The organist librarian

The last time I was at Caterham was Vi's funeral 11/3. Last time at the cathedral 29/2. Could be months before we go back. Last time I received communion 11 March at Dulwich circle. Monday 30th 3 more sessions with Ian. I still have not finish my drawing of the face. As I will have to use oils there is no hurry. Faith in isolation was excellent. Watched final of Only connect, University challenge and Aubrey Beardsley with Mark Gatiss. Will not see the Tate exhibition I guess. Act 1 of Butterfly from Swedish opera with an excellent tenor and modern production. Jim Connolly died and Tom Tannion wrote and Arthur Hughes rang so had a good chat. Recorded Passiontide hymns and pieces by Henry Coleman. Jennifer Bate died a sad loss. Today was the funeral of Archbishop Peter Smith. We would have been singing in the choir. Excellent homily by John Wilson.  He was an approachable pastor and a man of principle. He came to judge the Catenian Province 7 public speaking competition and there w...

Had a nice chat to the family and we saw Evie! Owen was very quiet. Applauded at our door for the NHS.  Watching Angelus, Midday prayer and Mass from Dominican sisters of St Joseph, Lymington. The psalm at Mass was beautifully sung unaccompanied. Alas the homily was hard to hear and soon after that the sound went altogether. Just wondering if the internet is getting overloaded?  Session 1 of Ian Knowles icon painting course worked perfectly on my phone but session 2 could not hear anything on Zoom. My laptop does not want Zoom to have audio! I will have to use Liz's tablet. Waiting for Ian to send link to session 2. Got session 2 on YouTube but am now behind. Remaining sessions were interesting. Sat morning all about gilding which h I will not be doing. Very moving to see the Pope alone in St Peter's Square a powerful address and benediction simple and memorable. Tony Robinson on trains in Europe and Pilgrimage part 1 on peace road to Istanbul. Fr Paolo Bagini at South Ruisl...

Sunday so caught some of Mass from Wimbledon and Portsmouth cathedral. Shocked to see 3 servers on the altar and there was one last night too. Cantor and organ. Lovely virtual tea with the family (no Sean) panetonne, cucumber sandwiches and chocs from Bruce. Lovely hour of prayer on Zoom with Catholic spirituality network and Chris Chapman and Julie McCann. Great sermon by Father John Pritchard online. Watched Bartok Concerto for orchestra and Bluebeard's castle with Nina Stimme from Bayerisches staatsoper. Chilling production. Ian Hislop's Olden days and British railways. 

The days go by quietly. Finished 1000 piece jigsaw of English country cottage. Had a lovely videochat with the family Saturday morning. Played Mendelssohn on piano. Dennis and Ann Marie shopped for us which was great. We will not have any visitors for months. Even the public speaking final is cancelled.  Lourdes and Aberdeen cancelled. National organ day cancelled. Discovered website Lent in isolation which is excellent. Ian Knowles on Rublev icon excellent. Radio 3 gave us Sibelius and Vaughan Williams symphonies but they are resorting to recordings. Dennis now does not want us to go out at all! 

Up late again. Everything is now closing. Got a refund for ROH Fidelio. Henry came to stay the night and loved the trampoline. The toilet training is working too. I worked on the jigsaw. Watched Bake off for cancer and Ian Hislop and Race around the world which feature places like Leon.  I was on ITV Love your garden doing art at Age UK Thornton Heath!

4 days indoors. Liz overslept but did go to evensong. I watched Sung Latin Mass from Holborn. Michael O'Leary and 2 servers. He read the prayers. The choir's diction was hopeless but the organ was clear and the spoken parts as well but subtitles needed! I lost concentration. Jigsaw, evensong from Manchester was good. Pottery throw down won by Rosa. Chat to Ann. Beautiful Mayerling with Stephen McRae 2018. 

2 quiet days at home with a cough but no other symptoms but decided to play safe. Cancelled next week's meeting and got Shona to play on Sunday. Watched the rest of Michael Portillo's Asian rail journeys, the royal train, Yorkshire steam railway, Question of sport relief. Finished reading Frederic Martel's amazing The Closet on the Vatican. 

Henry rang - he is 3 today! I have a cough so stayed in. Completed the table and fixed the chair from upstairs, British heart federation took the old table and the lighter chairs. The new table is much more sensible size and comfortably seats 6 but could take 8. Come dine with me and listened to some evensongs. 

Up early and got to Caterham by 9. Delivered posters to URC and met Julian the minister and St Mary's. The poster was up outside as I went by on the bus. The service not so good some are one an hour. Played for Vi's funeral. The small choir just managed Rutter The Lord bless you and keep you. Trumpet voluntary and Pachelbel Canon then the bell ringers took over. Waited at Selhurst café for Liz. Had a sleep and started assembling the new table. Liz to maths and to Dulwich Mass for deceased brothers with Fr Jim Tolhurst and a nice meal. William Rhind came. 

Ikea breakfast and chose birch dining table. Henry came. To see Dr Simon Shaw at Bowley Close and he and Christian gave me the once over. Went with Dennis who knows him. Not worried about my back. I need an exercise regime. Dismantled old dining table in the end but the old loo seat will not budge! Liz to servers council.  Watched Ian Hislop on English history, Bake off, the Windermere children. 

Henry came from 8 to 5. He now wears pullups and wet his trousers. Dennis did not bring spares. He then did an enormous poo and I found some spare trousers. He was good and we read lots of stories. He eventually dropped off around 3.45. Liz still in pain in the scapula. I went to committee meeting of Faiths together in Croydon and got 3 speakers for the SLIFG AGM. Phillipe gave me a lift home - it was wet again and Liz did not go to maths. I watched Only connect and  University challenge. I also sent photos and reports of the public speaking. Watched Commonwealth day from the Abbey. The Kent Catenians 2020 heat of the sixth form public speaking competition took place at St Gregory’s Tunbridge Wells despite appalling weather, traffic holdups and worries about coronavirus. 5 schools were represented by 10 speakers and the standard of speaking was once again very high. The judges Sharon Grange, Barry Mizen and Brendan Ducey had a difficult task. The winner is    Con...

We sang Litany to the Holy Spirit by Peter Hurford and I played Rawsthorne on Bread of heaven and Descent from the Cross from St Matthew Passion. Service started late and 2 admitted to communion. The had to wait while Elaine rehearsed kids!  Buses were not good today and I have complained.  At evensong we had a fine Walmisley chant for Psalm 135, Willan in E flat and Crux fidelis. It wasn't great as we never rehearsed in church! Richard does bang the piano too much. To Dulwich for recital by Michael Overbury which was dire! Hildegard, JSB and Messiaen. Wests and Rossas there. 

Thursday very wet day. I waited for Brendan Fitzgerald for half an hour. I got to St Gregory's by 5.15 despite a holdup on the A21 because of an accident. It was an excellent evening. Brendan Ducey stood in for Mgr Dickens, Matt for Charles. Quite a few Catenians came. The winner was Connor from Chatham. I did not agree with the judges about the runnerup! Coming back several flooded roads. Friday was sunny! To London metropolitan university for a conference on making London live up to being an age friendly city like Manchester. I joined the transport discussion and we came up with a lot of items. To choir practice and no basses! Saturday early to Wallington to collect organ shoe and then buses to Lewisham Sisters of St Andrew Lent quiet day on John. Walked labyrinth. Saw Steve Murphy on bus. Football crowds so drove to Addiscombe for Mass where there was a baptism. Andy Bebington led hymns. Watched programme on Hilary Mantel. 

On Monday the last day of the 3 day SPIDIR refresher course was led by Chris Chapman who was most inspiring. To 1125th and final meeting of Norwood circle and dinner. Liz came later after Maths. It was an excellent evening.  Henry had fun! To Bromley picture house to see Agrippina from the Met. Finally got going with subtities an hour late! A stunning cast with Joyce DiDonato and Eistyn Davies. Liz stayed on to see Riverdance live. I came home and watched Great pottery throwdown.  Mass at Addiscombe and coffee and then took my organ shoe to be mended at Traditional shoe repairs, Wallington. To West Norwood picturehouse to see Parasite which is fantastic! Liz still in a lot of discomfort from hurting her shoulder when she slipped on the stairs. Watched Vietnamese boat people and how well the younger generation have done in UK, Alan Bennett diaries, University challenge, Asian railways. 

First Sunday of Lent so I played Bach O mensch bewein and Lasceux Fugue in G minor. We sang Lent prose and a new soprano joined us so that is good news!  To St Paul's cathedral to hear Fr Mark Barratt monk from Worth speak about the psalms. It was so dull I had trouble keeping awake!  We went to the first half of the LMP Cellofest - some excellent young players. Evensong Dyson and Turn thy face from my sins started very late and we had Benediction.