Suffolk

 Slept well . Wed. No B, Sm on late, S. To Aldeburgh and the Lifeboat station. Red House tour of 6 people Sally was an excellent guide. The composing studio was lovely. Pears had very different artistic taste choosing modern works. Archives talk about the bookplate designed by Ronald Stone. Britten and women including Janet Baker and Joan Cross. I knew her at Cornhill. She crocheted the blanket on the piano in the library which is a lovely room. Books everywhere in the house! Duncan Grant in the bathroom! Constables. Gainsborough, Blake. Photos of Rostropovich and Bridge. The exhibition deserves much more time. It's fantastic. To Snape church and a pleasant organ with a chair behind the player. Snape Maltings and able to see the concert hall. Cake and tea. Lovely view. Back to the house and sat in garden listening to the RVW and Tippett 4th symphonies prom and working out on the map where we had been!! Prom Rach and Tchaikovsky. 

Thursday knew this would be a long day! SM. Set off 9.15. Google maps on my phone played up and ended up going up A14 to Bury and then down to Long Melford instead of across country! Did not matter we were late as primary school were having leaving service so went for coffee and cake at The Olive Tree. Nigel very friendly and a pleasant organ. To Melfort Hall for a tour and tea. Drove to Bury increasingly worried that we would run out of petrol but we got to the BP in time. Bought £10 worth and then to Sainsburys to fill up. Paul met us at St Mary's church and this is a fine 4 manual organ. Then to the cathedral where Tim welcomed us. Highest loft in the country - higher than Westminster and Liverpool. Narrow winding stairs. Strings are disappointing. No mention of Hugh Mathew's designs! Drove back via A14 and A12 quicker than the winding roads. Prom was Scherezade. Paul M wrote and said my email may have been hacked and possibly Facebook. Result is my Facebook =age is completely changed and I need to invite friends again! 

Friday St Mary Magdalen still no B SM and S. To St Edmund Southwold and Victor Scott was very friendly. A useful instrument. The museum was shut so we had delicious cake the Two Magpies bakery. I resisted a book on Britten in the bookshop but Liz bought shorts and sandals. To the harbour car park and walked on beach. Back to Southwold Pier where we had ice cream, played crazy golf (Liz won by 3) and went on the carousel! Blythburgh church is stunning! Dunwich beach. Traditional fish and chips at Leiston. Co-op in Aldeburgh. Met Mark who lives next door and will see about me playing the organ in Aldeburgh church. Prom Royal occasions. A satisfying day! 

Saturday SM near Wigan. Delightful boat trip from Snape with Sarah. Saw shelducks and oystercatchers. Early Music shop and bought a little harp. Lovely chat to the owner who knows so many people! To Gundisburgh church to play the organ and meet Jane Woods Nazareth community and her vicar husband died earlier this year. Swilland church has a wooden tower and a small unusual organ. one manual with pedals and you can watch the trackers. To coffee at Jane's home. Bougle church where Edward Fitzgerald is buried (he translated Omar Khayyam). Nice small organ. Back to the house for lunch in the cool garden under the tree. Played organ at Aldeburgh church a Hunter which has lots of variety. Lovely stained glass for Britten and visited the graves of Britten, Pears and Imogen Holst. To sea front for loo. Mass at Albeburgh not Tony Rogers. Tom Catenian from Bromley now living up here was there. To Scallops sculpture by Maggi Hambling on Thorpe beach and visited Thorpeness beach. Dinner was Thai sea bass and listened to Prom from the Sage. A memorable day! 

Woke too early. B but no sound! Set off at 9.30 and we were due at Paycocke's Coggeshall at 10.50. In fact we got there at 11 due to 40 mph limit on A12. No problem joined the tour which was most interesting. Coffee and cake.Drove to Brightlingsea and Amber and Richard gave us a lovely lunch. We walked the labyrinth and enjoyed seeing Amber's new consulting room and chapel in the eaves. It is the oldest house in the town! Met Sky, Meadow and another daughter briefly. Drove to the coast briefly then headed for home. Only holdup was the Blackwall tunnel and we were home just after 6. Unpacked. Prom Rach 2 and Ethel Smyth horn concerto. Quite tired but both look well and caught the sun! Posted videos on Facebook and reported the hacking.