The organist librarian

 Woke early. Took Liz up to SJ with teddy bear and she looked after the small bouncy castle. Swam 12 and to Unacc. Triniti coming to party. To teddy bears picnic and long chat to Barbara, Kazia's mother. Amazed how quickly the bouncy castles came down. Listened to Voces 8 and Kings singers prom. Grainne and Dennis brought the table down. The opening of the Paris Olynpics was amazing! The lights and the river boats. Everybody got wet - the poor pianos. Celine Dion at the end. The balloon with the flames! Loved the horseman bringing the flag. I dropped off at times but there could have been more classical music. Seems I missed some including Orlovsky.  The Louvre sequence was fun. The start of the fashion show might have been a take on the Last Supper? I hope not. The emphasis on refugees was very moving.  Saturday SM with Ingrid at the Thames. Hurtado on Psalm 139. Olympics started. Listened to Dad's speech at our wedding - all very clear and well thought out! Simon's spee...

 Packed up and to St Peter and St Paul North Leach very nice man on duty put video on. Lovely church. Coffee and cake. To church at Hampnett very pretty. Stopped at Witney leisure centre for Cheltenham zoom Bishop John led prayers so well. Left there 1.40 home at 5. Long queue at Acton. Lsi 11 came at 7. Good meeting. Alice Coote singing Mahler at Prom. Saw David. Unpacked. Stephen OK. Some more not coming to party alas! 

 Wed to Nature in art. Loved it glorious sculptures and art. British wildlife photo awards. Did not realise fox hunting is still going on! Met Simon Williams artist in residence and saw kids painting. Coffee and cake. To Stephen’s recital at Upton upon Severn lovely programme. Met his Mum and Grace who does wonderful work with a widows club and looking after carers. She deputises for organists. Give her the Royal Maundy. Played the organ. To Odda’s chapel and Deerhurst priory to play the organ - heavy action. Lots of Anglo-Saxon sculptures and memorial door for George Butterworth. Evensong at Gloucester cathedral with a fine choir from Hamburg. Lloyd Webber in E minor. Organist from Bristol battling with an Allen.nice chat to Dean Andrew Zhini who used to be at Southwark. Knows John and Rachael. Rain so ate at air bnb. Spelling Bee won by Luke. Pascha was my choice. Woke at midnight and 6.45.

 A long drive from Merthyr and we took a wrong turning and ended up driving round Usk in a big circle. Great to meet Martin Davis and Julia? At St Gregory the Great Cheltenham. The organ from Wonersh is a fine Willis. The new organ not to my taste. How would it sound at Easter? Tried a restaurant but it was closed so Martin took us for lunch at the art gallery. Lovely chat. Exhibition including Duncan Grant and Picasso. Beautiful Arts and Crafts furniture and piano. Too late for Holst museum so drove to Kingsholm AirBNB small but comfy. Shower and into shorts. Buses to the docks at Gloucester and delicious pizza at Bella Mia. 

 Monday left Struet St house and reached Brecon cathedral organ 9.30. Had a lovely time enjoying it and welcomer Gloria came to say Hello. Then got petrol and drove to Merthyr stopping in the forest for coffee and cake. The Brecon mountain railway seemed familiar but unsure if we went on it with Mum and Dad? Lots of people and dogs on train very pretty run beside reservoirs. Ice cream at stop. Drove to airbnb a flat in a converted church. Google took me a long way round! 

 To St Mary’s for 9.30 Dolor consort singing Byrd and Palestrina. Exc sermon on music from Fr Mark. Stephen playing digital. It seems the cathedral position is much worse. So sad! Drive to Christs college chapel for exc concert of Bruckner and Brahms by students from Cardiff. Chatted to singers. Roast beef at the Arches. Rehearsal with orchestra in cathedral. The acting director of music good but a bit formal. Stanford in B flat RVW Let all the world. Met Maurice Parry tenor at Brecon cathedral for 50 years also Met Jon Pilgrim organist.Pitoni Rose and Ps 150 what a sing. I used stick as nothing to lean on. To Plough chapel beautiful carvings Hymns in Welsh and English with the formidable Lynette. David Price on organ. Hymns set high! A great sing. Mahler 5 from Halle prom and Sir Mark Elder’s speech. Biden stands down. Woke at 1 and 5. 

 Cooked breakfast and set off to Hughenden manor NT home of Disraeli. Fascinating and very good guides. Many systems went down so could not use card at first. To St Michael and all angels Hughenden where Disraeli is buried under the organ. His wife is in the churchyard. Saw red kites and the Red Arrows. Long drive to Roman villa which we had seen before so had cream tea. Another long drive round Cheltenham and Monmouth where we got shopping. Reached Brecon around 8 so tired. Georgian town house on 3 floors which is not ideal. Alex got TV setup and showed us microwave. Watched First night of Proms. Bruckner Ps 150, Clara Schumann piano concerto with Isata. Conductor hard to follow. Fell asleep watching sewing bee. Slept right through to 7.  Sat SM Primrose Hill. Walked to Christs college over the river. Excellent discussion of Henry Vaughan with Rowan Williams, local prof and expert. Spoke to all of them. Sandwiches. Continuum concert in the chapel excellent especially the men....

 To the town hall for third protest about the councildoing nothing about the climate pledge There had been a positive meeting and a good turn out today. To Circle and William Rhind was there as PP. Lamb and lots of potato. Congrats on Golden wedding.  Thursday lots of cleaning I did kitchen floor last night but we need a cleaner to do the bending down. No swim or art as Grainne Sophia and Athena are cming on Wednesday for a fortnight! They will be here for the party!! Trip to Aldi cancelled as Danny had to go for injections. Picked up Henry from school and he did chat a bit. Helped with tyres but would not help with bed so no painting. At that point Dennis arrived from hospital but he would not say goodbye to me. He had a lolly. Drove to Slough traffic left 5.15 arrived Goodwood hotel 7.15 having gone the wrong way. Seems Liz booked wrong date but we got s nice twin. Lift not working. Dinner on the terrace sea bass chocolate brownie and lager.Hot woke at 12.

Wed 9.7.24 woke early. SM, B, Swk. Swim. To St Michael's to hear Eleni Kentsidou play well once she had got light on the pedals! Bach very good. Not so sure about the William McVicker pieces. Picked up Henry from school and went to Dulwich gallery - beautiful Japanese prints. I sketched a whippet and we had tea and cake. Henry played with some kids in the garden. Painting at home and he did 2 nice canvases. Zoom CCA was interesting. Sr Scholastica on Benedictine history.  Thursday Liz to Guys for Dexa scan. Swim (fall) and to art and more or less finished the squirrel. Picked up Liz at Aldi. Cheltenham prayer was excellent Vice chair of Green Christian from Farm St. Laudato Si' encounter on community empowerment. Caritas international director very interesting esp on Australia. Chat one lady only spoke Spanish, lady from Philippines and 85year old from Oregon. Animators lively zoom. Tennis. Did minutes. July 25 mtg may not happen. Simon Reeve on the Nile. Fell asleep Digging fo...