The organist librarian

Art jolly by my group from Thornton Heath AgeConcernUK - did 4 drawings at Tate Britain. To Southwark cathedral to walk the labyrinth. The organ was being tuned which is not conducive to contemplation!  Royal College of Music museum to see Ben-Uri pictures and met  Tak Chow  !  A super prom from Danish forces of Nielsen and Brahms with the Winchester cathedral choristers. Excellent discussion about Hans Christian Anderson - it seems we need a good English translation of his tales!

Swam 30. While was at the doctor's had a call from Fr Christopher to say they had appointed somebody else although it was close. The organ was dire so that's a relief. To interfaith lunch and a good turnout. The walks attracted 30 to 50 people each! Shocked to learn from a Muslim about the new law which allows body scanning at airports. He sees this an invasion of privacy especially women and children and what control will there be over the saved images?To Balham library to get more scores - it seems the store is in a mess. To Tate Britain to see the Migrations exhibition which seemed an odd compilation. Then found buses were not running past Hyde Park corner because of the torch relay so to South Kensington and walked up carrying the bags of scores. Saw 3 acrobats hanging from Imperial College! To preProm family talk not well attended but people played their instruments and the evening's works were introduced with 3 members of the BBC orchestra of Wales. In the South was a...

Tidied up and then to visit church warden Cynthia's garden at 43 The Vale Coulsdon in aid of the centenary appeal. Lots of the congregation there. A beautiful garden on a slope and nice tea and cakes - she has a gardener. To the cathedral for ecumenical celebration of St John Roberts martyr. Welsh bishops and Archbishop of Canterbury preached. Hymns in Welsh to sight read tenor part! Harp. Stuart Kale sang a special piece with choir by Brian Hughes. William Mathias Toccata Giocosa at the end. We were acolytes. What a joy to talk to 2 Belmont brothers and hear Dom Brendan is off to Syria this year. They knew my SSG articles and I urged them to attend PMM! To Tate Britain to see "Rude Britannia". This did not even raise a smile and the really rude bits were oddly unimpressive. An erection is just that - funny I suppose in a way. The video of Sarah Lucas the woman artist eating a sausage and a banana was intriguing. Preferred the 2 wonderful fighter planes in the Duveen gal...

To New Scotland yard for a communities police meeting - met a nice imam and an interesting discussion. Quite daunting to go through security and find the metal end of my pencil and belt buckle set it off! To the Tate gallery - loved the Modern painters Camden Town group exhibition and the beautifully lit neo-classical sculptures including a stunning Flaxman Adoration of the magi relief. Did not like Peter Doig or the 5 women artists. The rehang of the modern galleries is good but the drawings exhibition is poorly labelled. Why put all the labels at one end of the wall? Fascinated by a film by Breda Beban of a man dancing with a gypsy girl and how changing the music and the slow motion of the film made it immediately seductive. On way out answered a Mori poll for Wayne and pronounced being a member of the Tate very good. interesting that I did not spot that The Independent had sponsored the Peter Doig! The last of Understanding Islam and 30 there - felt quite sad but Chris was hilarious...

Day off but to Coulsdon to discuss January music with Vickie. Home for lunch and then on train to Victoria. There was a closure at Vauxhall so buses were diverted so I ended up walking to Tate Britain where I met Bruce in the Millais exhibition. We had tea in the members room and visited the modern art sections. I watched 2 new films Estabrak's "Self-portrait with Aunt and Rebecca 2007" and "Finding Grandma's garden" by Denis Hyka and Violana Murataj from Tirana. To chorus where Robert Dean rehearsed Classic carols. Christmas letter is ready at last and emailed.

Monday to Catenian meeting when the Provincial president made his official visit. I am now Provincial councillor. Tuesday evening to a talk at the Pump House gallery in Battersea Park by the artists Matthew Cornford and David Cross about their work. It was fascinating. They put on one off events on commission. The first event was to fence off the only green space in the centre of Stoke on Trent which caused uproar and led to teh council introducing more green spaces. They dyed a pool at Bourneville Cadbury's HQ purple and renovated the pool as well. Their next project is to put a peace garden on a Peckham nuclear bunker. Today I spoke to Ann on Skype and went to the day at the Hinsley Room. Howard presented a DVD of the abbot and Fr Thomas Keating talking about listening to God. It was really useful and set me thinking about self-disclosure on the internet and the need for friends. I know I need hugs and Liz is my best friend and companion. I shared the reflection on the Rublev Tri...

Wednesday morning and a visit to Tate Britain to see the new exhibition. I am a member of the Tate. The audioguide was very well done but at 11.30 a.m. there were far too many people there. A queue for the cloakroom, a queue to get the audioguide (prebooked), a queue to see the smaller pictures - it became very wearisome and tiring. A fine exhibition but many of the pictures need to be seen close up and if everything is on timed entry why not control numbers better? I wrote as much in the comments book I was offered when I returned my audioguide. I returned home to complete the March music list in time for the March parish maagazine. It being Valentine's Day we exchanged lovely cards and I gave Liz a box of chocs which she is not supposed to eat being a weight watcher! We had an excellent dinner at home with Marks and Spencer cava with pink fruit flavouring. By the time we had drunk the whole bottle I soon dropped off! Still the joys of married life after 33 years are companionship...