The organist librarian

Liz went for a swim and some woman was rude to her - she was chatting to her friend at the side of the middle lane! I went to hear Peter Wright at Grosvenor chapel - only 6 there. I enjoyed the Bach but the Leguay and Demessieux and Heiller rather left me cold. Nice to have a chat afterwards. Miserable day. To Provincial council at Swanley and Fergus got through the business very quickly blaming the weather. I was at Acton in good time. Wednesday to Tamar's and Sean joining in the song. At home he changed the word to Lion King song! Ciaran doing times tables in the car. I said You never stop learning even when you are 100. "What about when you are dead?" I said "Nobody knows but perhaps you keep learning when you go to heaven". We returned home early as Tom took the boys swimming. Ciaran starting Beavers. The webinar did not materialise. Chat to Malcolm Woodhouse about Frank - he has lots of material including the King's Penny and medals and watch! Ann rang...

Up late and sorting out numerous emails. To Brook Green St Michael's on trains and underground for the recital by Jonathan Dods standing in for the player from St Martin's in the Fields. Naughtily he did not give us a programme and mentioned Bach, Demessieux and Bedard and left us naming that tune! I got Attende Domine, Ubi caritas and O sacred head right! Watched programmes on monasteries. Lots in The Tablet today. Practised Gigout and Bach on piano. Watched University challenge and The Boy in a dress, also Betjemanland.

Finished at court at 4.30 so home and had dinner and watched Julia Bradbury doing canal walk in Wales. Listened to a bit of Michael Berkeley on hearing loss. To the cathedral for Gillian Weir's final recital. Splendid playing and a good audience - Demessieux, Bach, Franck, Martin, Willan and Mulet. Standing ovation and she walked the length of the cathedral and into the pulpit with flowers from Madeleine. Even Marie-Claire Alain didn't go in the pulpit! A memorable evening. Nice to see David Hill there. Met Liz at the end - she had been at RCIA with Michael Dunne. Watched The Hour on return home.

Liz to Heythrop so continued with reading. To St George's Beckenham for Nick Wibberley's recital at short notice - Buxtehude, Bach, Mendelssohn, Demessieux, Daquin, Boellmann - well played. Watched the rest of Tosca from Covent Garden - Bryn Terfel, Jonas Kaufmann, Angela Georgiou conducted by Pappano - fantastic singing and playing. Saw Terence briefly at Beckenham. To Balham library to collect Roy book - all pleased to see me. Confirmation candidates at Mass Royal Holloway college sang unaccompanied Canterbury Mass by Cecilia McDowell. To catechists meeting with red wine. Picked up Dennis from station - been on course.

Spoke to Ann, up early and did blog and printed off music for chorus which in fact was incorrect so a waste of time and paper and ink! To dentist and now have 2 top teeth without a gap! £150. Finished off tar on gutter and roof and no sign of leaks. To St Michael's for interesting recital by Maxine Thevenot a Canadian who plays in Albuquerque New Mexico - Preston, Vierne, Mulet, Demessieux and Canadian Denis Bedard. It was good that she introduced the pieces from the loft. Home for stir fry and then to Hinsley room. 9 came for talk by Ross Kempsell about World Youth day in Sydney last July. He said he would speak for 20 minutes but in fact spoke for nearly 2 hours - he was brilliant and so interesting! His mum came too. To chorus to rehearse music for first "Merlin" recording with Debbie Miles-Johnston. To Victoria to meet Mark and Mariana who is charming and glamourous - pizza express. Very nice!

To Unison committee meeting - quite short this time. I reported on asbestos and swine flu under health and safety. To St Michael's for organ recital by Peter Wright. Muffat, Bach Prelude and fugue in C, Hollins Song of sunshine which is a lollipop, Vierne Feux follets and Demessieux Te Deum (she used to play in high heels!). Liz was there having had her haircut. Grandma OK. Had coffee and cakes with Peter, Adrian and Graham. Passed on compliments to the Dean for yesterday's sermon. I have finished Jill Dawson's remarkable novel about Rupert Brooke "The great lover". This explores many themes especially sex and death. Not for the easily shocked!

Karen's throat and sinus still bad. Said farewell to the trumpet with Stanley and Purcell Trumpet tune. Sunday to recital at the Cathedral by Ben Giddens of St George's Chapel, Windsor. Jeanne Demessieux Tu es Petrus, Buxtehude Praeludium in C, Franck Choral No 1 and Leighton's Paean. He plays very well. Liz stayed up for rite of election. Good TV - Antiques roadshow, Lark rise, Jeremy Paxman on Victorian art and life. Monday to chair organists committee at Moira's - many of the dates fall on my day on on Saturdays despite my best efforts. Home by 11 p.m. Carlo Curley is unwell. Tuesday home for chocolate pancakes with orange, lemon and Drambuie. Could not decide what to give up - chocs, biscuits, alcohol, cappuccino so decided to do something extra and started reading Timothy Radcliffe and Gordon Giles Lent books. Wednesday up too late to go to Fairtrade breakfast at Croydon College. Met Louise at her office foyer and had lunch at the Phoenix- salmon and brie fishcakes...

Cathedral organ console Cathedral Easter street decorations Car on back of barge! Barge in lock On the bridge Rathaus seen from main bridge. Kapelle. Tram into town after a good breakfast of cheese, cold meats, rolls, orange juice and coffee. It had been snowing overnight. With Ann to the cathedral where we met the organist before the midday meditation so we saw the console and enjoyed his improvisation on "Victimae paschali". Snowed very heavily while we were in the cathedral shop buying confirmation cards so to nearby cafe for cake and cappucino. To Museum am Dom where modern and old are placed together sometimes very effectively and an interesting exhibition by Jewish artist Jehuda Bacon. He survived the concentration camps and lives in Jerusalem. Interesting use of Masaccio's Adam. There was a particularly striking portrait of Judith a woman in a fox cape with the Crucifixion of a young man behind her. To the cathedral treasury - very fine chalices and copes i...