St John's Day

 Woke at 5! Slept again. Very curious to know why Caterham had harp music and not the organ and choir. Was it a real harp? It wasn't. It was the keyboard! Fooled me! But why not use a grand 3 manual organ on the big Feast day of the church? Blackfriars was splendid and the organ was great especially Von himmel hoch of Pachelbel at the end. Durham cathedral Bach. St John Upper Norwood Eyre setting. Once again ruined by that soprano. Later in the day Bob rang and we rang that the situation is impossible. It needs an outsider to comment! Smoked salmon on toast with salad (one for Bruce Woodhouse). Tried my new toy in the garden as cover blown off barbecue and top of water butt. It certainly blows the leaves need to work on my suction skills and maybe wait for leaves to be drier? Watched Royal Ballet gala. This morning's service on radio 4 from Canterbury cathedral about Thomas Becket martyred 850 years ago. Saw start of Brotherton. 

Lie-in. Breakfast in bed and I was described as the Weetabix fairy which quickly got changed to Weetabix elf! St John's Mass for Holy Innocents with Fr Andrew. Louise went and served homeless with work! Thoughtful addresses sent by John Alexander, Fisher House and Croydon Minster on you tube. NT at home help being offered. Retreats I would love. Montserrat, Assisi, Belmont. Have to be one at home! Channel 5 series A wartime Christmas was very interesting and showed what our parents went through. No wonder you had to eat everything on your plate. Now people moan at not having lettuce for a couple of days! We need to rethink our eating and shopping habits. Grow your own, buy local, only cook what you need. Faith in music no 4 on radio 4 now. Sir James Macmillan on Bernstein. Not the best of the series concentrated on Mass. 2 episodes of Bridgerton which is absurd with far too many black actors for the period, only connect, Christmas university challenge, Black Narcissus.