The organist librarian

 Bartok at Proms and amazing violin playing. Worked on the projects. Prepared song sheets for recital. Liz completed cross stitch of Westminster Abbey,  Sunday played Dad's Entry of the bride (lucky I recorded it on my phone as it was not on the broadcast) and most of Lullaby for Claire. Noel Rawsthorne on Bread of heaven. Janacek Fanfare from Sinfonietta. Deja vu beforehand Margaret asked if I had signed Barbara's card - whe is 90 this week! Of course I could not find my copy of Happy birthday so we sang it unaccompanied and masked! At Coulsdon I was once asked John will play "Happy birthday". "No he won't he needs the music!!" It never happened again!! Andy Scott splendid playing at Durham cathedral including Alan Gray and Alex Rowley.  Blackfriars good homily. Jeremiah Stephenson on stunning form at Selby Abbey. Produced recital programme for Caterham and did all the page turns and lyrics in the scores for the songs. Finished reading "The lemon t...

 Saturday. Nazareth walk in St James park, B St Augustine. Hurtado meditation with Ann, then Croydon community energy. Sean arrived and can do all the jobs starting when we are away on our bedroom - at long last!!! David and Neville sent a lovely note about my annual report for SLIFG so I rang them and had a lovely chat. The conversations in English at Battersea Park library are still going on!! 

 Tuesday 24/8 St Bartholomew SM, B, Set off at 10.45 to Ightham Mote where we enjoyed the gardens. Then to St Mary Hunton where Marion the organist met us. A small Willis. To St Mildred Tenterden an extension organ Ian Verran had arranged it. A disappointing organ in a fine church with good stained glass. To Saxonhurst the airbnb is delightful - above a garage. Meistersinger from Bayreuth - lovely. Nice meal. be Wednesday good breakfast and left at 9.40. Met family and enjoyed the steam train to Bodiam where we got a video of the train leaving. Bodiam castl. I was happy to sit in the shade. We got the steam train back and had tea on arrival. Cream tea was good. Drove to Apenfield Inn and had salmon and roasted beetroot sitted outside. Passion fruit soda. Vivaldi and Piazzolla prom. Jay's Yorkshire workshop.  Thursday B and SM. SLIFG zoom with Varsha from Jains. She did not stay long! Discussion on eating meat followed! Only 7 there. SM St Augustine. Churches trust on graveyard...

 SM, B, Animal park. Tablet arrived. Brian rang Liz about rituximab. More work on the trees applications! Opera prom on TV. Bidding room. Thomas Mottershead with William Saunders at St Edmundsbury Excellent tenor. Miriam Reveley playing at Ely - Bingham, Peeters, Demessieux, Wills. Chat SMITF with Catherine. James Anderson-Besant playing at St John's Cambridge. Bidding room and Come dine with me, Gallery prommers chat. Cooked bacon and butternut squash risotto with chilli and cheese. I put the cheese into the pan! I had used both lots of squash the other night but found one in the cupboard. Fell asleep during the Mozart requiem prom. Rameau. I missed the repeat of the first recital from Leicester cathedral. Michael Portillo in Queensland.  Nazareth in Ithaca so lovely with nephew Jack. B. St John's. Recital programme done for Streatham. To preserve the health of man series on William Byrd. Bidding room. BBC singers prom. Ian Hislop on trains. Goteerdammerung from Bayreuth 2016...

 Service on radio from Salford cathedral with Bishop John. Routed the proud as in go down this route instead of rout - scattered is so much better. Service went well. Gounod Ave Maria, Boellmann Angelus,  Liszt arrangement of Arcadelt Ave Maria. Meditation on Maria zu leben Vernon Griffiths. Ave Maria. Prosecco after service so I recruited some singers for Teddy Bears picnic! People enjoyed the service on Wednesday. To Grangewood park and met Ian also Julie and husband. Friendly group about Sustainable Thornton Heath. Had not been in the park for years! Siegfried from Bayreuth 2016. Stefan Vinke amazing stamina. Controversial production. Watched the Philharmonia Prom - it was very fine.  Monday up early SM and B. Nice chat to Ann. Took organ shoes to Wallington. Colette's meeting. Catching up on proms Haydn and Simpson string quartets and cellist Abel Selaocoe. SM prayer time was lovely. Balham folk only 4. Cabinet meeting and all Croydon libraries stay open but with redu...

 Saturday a challenging Nazareth walk with Catherine Duce Arnos Grove. Remembering Ian Coleman and Fr Andrew Bowden at Our Lady of Lourdes New Southgate. Betfred support Tories and train government employees? An interfaith contact. Emailed local churches about borrowing tables for Great Big green week. Blackfriars St Maximilian Kolbe. St John's thanksgiving for Liz. New dustbin arrived - the top of the old one broke and the bags were not big enough! Oscar Romero Mass from St George's cathedral Bishop Nicholas Hudson Martin singing and playing psalm at piano. Cancelled double glazing by email. Too expensive and unnecessary. It would have depleted our reserves too much.  Went to car to do tyres and could not open door - battery flat and Britannia came and fixed it. Sat in car for 30 minutes then drove it round the block. Missed FTIC picnic as a result. New World symphony with score from the Prom. Exercises in the garden 23 degrees after haircut. Firebird suite from memory is qui...

 Set off early to Crystal Palace did not realise that there was no need for me to go down to the beach volleyball courts so a waste of time! Back in time for morning prayer. Bishop Peter Brignall. David McLoughlin excellent and so was Sr Margaret Atkins! Prayer from Bristol with Bella (sat in garden). Music from SMITF no Blackfriars for some reason. Nice video from the pilgrimage. Gemma Simmonds gave the same talk as she gave at Sion centre. Evening prayer. Missed part of Dan Schutte's talk when we picked up Ciaran who is enjoying it. Nice chat Nick Batty. Peter was at the first night of Proms. Curry chicken very nice. Prom CBSO Gipps, Ades, Brahms.  Friday woke in the night again twice. Took Ciaran to Crystal Palace and he was chatty about his class who are not competitive. He says he does not like people who dominate and push in - I agree! Even now I can find it hard to get into a conversation! Blackfriars (technical hitch yesterday) and end of SMITF. Nicholas King, Fleur Do...

 47 years! I presented my painting of flowers to Liz - did it yesterday and it's not bad. Big card from Liz. Had to laugh she said David has come to get the crumpets. Did she say he has come for a bit of crumpet? Breakfast in bed. SMITF some nice greetings. Blackfriars. Phoned Carpenters about claim. Lovely chocs and card arrived from Bruce. Nice chat to Essex folk. Set off for Reigate Manor hotel and arrived around 3.30. Had tea in the lounge. It's  nice but could be upgraded. Our room was upgraded and we were greeted by roses and swans! Dinner was good - we both had steak. I had spring rolls and bakewell tart. Very good |South Australian chardonnay Jarrah wood. I'm supposed to be off alcohol! Bruce's chocs are delicious. I had a lovely bath which is very unusual. Had to kneel in order to get out! Bed very comfy- woke at 3 but slept through. Good cooked breakfast. Liz had kippers. Catenians from Reigate meet here. Short walk Reigate Hill walk NT. Lovely views. Home by1...