding and I met her on the bus!) also watched Pilgrimage to Rome. Pilgrimage the road to Rome came to a wonderful end with a moving meeting with Pope Francis. James Jones's meditation on Good Friday on Radio 4. Played favourite bits from St Matthew Passion and Messiah on the piano. BBC Young South Asian dancer was amazing.

Ciaran came to art group with me and did some nice drawings. In the afternoon Louise took the boys to Bethlem for action painting workshop. Bruce coming over end of May. Sang at funeral of Chris Younger at St John Upper Norwood. Morgan played Claire de lune beautifully. Maundy Thursday began with the tolling of a single bell for Notre Dame. I played Priere a Notre Dame, Words worth Nicht so traurig, Bach Passion chorale and Coleman Pange lingua. We had incense and Love is his word. Elgar Ave verum and Ps 88. Great to have 4 good singers. I could not help thinking of the musicians and people of Notre Dame. Celebrity painting challenge was good.

After Mass picked up Henry and he had a lovely time playing with Louise, Ciaran and Sean especially at the new South Norwood lake playground. We went with Dennis and Ann-Marie to Stanley Halls for the excellent two person cast Hamelin Pied Piper rats tale and tea and delicious chocolate cake at the cafe. Sean has made a roller coaster car out of a cardboard box and I have done a picture and put up my Holy week paintings. Watched Home is where the art is and Antiques roadshow. Lou took Ciaran to Acton for rugby audition for Landrover. Nice to have Sean here. News from Notre dame is better grand orgue OK but choir organ water.  Wednesday we went to Tilgate Park Crawley - lovely lake, flowers, trees, playground. Nice icecream. To Wakehurst for cream tea and I bought a summer hat. Louise bought a jigsaw. 

To Mass. Boys on their screens! Took the boys to see "The missing link" at West Norwood loved it. Horrified to see Notre Dame in flames. The organ will be destroyed. Horrible to watch the spire fall. Only connect, University challenge, Attenborough on shells, Home is where the art is but dropped off. 

-2 and 468 late so missed 407. Light snow! Palm Sunday was always special for Dad as that was the first service he played. We sang Ah holy Jesu. Played Kauffman on St Theodulph, Brahms Herzliebster Jesu, Walther Passion chorale. A young man appreciated Tears of grief - he had been listening to St Matthew Passion yesterday. Britten rightly said that the Passion settings should be heard in Holy Week. Orange cranachan for lunch dessert. Death cafe was very interesting. Palm Sunday evening service not so exciting - Fr Andrew was a bit of a liability. O sacred head too loud! Daniel said he had read the pamphlet about Augustine and original sin. Boys and Louise arrived. great to see them. Watched The Durrells and a remarkable interview with Janet Baker. Part of Victoria. 

To the podiatrist and Caroline put a dressing on toe. An excellent day at St John's thank you Daniel Trott. Loved the "I will just look up the Greek" line! Did some sketching, read, prayed , quiet - silent lunch of soup, bread and cheese and fruit. Mass at 10 and closing worship on the Resurrection. I read Genesis reading. Liz was at UCM AGM Bromley. Palm Sunday mass with procession with Fr Daniel. St Luke Passion. Last week no cross at start, this week one acolyte candle kept going out and acolytes did not move down so no bells. Listened to second part of Queen of  Spades from Covent Garden. 

Swim, Mass, Lent group only 8 came. Steve the Baptist minister dominated it again and did not keep to the CTBI theme. Unhappy singing choruses and The old rugged cross. He did show 2 videos about how the crucifixion actually happened. Delivered Catenian materials to St Matthew West Norwood. Footbath as right big toe hurting and may be infected.Watched Art for the home.   Very good practice for Holy Week. I went early and practised all my pieces. They come up fresh every year.

Dennis took me to pick up car. Mass. Art and sketched two canvases. Mind, body, spirit was good and I managed well despite sore right toe.  Christopher Somerville spoke at the cathedral hall on "Ships of heaven:the private life of Britain's cathedrals". Very engaging. I liked his child's eye view. Interesting chat afterwards with a retired black maths teacher on knife crime. Travelling cross in cathedral for 2 days only. Watched Celebrity painting challenge landscape. Very chuffed my letter has been published in The Tablet today No shallow response John Milbank’s comment about Jacinda Ardern cannot go unchallenged (“Christians must show there is another way”, 30 March). Her sympathetic response to the Christchurch shootings has been widely seen as heartfelt and certainly not superficial. Of course she was right to say that those who died are “one of us” and New Zealanders. This had nothing to do with race or religion; it was compassion and solidarity...

A most interesting day. Swam and saw Clare and Dionne. Mass. Chris and Nelson Ferreira at the lovely Sorolla at National Gallery loved the pictures. The Interfaith group meeting on the Assumption of Mary attracted 33. Mohan presented us with flower garlands! Much discussion of Orthodox belief about the Dormition or Falling asleep. If Mary can go to heaven so can we! Lovely icons. Servers practice for the Vigil.Dreadful journey home. Left cathedral 7.15 the train in front of ours broke down at Streatham Common so eventually our train went back to Balham. We got tube to Tooting bec. 249 came past full so 319, then 417 and 468. Home 10.15! Car still at Selhurst. Finished Jane Williams's Lent book "The merciful humility of God" excellent.

Swim and it as very quiet despite half term. Took Henry to Phoenix centre and lots to play wth (Salvation Army music not on). Robert the piano tuner came and middle E flat was broken so he replaced it with bottom C. To pub lunch at Toby carvery. We were late but enjoyed chat with Bill, Vincent and Bernard. Quiet time and Liz went to chiropodist and later to servers council. Delivered St John's leaflets to our road and startled by dog! Saw Darren about the Hive and Death Cafe. Played Sweelinck on the piano. Blue planet live. Worked on schools list. Tasmania wildlife. Songs of Praise featuring Lucy Winkett. SS Windrush ballet.

Swam and Mass together. Jeremiah Stephenson stepped in at short notice at St Michael Cornhill and played really well. Lucky All Saints Margaret Street! He has declared himself transgender on Facebook. He plays really well - Bach and Mozart. Met Liz at Aldi. The repair shop back on TV - very touching! Enjoying Only Connect and University challenge. The house in Newcastle upon Tyne. Put together the exercise bike and Liz returned from UCM Anerley to find it ready. 

Purcell Hear my prayer in 2 parts. Love those clashes. Played Bach aria Descent from the Cross from St Matthew passion and Fantasia in C minor. Elaine is back Praise the Lord!Enjoyed Anne-Marie Garton's sermon today about Mary pouring nard over Jesus' feet. We even got hand cream to smell! That's a first!  Revd Lucy Winkett packed room at St Paul's. She spoke so movingly on the Cross. We can look away, or look, or be looked at. The link with the empty tomb and Eucharist vital. We must contemplate atrocities now. Half the nations of the world torture. It is easy to have a lukewarm response to suffering until it comes to us. Be near me Lord when dying, that I may fight befriended.... The cross of life. Everywhere there are mothers and children uncomforted. Duck for lunch. Evensong Willan setting got changed to Batten. Benediction - organ too loud again. The Durrells and Victoria both excellent. 

An enjoyable workshop on still life with acrylics at Bethlem and John O'Donnell's paintings really are affirmations of life. Liz at St Joseph's college celebrations. Great preaching at Standing together. If you have woodworm in your posterior you need to get and do something! Saw the Cardinal and Marcin - his address was really excellent! Bishop of Southwark and Bishop of Croydon and lots of black church leaders who really know how to get the crowd going. Big demo about Sudan. A very long confirmation but all did well. Bishop John Wilson was just great. I am now pretty tired after a long stand this afternoon but so glad I went. I found myself shouting Amen in response to the preachers!!! Jesus is the answer to violence and knife crime but we need youth centres, libraries, more and better housing, more police on the beat, more care for each other. All this costs money and time but we must have hope. Tosca from Met on radio 3 with Calleja.

Mass, Lent group led by Steve Baptist minister. Part of Jonathan Melling's recital at Christ the King Gordon Square. Welcoming at the cathedral. Met Christopher who used to come to Battersea Park library. Watched Big painting challenge on the human form. Choir and again no attempt to get dynamics right. A crecendo starts from piano not forte! Gave David a lift home. Pilgrimage on TV.

Swim and both to Mass. Art and sketched 2 more pictures. London Fire brigade (3 guys) fitted new smoke alarms free and advised on plugs. To Northwood Clinic and Tom sorted out my right big toe and tidied up my feet. First time at a chiropodist. He was really nice. £47. Watched programme on the transformation of NT Avebury Manor. To Farm Street hall for lecture by Dr Martin Poulsom on CARING FOR OUR COMMON HOME: INTEGRATING THEOLOGY, ECOLOGY AND ETHICS. Univ of Roehampton will run an MA at Mount St on this from Sept. Professor Michael Barnes received a Lambeth award today. Chat to Damian, Michael Holman and Eugenie. Fr Dominic liked my painting which is now finished. 

Both swam (first time for ages) Mass. Fr Robin led a brilliant day on the raising of Lazarus. Marilyn Harper entertained us with Sweelinck at St Matthew Westminster. Evensong at Temple Church, two Alleluias! Fine anthem by Philip Moore. Bach very well played. Creed and responses cut and last verses of hymns changed. Why? Perhaps to accommodate those there for launch of book on Christian, Jewish and Islamic law? Watched Mary Berry cooking and Juliet won Great sewing bee. 

Mass. Henry came and played with the track and the ducks. He is chatting a lot more and I am now Grandad John! Only connect 300th edition was fun! Jan who used to be in charge of Wandsworth prison library and moved to Berlin came to quiet time. Brought back lots of memories some not so good! Fabulous Forza del destino from ROH at a full Ritzy cinema Brixton. I was lucky the seat next to me was free as the man in front was tall but I could see the subtitles well by moving. Kaufmann, Netrebko, Teziér, all the cast, brilliant chorus and production and the intense conducting of Pappano. Wow! Home at 11.20. It cost us £31 worth every penny! 

Both to Mass. Tape on gutter. Water features working.  Seb Gillot at St Michael Cornhill brilliant and so musical. A very well constructed programme. Nice to meet a lady from the Musicians Company who told me about Alistair their Master. Saw Ros. Catenians and Bill is President for the 5th time! Nice chat to Vincent.