The week before Christmas

 Had a lie-in - so odd having a Sunday off! Blackfriars exc sermon and singing. Evensong was nice unaccompanied Gibbons, Goldschmidt and People look East arr Barry Ferguson. Enjoyed the show jumping. John Williams conducting the Berlin Philharmonie. Antiques roadshow about toys. Chopin piano competition - they are treated like performing monkeys. Where is the musicianship? 

Monday woke at 4 to 6 then slept again. Result no swim but went to aerobics. Father Brown. Booked for Nazareth community retreat in Feb. London international horse show. Copied carols and sent amendments. Excellent Cathedral music trust Christmas quiz. Video chat to Ann and family. Great to see Jack, Owen, Mark, Sarah and Claire. Only connect. Christmas University challenge.

Tuesday very wet so no swim and woke at 10. Clearing up. Quiet time and we had wine and nice eats. Henry came after school. Sports personality. 

Wed woke at 5 then 9.15. Swim. Delivered cards. 2 Father Brown episodes. 

Thursday swim. Delivered Alice's card. Set off at 4.30, The rehearsal did not go so well. Lynda seemed keen to interfere. Had a good choir. The service itself went really well and Lynda conducted the Rutter which helped. Lots of appreciation. I met a Sri Lankan who plays the flute and piano grade 2. Missed Catharine Yap who played the voluntaries well. We had mince pies and mulled wine and got back to find our parking place unoccupied thanks to the bollard. There was a match. Sewing Bee and University challenge.

Friday woke 5 and 10 so no swim. This seems to have been the pattern this week. Luz went to help at Messy church. Hamlet in Elsinore 1964 black and white. Christopher Plummer and Michael Caine with Robert Shaw. Stunning. University challenge, repair shop. Only connect, Would I lie to you. 

Sat SM at Trafalgar Square. Watched Maestro on Netflix. Bernstein reminds me so much of Mahler. HIs lovelife was so complicated and he tried to be so many things at once. Very American and OTT but amazing as well. Oti Mabuse interviewed by Adrian Chiles. SM chat. To Mass Fr Leon is now RC! Mark is playing for Midnight Mass. Hex from NT. Made the mistake of reading Tablet review and watching the first part of Leave the world behind. Very disturbing. Eventually watched The Bee which was fun. 

Sun Advent 4. Played Bairstow and Statham on Veni Emmanuel and we sang The angel Gabriel. Jaimee with purple antlers and 12 days of Christmas. Naff. King's was excellent and nice to have a Wood setting along with Weir, MacMillan, Liz went to Nativity at St John's which had an orchestra. To St Chad's. The reading of the genealogy of Joseph - what is the point? It's Mary genealogy we need to hear. Vincent's Dad playing Ave Maria on sax. People started singing Alleluia Easter one and Lamb of God and O come O come Emmanuel. Hang on Advent has finished! Had a rest. To Midnight and we sang 3 carols. No Gloria! Played Pachelbel Von himmel hoch.