The organist librarian

 Up late. Caterham the RVW was painfully slow and lacked flow. Oscar's train was cancelled. At Upper Norwood the woman soloist put me off. Blackfriars lovely singing of Attende domine. Did not go to Caterham zoom as not dressed! More Blown away. Walk in sunny garden. Played Buxtehude, Alain, Brahms and Bach on piano. Compline from Gonville and Caius college. Pottery throwdown lost 2 including Sally who had down as a winner! Antiques roadshow. Watched Sorry angel French gay drama.  Monday woke late again. Offered a shed but too big and no roof. Blackfriars St David's day. Danny Sweeney from Glasgow spoke at Colette's zoom about COP 26. Ben Comeau at Cornhill - lots of composed  improvisations. It was hard to hear the poetry. The Bach was too quick? Interesting discussion about spiritual communion. 

 Monday started with looking at videos and texts on urodynamics. It does not sound pleasant but if it has to be done so be it! Colette's group zoom was useful and much enthusiasm about Global Healing. I watched Polina Sosnina playing at Cornhill - Bach, Thalben-Ball and Whitlock - very accomplished! Imogen Morgan at Peterborough.  I watched Nelson's video 5 and completed the cathedral! It fell apart at the end - it's quite fragile. Webinar on South Norwood library so missed prommers zoom and Liz had WMUK group. Peter Batty gave an excellent London tour/talk Saints and Scholars on zoom. I felt shivery - I think I ate dinner too fast as I went to bed and had wind.  Tuesday felt OK. Good zoom with Caterham and they are very keen for me to return so agreed on March 21. Holy Week services will be short so only Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Lovely LMP new friends zoom. Blackfriars. My day upside-down! Only connect and university challenge. Quiet time. Bargue course and some ...

 Oscar was singing at Caterham - not quite sure what! Zoom with Caterham folk. Zoom for Death cafe. Frick on El Greco and Ariosto. Antiques roadshow, pottery throw down, Margot and Marguerite and Armand with Fonteyn and Nureyev.

 I saw a small mouse in the lounge near the TV. The Southwark liturgy commission Lent retreat with Archbishop John Wilson and Chris Chapman brilliant!A most interesting RSCM lecture from Geoffrey Webber on women composers and the church. I was curious about women singing in Catholic choirs and it seems that was officially only allowed in 1958.  I would argue that Bernadette Farrell and Margaret Rizza are much better known than Weir, Maconchy, etc. The Great Art delivery of paper has come. The fault lies with Menzies the distributor. It was ordered 29/1, packed 2/2 delivered 19/2. Meanwhile Jacksons delivery is due Monday having paid £10 to have it delivered today. It came Saturday in time for the session at 7 but of course we are behind. Liz didn't seem very engaged. Westminster J and p only 5 then part of zoom about Croydon libraries. Lovely walk in Kensington Gardens SMITF. Usual Blackfriars. I did pick up sticks in the garden - it was sunny. Richard Pinel played well a...

 St Martin's, Blackfriars, Belmont abbey excellent talks from Dom Brendan and Bishop Mark. Sung Mass with the abbot. Meditatio. Excellent third talk by Nick King SJ on fellowship Sion centre and more work on St Paul's. Bidding room apart of evensong from St John's Cambridge. We used the simple rite provided by Cardinal Vincent Nicholls on Bishops conference website with the addition of the opening prayer from the Missal and the prayer for blessing the ashes. He asked for prayers from the heart and we both found it very emotional! As Dom Brendan at Belmont said we have been in Lent since March 2020 with the loss of so much. Let us pray for an end to the pandemic and comfort for all who have suffered so much. Vespers from Belmont. SMITF Bread for the world and first session with Michael Moran. It was a bit slow but everybody got to speak. 197 taking part. Celebrity home cook won by Ed Balls. Belmont Abbey on retreat programme. Come dine with me.  Thursday SMITF for a bit, B...

 Chat to Ann, Blackfriars, St Martin's. Went to car to check tyres and it would not start and so got Britannia. Sat in car and drove round the block. John O'Sullivan's funeral from Beckenham. The singer not to my taste. £10,000 raised for Kairos community trust! Jonathan Rennert recital with movies. Film on Major Fawcett the lost city of Z. Balham zoom.Interesting zoom on Lent. Only connect and University challenge. Tuesday usual morning routine, haircut.  Parked near station and paid £4. Trains not a problem. Early at Guys urology centre. Had great difficulty producing a urine sample but after lots of water... Dr David the registrar was very nice and examined me. Small something in left testicle but not a worry, prostate is small. Urine flow test, blood test, scan of bladder, then further scan of kidneys and bladder. Can't decide if it is the congenital spina bifida or prostate so must go back for a further test. Interesting how anxious I was on arrival and how David r...

 Slept badly and awake at 5.30. Liz was due at Guys at 8 for a long session with Rituximab and she got home around 5.30 so a long day. Blackfriars, St Martin's, Dr Abdi rang, Come dine with me. MArk came to fix oven element had broken £85. I was surprised to see I had omitted Chichester and Petworth last Feb from Christmas letter.  Laudato Si institute in Oxford 2 day session on the politics of land in Asia. I was disappointed that a Muslim academic was given so much time and my question about Hindu beliefs about the land was changed. The animators are very happy - 420 signed up 100 as a result of the Tablet item. We still need more breakout room facilitators. Talk on Arts and Crafts churches was very interesting. Watched garden programme. St Paul's is half done!  Friday saw the second session at Oxford which was much better. At second session of Laudato Si' institute of Oxford online conference on the politics of land in South Asia. Pretty shocking figures and inter...

 Tuesday more snow. District nurse not coming as equipment missing but Liz's stick came. Blackfriars and St Martin's. Really enjoyed the LMP zoom and asked about how a youngster could start learning online. Gemma and Julia said it can be done. Tuning a violin can be done by parents. Manon Lescaut act 2 and more on St Paul's, also did exercises and cleaned downstairs. Bidding room was good. Quiet time and I lay on the bed which worked well. First session with Nelson. Could not get into save Croydon libraries zoom (I had the wrong day!) Bishop Sarah on Rooted in love.  Wednesday sun on the snow lovely. Liz went to Guy's. Blackfriars, St Martin's, St John's, Faith action cafe on young people and loneliness was good especially the rabbi, Meditation, Sion centre Nick King on discipleship and worked on the model, Manon Lescaut from Covent Garden the final section. Washing and bed changed, hoovered upstairs. Vespers from Belmont, Come dine with me and long meeting on s...

 Snow! St Martin's, Blackfriars celebrating deceased parents with black vestments. A splendid recital from Jeremy Lloyd at Rochester cathedral. I sent Richard Pilliner for the second time my recording of Arthur Wills Elegy. I listened to Paula Gooder's lecture on scripture from St Martin's and part of Darius Battiwalla's recital from Leeds Town Hall. Enjoyable zoom with Balham circle brothers. Played Bach and Widor on piano. Maidstone circle fairly dull. Only connect, University challenge, Lost Salviati painting.

 Manon Lescaut from Covent Garden 2014 with Kauffman Act 1. Caterham sound not very good and unimpressed by Shona, Sam Wells preaching on Wisdom at St Martin's, Blackfriars, chat to Caterham folk and the children showed their triptychs, John was so boring! Part of Upper Norwood and Buckingham Palace ballroom organ. Fascinating films on Sutton Hoo and worked on St Paul's, Tom Holland St Martin's lecture on history and trust. Light snow. Evensong from St John's with pros, Antiques roadshow and Pottery throw down. Interesting programme on Andrew Lloyd Webber.

 Blackfriars, St John's first part, Belmont retreat on the golden gospel of Duccio - revelatory videos. Vespers and part of evensong from Durham for the accession.  Watching a new Barber of Seville from Norsk opera. Quite why the tenor spent a lot of time in his underpants is beyond me! Actually a fun and inventive production with an excellent cast of young singers. The modern setting allowed a British bobby and a Mormon preacher. Bruce rang and suggested Netflix Blown away.

 Liz to Guys. Blackfriars, St Martin's (two unknown sung items). St John's. Faith action cafe about vaccination . Nicholas King on Luke at Sion centre. Put Christmas stuff away and rearranged lounge shelves and back bedroom for drawing course. Croydon OH guy came and put in 2 rails and brought kitchen seat and bathroom seat. Come dine with me from Aberdeen. Celebrity cook. More work on St Paul's cathedral. Music and liturgy came.  Thursday woke late. Ann on skype. Chat to Clare. Blackfriars St Catherine de Ricci and found her lovely meditation on the passion. St Martin's. Come dine with me. St Martin's music and talk about government. An excellent talk by Chris Hewer on unity and diversity in the 3 Abrahamic faiths.  Friday Blackfriars, St Martin's morning song, leaf blower in the garden as it was drier, excellent RSCM talk by Paddy Russill on Terry and new English music for the cathedral. Bidding room. Matthew Martin playing at Gonville and Caius - no shoes! Zo...

 1st Feb, Blackfriars, St Martin's, zoom St Michael's Cornhill and Richard Gowers playing brilliantly. Zoom London and South East Laudato Si'  group. Physiotherapist lady came to see Liz. Zoom meeting between Archbishop Fitzgerald and Sheikh Shomali who used to be in London. Well attended. Lourdes prayers with Fr Andrew, Mastermind, Only connect, University challenge, craftivism. Liz suddenly threw up. We had both had lasagne and yoghurt. Bruce rang and Henry came to the door with shopping.