Thursday

 Thursday SMITF, Blackfriars, SLIFG talk on Hildegard by June Boyce-Tillman and committee meeting. Canon Roy Trick on Anglo-Catholics in C of E. Read The Tablet in the garden. Olympics swimming. Music list done. GCCM change of name to Laudato Si' movement - not overly impressed! 

Woke early so did notes for 40th anniversary celebrations. Mike Quirke has done some fine work. SMITF Blackfriars athletics at Olympics and womens rugby 7s. Liz to get sticks for garden and to Post Office collected sharpened items from Addiscombe. Put in insurance claim for £70 cover on hire car. Liz had taken the booklet out of the car. Recorded remaining 3 items for SSG. I sound awful! Lovely quartet from St Edmundsbury cathedral. Watched Self care in a time of climate emergency excellent. Prommers zoom. First night there are Prommers! Serenade to music - did not like the soprano. Daniel Hyde played the Poulenc. Inspired choices. The new Macmillan When soft voices die is a masterpiece. Sibelius 2 we love. Dalia is excellent.

Saturday woke late for Nazareth community at Serpentine. Blackfriars. Olympics. David sorting out Darren's garden and looking at the fence. Henry came to say goodbye holiday in Norfolk. David Houlder playing Leeds town hall organ. Rheingold 2016 from Bayreuth free from DG very mixed feelings about production which was controversial. It's ridiculous to have the cast crammed into a motel room and videoed when Bayreuth has a magnificent stage. It certainly plays up Wagner's obsession with lust and power. The giants are real bully boys. Wotan is smoking! Prom was Broadway songs which was enjoyable.

I played the intermezzo from Cavalliera rusticana, Bach Liebster Jesu and Finlandia LIz's Dad's favourite (he would get on the 52 bus "Oh John, Finlandia!") The singing was good! Jerry asked me in the sermon what the penultimate verse of Thomas Aquinas' hymn was! Of course it's Panis angelicus so I put that in at communion! Martin Baker superb at the prom Bach and improvisations ending with Land of hope and glory. Paul Carr playing at Wordsley. Olympics BMX amazing and the swimming! Enjoyed the rest of Lohengrin 2018 Bayreuth Christian Tielemann excellent singers. 

Tom Service is so excited he is running his words together! Maxim Emelyanychev is certainly a wonderful musician and very exciting! 3 Mozart symphones Scottish Chamber orchestra excellent woodwinds especially bassoon! 

Monday SMITF BLackfriars. Nice chat to Ann. Back to painting after many months! Colette's meeting. Seems I missed out on Bayreuth Flying dutchman! Dominican vespers from Canterbury cathedral. Prom Saint-Saens cello concerto no. 1. Only connect, University challenge.