Friday

 Online LSi' retreat at 7 a.m. Both went for a swim at 9a.m. kids in main bit so narrower lanes. B, SM. To Unacc both went and it was a good session. Chose Murray setting of Psalm 8 for Farm Street Mass so all is now decided. Listened to Brahms 3 from Prom. Cooked risotto. Retreat was good. Some people had been in woods and at the seaside! Heard end of the prom crazy Finnish violinist. 

Sat delightful walk at Arnos Park with Kath,Matt and baby Jennifer. S and B. Correspondence following the retreat. New contact in Derby. I have lost another pound now 11 7. Masterclass on You tube with Thomas Hampson who was amazing and Laurence Lee less so. Watched The Reader an excellent fim. Kate Winslet won an Oscar for it. Makes you think about what the right this to do is. Mass at St Michael's Pollards Hill. Loop not on so hard to hear priest. Mum said she could not follow him. Piped organ music with the same phrase repeated ad nauseam. Will not go there again! NT at home "Master Harold" and the boys Athol Fugard's brilliant expose of racism in 1950s Port Elizabeth. Heard the rest of the Sixteen's prom and the Finnish Radio orchestra prom. 

Sunday Music today Adagietto from Symphony No. 5 Gustav Mahler, Impromptu Andrew Fletcher, Processional March Donald Cashmore. Had a nice chat to Alan and Sarah at coffee. To 10 Streatham Common South garden is huge and very attractively laid out in rooms. Coconut cake and tea. Armagh evensong on radio. Watched BBC4 Mahler 2 with Rattle and stunning Sarah Connolly. Bravo all round! Preceeded by Rattle at the BBC which I had seen before.

Bank Holiday Monday emails to parishes about Season of creation and started sending poster for Isabel out. S and B. To Bromley PC never seen such a crowd for an organ recital there. St Barnabas Dulwich folk come to support Riccardo Bonci from Orvieto cathedral. Verdi Aida Grand March. Mendelssohn 6 very slow last movement (fashions have changed again!) The other pieces were odd. Padre Davide da Bergamo really a piano piece. Reger and Lefebure-Wely plus an encore. Liz went to Lakeland. We got home for the premiere duet of the Planets Richard Moore and Alberto Brigandi at St Michael Cornhill. Where was the glissando in Uranus? The last movement not so successful. It's hard to convey celeste and harp on the organ! Earth prom on BBC2 excellent. Only connect is back! And University challenge. 60 years of the programme and a film I had seen before with Benedict Cumberbatch "Starter for 10".

Tuesday I swam but Liz didn't. Picked up Henry and we enjoyed Emmetts Garden. The storyteller was excellent and we sang 2 songs. Henry loved the woodland play area. Home by 4 after an excellent day. B. Watched the rest of the Platinum Jubilee Prom which was enjoyable. Fake or Fortune about Modigliani - I dropped off.

Wednesday B, SM and S. Took Henry swimming and he did very well indeed. Painting and memory game. My report from Chelsea and Westminster came yesterday and new appointment for bone scan on 29th. Evensong from Edington. Cooked beef pilaf. To the Prom of Gerontius which we enjoyed. Had a clear memory of John East in the hospice. Allan Clayton and the choirs were excellent and so was Edward Gardner. Jamie Barton made an entrance in a glittery dress which rather dominated everything and her top note in Alleluia made me shudder it was so awful. Red socks bass did not impress much.