National theatre

 Tuesday swim. To West Norwood NT The Crucible very well done. Unfortunately right hearing aid played up in first half and I was a bit sleepy. More work on chorus talk. Life drawing from Devon with Don on zoom. His was older so had marked folds in the body. 

Wed swim. Watched funeral of Deacon Fred Carter from Merton - kept losing the signal Gerard spoke well. Supervision group. To St James Piccadilly A and C lecture by Rachael Salter PRA on Japan. Shinto shrine moved after 20 years to adjacent site. Had to wait outside for 15 minutes. Pauline, Revd Charles, Elizabeth URC minister from Milton Keynes Cornerstone. Interesting chats. Spoke to Lucy Winkett. 

Thursday swim. To Caterham for funeral -only had to play beforehand and Jerusalem which people were singing. Rest was pop rcordings. Went to pick up Liz at gym but she was already on the bus. Churches conservation trust Philip Burnett on missionary churches - very interesting. Why did we export English architecture and liturgy? Why did we export a white Christ? How sad that the churches could not have united to bring one Church to Africa. Now Africa export missionaries to us! Good LSIUK meeting. Sent invite for OLV Lent course. Diminished and  augmented chords Gresham. Great British menu. We had delicious trout. Apprentice was in Dubai. Goodbye lovely Joe from S.A. Some nice replies to invite re OJ May luncheon including Mark Wilson! 

Fri Liz to osteopath. Swim, UNACC and left early to get to Croydon Minster (too early) for James Todd ginger studying at RCM. Bach, Buxtehude and Rheinberger! Chat to Sebastian. Took photos for chorus talk. To Dukes Hall Royal Academy of Music for Professor Paddy Russill's inaugural lecture on Dering, Philips and Sweelinck motets beautifully sung by the Oratory choir. Great to see Graham Neal in action and talk to David Hill, Gérard Skinner and Jonathan Rennert. Would I lie to you? Father Brown but I dropped off.

Sat woke too early again. To St John's for Mass for Don who died this week. He was so welcoming. Lionel played a Prelude by Harris which Dad used to play and I will have a go at it. It was written in St Thomaskirche Leipzig. We sang Lead kindly light to the Harris tune Alberta. Worked on chorus talk. Fr Valentine pleased with my Holy Week suggestions. I played Wyton, Griffiths and Karg-Elert at Mass. Not many there as the Vicar General is coming tomorrow. Tablet has a letter about the wonderful parish and I sent a follow-up. Programme on Camilla.

Sunday we both went to Caterham. Liz had made delicious desserts. Jill Caudle sang and we did Gaelic blessing by John Rutter. I played the Wyton on St Patrick's breastplate and Nun danket Karg-Elert. Good congregation for Jerry and Anne-Marie's final service and a lovely lunch. They liked the card I had painted for them. We had bazooki Greek music live. Home and tired. Digging for Britain. Call the midwife and pottery throwdown both emotionally draining . The news from Syria and Turkey gets worse. I added photos from Rome to the chorus talk.

Monday went for swim at 9 which is a good time. Half term so kids starting arriving. Cleared back room and moved boxes upstairs and using them to store pictures, spare files, etc. Hoovered and cleaned floor - exhuasted! Excellent session with Colette. I missed chair aerobics and I will miss next week as we have a funeral. Henry came and we painted a parrot and he made a rainbow. Seems he is worried about a sleepover because of a monster under the bed. Chat to Dennis. Zoom Sisters of Sion Chapter 2 of LSi went well. Only connect, Mastermind, University challenge.

Valentine's. Swim (very quiet). LMP friends with George Morton music arranger and excellent trumpeter Matilda Lloyd. To UNACC lunch which was lovely and film "Cast a dark shadow" with Dirk Bogarde and Margaret Lockwood. The soundtrack by Anthony Hopkins brilliant and acting pitch perfect. To surgery and patient access restored. New generation artists and Hidden underworld of Naples. Gresham lecture on encryption. ROH insight into Fidelio. Part of LSi webinar. Amazed to see Catenians are proposing to allow circles to widen membership to women, students, wives, etc. The tide is turning!

Took Henry to the Horniman and it was a great success. Dino lego and Elmer. He enjoyed dressing up as TRex. I left to get to the cathedral and enjoyed Edward Dean from Worth Abbey playing Faure and Widor, Boyvin and Olsson. The interfaith group of 7 had cakes and coffee and discussed chapter 2 of Fratelli tutti and a lovely discussion. Tiziano on great form. Rita had a go at Alan. Watched end of The Mistress episode. Gresham on images of Victoria. Delicious meal of salmon in pastry, mateus rose and pudding. Repair shop. Dropped off. Nicola Sturgeon resigned!

Thursday woke at 5 no swim at 9! To Shepherds Bush and a lovely lunch with Louise and the boys. A good discussion. Prepared interfaith group poster. CCT Eleanor Jolliffe on the emergence of the architect as a profession. Apprentice was good. Watched part 1 of Henry V from the Donmar NT at home.

Friday did not sleep well. No swim again. Liz went to gym and her laptop gone to be fixed. Trinity made me feel a lot better. To Croydon minster Riccardo Pes cello - lovely playing. JSB, Vitali and Giovanni Sollima. He left out the Morricone pieces and did not realise until Chris told him. One piece he played with a pen! Chris (who told me the Minster only pay travel expenses!) came home and the talk works on his computer. I timed it as 47 minutes which is just about right. Would I lie to you? Fell asleep in Father Brown.

Sat SM from the retreat at St Katharine's (too expensive). To Croydon Minster to sing in choir of 100 Martin How's The hope of splendour requiem cantata. Adrian Lucas was very clear and Roger Sayer played. An effective and moving work. I just wish we had had more time to sort out the trickier passages! Nice reception and chatted to lots of folk. To Mass and meeting about Holy Week. I am now playing for Good Friday and The old rugged cross (for the first time ever!) Watched rest of Father Brown and rest of Henry V.

Sunday woke early again. Played Andrew Moore on Aurelia and Toccata in D minor JSB. We sang Be Thou my vision by Bob Chilcott and took a first look at the Coronation anthem from RSCM. Berni Excell celebrted well - good to see her again. Took present (print of Ian Knowles icon of Charles de Foucauld) to Jerry and AnnMarie. They loved it. Had a good chat. I was so tired I had a rest after lunch. Nice evensong directed by Adrian Sumsion in A, Wilby If ye love me. Pottery throwdown.