The organist librarian

Lovely mass with singing from Archbishop John Wilson at St George's cathedral on you tube. Loved the remark about the hat! Zoom to Caterham but no sound. It was OK on Friday. Our singing of Ps 99/100 included by Tito Pereira on zoom.Got tired uploading photos.Went through year 2017 boxes and 1 bookcase. Lovely singing from Sisters of St Andrew can't say the same for St Pancras Choral evensong. Jo Brand on private passions. Zoom Laudato si retreat now on you tube 370 listening in and I signed the pledge. Excellent facebook with Nelson Ferreira on drawing hands see you tube. BBC young musician brass final. Elephants in Botswana.

Lovely Requiem Mass for deceased priests. The choir sang Brahms and Byrd. Nice chat to David. Delicious lamb at Acton and watched Prince Charles. Ciarán's year 5 assembly about remembrance was very moving. Well done all! Pity it was so difficult to hear some of the children. Nelson varnished all the oil paintings and icons and they look stunning. Lovely lunch and we both enjoyed Rembrandt at Dulwich gallery and tea! Liz went to see Gillian in Acton. To choir practice and Liz was unimpressed not to be doing the solo in Darke in F. 3 tenors. 

Peter Stevens played so musically at St Michael Cornhill. Bach, Byrd, intriguing MacMillan, Franck Priere, Durufle Sicilienne and a blistering Toccata. Superb!Really enjoyed Food at V and A with Nelson Ferreira. Thanks Nelson! Big discussion over latte about sponsorship for the exhibition. Very exciting. Liz to maths and I went to Beckenham circle. 

Both to Mass. Cleaned the lounge carpet. Sent scans of Signposts. Many thanks to Nelson Ferreira for the fab Dior exhibition at V and A and such a lovely chat over coffee and lemon tart. Loved it. Excellent meeting with Revd Robert Reiss on death and assisted dying. An excellent and balanced conversation. Next time we need to talk about life after death. It was wonderful to have two Hindus with us. Then went on to Conversations in Croydon on preparing to die well which was fascinating and I now have copies of the pack. 

Both to Mass. Some good work on the painting thanks to much encouragement from Nelson Ferreira. To the Mandela exhibition which is terrific! Alas Liz could not come after all waiting for electrician.  We heard sparking but nobody turned up. Darren having lots of work done next door and the system is linked. Great film "Pope Francis - a man of his word" by Wim Wenders at St John's.

Drive to Crayford for the moving funeral of Catenian Brian McKie. Church packed and he was a stalwart and great example to all. Always cheerful. Bernice his wife is a special minister as he was and I found it so right to receive the chalice from her. We are the Body of Christ United in joy and sorrow. So sad that their daughter died and Brian remained faithful to the end. Much discussion over tea about conference and our motions which I think we will withdraw. Home to change and then to see Clare and a great chat. To Whitechapel gallery for tea and saw some modern art and a film about the French ambassador's wife in Burkina Faso. To Greatorex St to see beautiful icons by Nelson Ferreira and a lovely chat to Christopher Lane. To Acton. Ciaran was great at assembly with his new haircut and playing the drum. To Wimpole Street for introduction to clinical trials re Alzheimer's. I might have the right genes to take part. Patrick Hopper played an unusual programme at St Stephen Wal...

Mass. What a pleasure to meet my amazing teacher Nelson Ferreira in the Grand cafe and visit the Royal Academy life drawing exhibition. I popped into the Dali/Duchamp which I knew I would dislike to see the Crucifixion. It was very crowded. To St James Piccadilly to see Suspended in aid of Safe Passage. Evidence of homeless sleeping on our streets. At least they can sleep in that church. Booked up Bristol course.  Watched Christmas Bakeoff and Victoria Wood. 

Friday swam 20. Magisterial playing from Peter Guiding at cathedral but very quiet and SVP kids including Bianca and Simon servers practising play, Saw Francis and Noel and Ellen. Emmanuel's behaviour had been noted.  British library maps exhibition very interesting. Last session with  Nelson Ferreira  really enjoyed it but the people in Regent Street!  Lovely retreat day with Michael Holman SJ at Sisters of Assumption next to Heythrop. Brian at Mass, Peter played Bach at the end. Chester Zoo programme. 

30 minutes wait at Selhurst. Signals blamed. We were late at the cinema.  A tour de force from Kenneth Branagh and the cast of The Entertainer at Clapham picturehouse. We missed the first 15 minutes. Enjoyed it and so relevant today!  2 contrasting exhibitions William Kentridge at Whitechapel and Robin and the dance at the Courtauld did some sketches  Nelso.n Ferreira  offered an extra session so we could finish. sean up at 9.30 and opted for a day at home again.  The Crown on Netflix is brilliant and moving. To book fair at school. To Gate cinema  A United Kingdom is a great film with David Oyelowo giving a fantastic performance. The British do not come out of this at all well. Sir Seretse and Lady Ruth Khama were a beacon of light in Africa and Botswana. Just read Alexander McCall Smith's Botswana novels! Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry

We did not have to picl up the kids on Tuesday after all so I went to oil painting. Wed to Tamar and lunch at Watermans. Sean joined in a bit. To Hinsley room for talk by Farhana Mayar from Quilliam foundation. Eugenie and Alison came and said a lot. Rita wasn't able to come so only 7 but 3 new people. We saw quotes from the Qu'ran and agreed this might be published by the Vatican. Worth a try. I went to Pret for tea and reading Tablet and Tagore short stories. Martin Baker's recital at the cathedral was Bach and Reger - a heavy programme. Adrian from the Proms and Martin Ball came to chat which was nice. Thursday to art and finished the drawing and decided to use oils so ordered spike primrose oil. To South London visit by Vice National president Peter and Joan Rogers to present 40 year scroll to David - he was very amusing. It was my official visit and Thomas More was well received. Friday no swim and kept waking up. Boiler serviced. Sent off emails and tidied study. 

Quite a busy week since we got back. Monday to mosaic but spent time looking through photos. Hendrika did not come for tai chi - 5 there so went to Imperial war museum for excellent Reel to reel about war films with original costumes. To BSO and Xray confirmed wear and tear on right knee. Tutor syas it needs 6 sessions. Clare was there! Dennis became a Catenian - at last. Not many there and I had to show them the procedure even so Colin was like Ed Balls! Nice photos. I joined 3 Oct 1994, he joined 3 Oct 2016! Tuesday changed hearing aid appointment so ears can be clear first. To St Mellitus Gloucester Rd for St George's college Jerusalem update and lecture on Nazareth which was good - the new Dean from Brisbane. Told Bishop Richard and him about Barbara and New York. Only one of our group came but 4 from 2016 and 2 from 2014 sharing perspectives so nice to compare notes and met quite a few clergy. Nice lunch. To Acton and then to Chiswick Park for first session with Nelson oil p...

Swam 20. Played and sang some Messiah and Dichterliebe. Elektra from the Met at Gate cinema. Stunning playing and singing esp Nina Stemme but the drama is harrowing. The final page sends shivers down my spine!  Met Freda who used to come to the Proms.  V and A for Paul Strand photographs and films and a ceramics demonstration by Wedgewoods. Amazing ceramics section and enjoyed tea, did 2 sketches and the British section where I watched film on country houses. Then to final oil painting class. Very pleased with portrait of Liz and so was Nelson Ferreira. Liz pronounced it "quite good" Divorce proceedings to follow after all that work! Sean had an off day and joined in a little at Tamar's. He wanted to go to the toilet alone at lunch at Watermans and I refused. Picked up Liz and we both slept. To Meopham and all went well depsite being late. Brendan Fitzgerald was held up and we went to pick up Kevin but he had taken Brendan Foley home thinking we would not get there in t...

Liz and I enjoyed Marguerite - funny and sad French film about a rich lady who thinks she can sing and nobody will tell her how awful she is. We had an excellent meal at Gastro opposite Clapham Picturehouse mullet, duck, 3 d essert selection £20 each. To Acton and oil painting on metal at Chiswick Park - layer No. 2. Liz to school.  Had a good day with Tamar, lunch at Watermans and playing with water at Steam museum. Ice cream cone too! Liz to tenebrae at St John's - I felt tired. Masterchef. Saw Linda on TV at the Albert Hall! Grantchester was good and saw the rest of the Battle for Christianity,

To quiet group at St John's 5 there. It was good to have some silent meditation. To Chiswick Park for first session with Nelson explaining painting on aluminium. 12 in the class which started and finished late. Have not done any painting yet! Wednesday to Tamar's and had lunch at Watermans. It was wet. Tom took the boys to swimming so I came home as Liz wanted to go to class assembly tomorrow. Story of China, Crown prosecution service, Born to be different, Nicholas Parsons holiday in 1939 at Studland. 

A good day at St Matthew's looking at strengths and weaknesses and what makes for a happy day (smiling in my case) - only 2 more sessions of the spiritual direction course left and then to Regent Street to finish the Ciarán portrait. Westminster cathedral VE day party turns out to have been cancelled so turning up in red white and blue with hats from the Last night a little pointless so we had an excellent dinner at Il Porto trattoria near Victoria and went up to Trafalgar Square - no sign of promised VE day floodlights but lots of flags in Parliament Square. Clegg, Miliband and Farage all resign! Was up to 3.30 a.m. watching election results. Sad to see Simon Hughes gone and Vince Cable. Ed Balls is no loss. Croydon central stayed Tory by 243 votes! 

Have finished reading all 3 parts of Dante's Divine comedy which can be slow heavy going. Purgatory might seem suitable for an election campain much of which we missed being away! Swam 20 and went to vote but nowhere free to park near the polling station. Worked on the mosaic border. Mary Garvey died and so have rearranged lunch with Shanti. Liz went shopping and I set off to vote (Labour for first time in a general election) and then to Whitechapel gallery. Disappointing Christopher Williams photos, some interesting pictures from Moscow and tribute to Shiraz festival. Peter Liversidge notes on protesting. Vahap Avsar's Road to Arguvan a fascinating film. Reminded me of The crack at Tate Modern - shows a fissure in a road. Had delicious chocolate Guinness cake and Early Grey tea (proper pot) all for £5! To Nelson's studio in Greatorex Street and spent 3 hours working on the picture which is vastly improved! Watched some of the election coverage - much speculation! ...

Tuesday swam 24. To Trinity House Chapel Court for session with Chris Chapman - turned out to be  Angus Anderson talking about his painting The Fall based on Paradise Lost. It was a stimulating reflection on institutional evil - he used to work for GLC. I came home for lunch and Liz went to Acton. The train to London Bridge was packed and my train was stopped due to somebody on the line at Streatham Common. Result I reached Chiswick Park at 6.30 instead of 5.30 having left at 4. Nelson was great and said stay for the second session so I drew the portrait on the board and painted the imprimatura and white highlights - we are using egg tempera! Glad the Toplises took the Mastersinger ENO tickets as I would have been very late for it! Got to Acton at 9. Wed Louise was working at home so went to music as normal. Sean fell over but seemed OK. Picked up Ciaran from school. We both went to ENO and sat in dress circle for Purcell's Indian Queen with additional material and excellent dance...

To Victoria and Albert for classical drawing course with the fascinating Nelson Ferreira who is from Portugal and told us a lot about art history. My technique improved over the 3 drawings and I learnt a lot. The underground was so full that I got buses so I got to the cathedral at 6. Mass for All Saints with Lees Court choir singing Victoria and Stanford but was it really joyful? Straight to the new circular Clapham library for the launch of Bobbie Darbyshire's new novel Oz. Great to see her, Isabel Losada and Lorinda Freint again.