The organist librarian

To Tamar's and Seán singing the African song! We went to Kew to see the lovely orchids and I saw a couple I used to know at Battersea Park library. We had lunch "sharing is caring" says he! He had the playground to himself and Climbers and Creeper. I said 5 minutes. When we were leaving he said I didn't get my 5 minutes! When he went down the slide again I found a Crunchie in the buggy pocket. He said "Where did you get that?" That would be telling says I. We arrived at school to find Liz and Ciaran had gone. I went to St John Caterham to play for the 7.30 service. Took 90 minutes on trains and I was early. Small elderly choir but a fine 3 manual. I know Jill Caudle from 10 pin bowling and Anne-Marie Garton from spiritual direction is the vicar's wife. Back at Acton by 10.30. Walked to school for Year 1 assembly which was sweet. Be still and Ciaran reading very well. I went to art. Watched Father Brown and Story of China. To Stratford to see fabulous Jo...

To swim but pool closed because no fire alarm! To see film of King Henry IV part 2 from Stratford. Liz set out with me only to find only one ticket had been purchased so she got off train at Thornton Heath! Sir Anthony Sher was excellent as Falstaff. This is a much darker play than part 1 with a sick and dying king poisoning the country. Home for a meal and then both to the dentist. Metal plate which is very light fitted and 2 more sessions. Have paid. Traffic bad but we got to Selhurst by 6 p.m. We waited 40 minutes for a train to Balham and as a result missed the first 5 minutes of Manon Lescaut from the Opera House. Great singing especially Kaufman and Pappano conducting. The modern setting worked apart from the scene of the shipping of prostitutes to Louisiana unless this was meant as a comment on human trafficking. We got to Acton around 11. To school picnic and Sean loved running about the playground and the chickens. To soft play and lunch at Osterley garden centre. To Brixton...

Swam 20 and Liz came. To mosaic - the project has changed from Sean to SLCT at Louise's suggestion so E became L! Tai chi and gave out details of marathon. A model of the Peabody estate was on show but no clear sign of a community centre for us to use but there will be one! Werther on the radio from the Met. To confirmation class which was on vocation and we heard from John a Scottish Franciscan and Mark Doran bless him. Tuesday swan 20 and went to church to look for scores but Guilmant, Gigout and Mozart were not there after all! To  Clapham Picture house to see Werther from the Met. Kaufman and Sophie Koch were brilliant both acting and singing.

Thursday did some more weeding of the shelves in preparation for the West Hill stock which should arrive soon. Liz got fish and chips from McDermotts and we ate it at Grandma's. She had had her hair done and was looking forward to Gordon's visit today. I watched most of "Carmen" from Covent Garden on HDD. The tenor Jonas Kaufman was outstanding both singing and dramatically. Liz spotted a boy she knows from St Helen's school in the cast. The production was excellent. Also saw start of programme on Pavarotti in 7 arias. Jay Cormier's meditation today in "Daily reflections for Advent & Christmas 2007-8" is about moments of revelation like the moment the disciples first met Jesus. Such a moment for me was when singing Don Basilio in Figaro and the audience laughed in the first act trio when I sang "Ah how delightful". After months of preparation and rehearsal this was a wonderful moment and life was never the same again! Yesterday I was ba...