The organist librarian

Liz up in the early morning to see blood moon. To mosaic, part of Stephen Disley's recital at Southwark cathedral and SPIDIR committee meeting.Updated Christmas card list. Sadly so many are now emails but that is so much cheaper! Connect. University challenge. Liz went to Anerley UCM. Icons. 

Mass and some confusion over readings for new feast of Our Lady Mother of the Church. Stephen Disley played an interesting programme at Southwark cathedral. A quiet Bach Fantasia in C minor worked well and Imperial March a great ending. On Chesil beach very sad book is better but a good film

Remembrance Sunday. Faure Pie Jesu keyboard played up so switched off and started again. Elgar For the fallen a great piece. Good to have Steve playing the trumpet Old 100th and Gordon Jacob national anthem. He messed up on last line of Old 100th and did not play the Jacob fanfare but I kept going.I met Linda's husband.   My mockup of the guide for children to birds in Westminster cathedral is ready to test run! Roll on Dec 2nd! To Stephen Disley's recital at Christ's chapel Dulwich - an unusal programme. Nice eats. The Bach Fantasia in C minor was dull and so was the Gibbons. I liked the Thiman, Carvalho and Bach Fantasia in G. Watched Cenotaph and listened to Gloucester cathedral evensong. Worked on animals at cathedral first draft. Howards End on BBC.

Swam. To art and worked on Jersey picture. Liz off to Newcastle until Monday so gave her birthday present and card.  An interesting lecture on chant curing people in medieval period at St Sepulchre. . Cards and calendar posted to Oz. At last to Leighton house (took a bit of finding). Interesting Arabic material and photos of the last surviving guardians of Mohammad's tomb. On the 9 to National Gallery for Goya portraits (expensive but worth it) but I do wish they would limit the number of visitors. The film is good. To Festival Hall for free Philharmonia concert of two Julian Anderson works which he introduced. Then bus to St George's cathedral for Nick Gale memorial concert. Stephen Disley played. Durufle requiem was too loud - organ and choir. Diction very poor and not a blended sound - very little difference in volume. Some voices stick out especially altos. Chatted to two of them at reception in Amigo Hall and saw the Harpers and Richard the organ tuner. Home via Vauxhall....

Swam 20.  2 stimulating meetings. John McDade on Christians and Jews at Sion centre and 7 at conversations for the soul. I also got guide books from the library and went to evening prayer at Southwark cathedral and heard the girls rehearsing a modern piece with Stephen Disley. 

Monday woke early and then back to sleep! To mosaic - I was late but good to see everyone again. I got my brolly back and all my materials were safely in a box. All I need to do now is the infilling around the flowers and Paisley pattern and grout and it will be finished! No ta'i chi so to Balham library to return scores and pick up 2 books -Tom Service on conducting and The Tower - both were recommended at Proms literary events. To Southwark cathedral for an excellent recital by Stephen Disley - Buxtehude, Bach, Andrew Carter, Janacek. Home for lunch and then to Barbican theatre. Eventually found the ticket office and then found we had been moved to the middle of the stalls which was excellent. A wonderful Opera North production with great singing especially Biggalow. Loved it - standing ovation! Home at midnight.

Spent Saturday morning on essays and redraft of both is done. To Summer exhibiton at Royal Academy and met 3 Battersea Park ladies and Alex who used to work at Balham and his Mum. Loved the blue pictures and Jayne Parker film of cellist. Tea at M & S and smoke vespers for the Trinity and Fr Christopher gave an excellent homily on the Jubilee and special prayer. Slipped away to get train to West Dulwich to get to Stephen Disley's opening of organ at All Saints West Dulwich. Emma Penrose sang Handel and Barber. Lots of familiar faces including the Almeidas! Stephen played despite his op.

A quiet wet day at home finishing Patrick Gale's excellent "The whole day through" and watching a 2006 prom of Mozart C minor Mass conducted by Charles Mackerras. To Albert Hall via Battersea Park and Sloane Square. The concert started with Berlioz's Hungarian March. Stephen Disley played Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3 - a truly thrilling sound. I was sitting with Chris Hollis and talking about Giulini. Love the bit with the piano duet. Carmina was excellent and Andrew Greenwood very pleased. Got a 52 immediately and train to West Norwood. Liz was ahead of me but did not have keys! Buses to Coulsdon - clocks went back an hour - I was exhausted so glad of sleep although I woke early. Liz off to Louise's baby shower and then back to Brum until Thursday so lonely bed again! We sang Martin How's "Day by day" and Howells "My eyes for beauty pine". Baptism and girls practised. Buses back home - am reading Doris Lessing's "The cleft" whi...

Saturday was quiet so caught up on displays and admin. At Mass we had extra servers because the servers dinner followed. Victoria forgot to ring the bell the first time! Amici Choro sang really well. Lauridsen Ave Maria and Byrd 4 part Mass. Caroline was singing. Saw Vicky and Gareth afterwards with lovely baby Lydia. The dinner was a great success - 50 came and the Hinsley Room was transformed. We were sitting with Victoria's parents Shaun and Annette from the US and they are returning home. Imagine our surprise when the Cardinal joined us and was on great form talking about retirement and cooking and shopping in Chiswick! Canon Christopher, Paul and David Grealy completed the party. Excellent buffet and lots of red wine. All the chaplains joined us. It was a delightful evening! John was not at Coulsdon so I played the bass part in Tye anthem and we sang Nicholson in G. I practised and then joined Liz at King's College hospital to see Grandma who has osteoporosis hence the b...