The organist librarian

Had a good chat to Ann on Skype using my new laptop. Very pleased that our grand niece is to be called Edie Olive - Mum would be delighted. To Mass at Addiscombe in the side chapel. Fr Keith spoke about children in church and described how Jacqueline was on the organ at Midnight Mass and Lewis fell over. In between verses of the carol she loudly announced "Will somebody pick up that child?". Fr Jackson got a birthday cupcake. There appeared to be a second verse of Happy birthday unknown to me! A quiet day some schools still have not sent details for the public speaking next week. They have had loads of time. Went to quiet time at St John's. Fr Daniel is off to Putney in May. Watched programme on V and A and University challenge. Pancakes for dinner.  # ROHcellistmixed superb beauty and wit. We are West Norwood picturehouse. Dances at a gathering Jerome Robbins simply marvellous and The Cellist is a most moving ballet. I was fortunate to attend Jacqueline Du Pre's la...

A most interesting day at Trinity House on safeguarding for spiritual directors. Regrettably the Signposts course is cancelled. I did attend Mass in Polish followed by rosary and benediction at the Polish church in South Norwood. The unaccompanied singing was impressive. Adrian sang the psalm beautifully and the priest was very friendly. Liz went to Mass. Watched University challenge and The Apprentice.

Dennis gave us a lift to East Croydon so we were early at the bus station. Straight through in 3 hours and Robert picked us up. His wife had an ankle replacement. Lovely upside down house very comfortable right next to Pittville Park. Good chat. Walked in park 23 degrees and to Turtle Bay Caribbean restaurant. Excellent cocktail jerk chicken whiteboard and grilled pineapple.Jamaican Red Star beer. Edinburgh won University challenge from Teddys but it was close. Tuesday Good breakfast with Robert. I woke at 4. Nice walk through Pittville park and got sandwiches atSpar. Arrived at St Nicholas at 9.30. 16 on course. Eucharist at 10. The rector prayed for all church leaders and bishop Declan. Great way to start. Holst's father played at All Saints Pittville. Drawing lightly. I chose Risen Christ which Ian did for Lichfield cathedral. Liz went to Holst birthplace museum. Wednesday. Slept 8 hours. Drawing and first lines after transferring the tracing. To the ladies college and Sarah ...

To Mass. Boys on their screens! Took the boys to see "The missing link" at West Norwood loved it. Horrified to see Notre Dame in flames. The organ will be destroyed. Horrible to watch the spire fall. Only connect, University challenge, Attenborough on shells, Home is where the art is but dropped off. 

Swam and Mass together. Jeremiah Stephenson stepped in at short notice at St Michael Cornhill and played really well. Lucky All Saints Margaret Street! He has declared himself transgender on Facebook. He plays really well - Bach and Mozart. Met Liz at Aldi. The repair shop back on TV - very touching! Enjoying Only Connect and University challenge. The house in Newcastle upon Tyne. Put together the exercise bike and Liz returned from UCM Anerley to find it ready. 

Sunday enjoyed chatting to Peter and Edna Morgan from Basingstoke and he loves Parry I was glad and organ music. He worked in Dubai. Mass at the hotel hardly any singing then coffee. Another lovely day pity the pool was closed. Drove round North coast Rousse tower, Fort Pembroke, Fort le Marchant, Fort Doyle and marina. Earlswood garden centre for tea and lemon cake. Motorcross on beach. Very warm in our room hence a cough. Pizzas from the bar long wait but good. Watched Antiques roadshow, Blue planet live, Victoria. Monday breakfast with Peter and Edna. To Ladies bay and walked round Delaunay Park. Mass at noon for the Annunciation at Our Lady Star of the Sea, Polish priest. Interesting circular wooden altar and evangelists in wood like Steyning or Oberammergau. Guernsey museum to see photos Chimera. Cream tea and bought soapstone elephant and gifts. Priaulx library really old world.  Town church excellent Lenten stations, large organ with hidden console. M and S for salads. Fin...

Lie-in reading McCall Smith and The Tablet. To Manbre gallery Hammersmith to see the fascinating exhibition and book The unknown fallen. 4 million Muslims fought in WW1 and the Imperial War museum refuses to sell the book which is the ONLY book on this subject! They claim IWM is only about Britain. That is plainly nonsense! Confirmation with Bishop Paul Baptism of the Lord. Tim was on duty and very friendly. Watching channel 5 programme on Anne Boleyn. Only connect and University challenge.

To mosaic and an enjoyable Christmas party for the group at St Luke's Kew where we were treated to songs from the ukelele group. I was interested that a lot of the songs had no intro and were set very low probably in C or D. To Caterham for practice for the carols. Why am I awake at 4 a.m.? The subconscious fretting over the carols. Watched Only connect and University challenge last night both enjoyable. Liz went to Bromley circle's Christmas meeting. No doubt all will go well on Thursday! I was furious that only Shona the conductor from Sacred Heart turned up at the rehearsal. It seems her choir are rehearsing tonight for a nativity and 3 Christmas Masses. Last year we had 2 singers at the carols who did not attend a rehearsal at all. All very unprofessional and a lot of the time I could not hear what she was saying! The Victoria is accompanied which helps. 

Mass, to Glyn Close - Henry not well and Dennis in strange mood so meeting and car seat purchase delayed. Enjoyed the tango prom on TV, Berlioz with Joyce Didonato, Proms extra, Antiques roadshow. Uploaded first lot of photos from trip. Watched Versailles and University challenge. Bruce arrived.

Swam and Mass. Told  Dennis to bring Henry at 10. They turned up at 11 so I saw him for 20 minutes. At the Met encore of Luisa Miller. Domingo is amazing and coming up to 50 years at the Met. Great cast. Liked David Milne at Dulwich picture gallery and sketched 2 and part of the fine Tiepolo. To Acton. Worked in the school library all morning and displeased at the mess including interference with new books waiting to be processed. Dr Helen Costigane gave an excellent talk on Amoris laetitia to the Westminster cathedral interfaith group. I was so hot and tired by the time I got home.Enjoyed Secret life of the Zoo and University challenge semi-final.

Lie-in and Bernard Noakes rang about the motion and procedure. Watched Simon Schama Civilisations . Good programme on Bacchus. RSCM voices conducted by Dan Soper at Mass this evening at the cathedral. Peter Stevens was playing. Watching the Gettys and University challenge.

Swam, Mass, coffee, post office. Turns out Maureen knew Canon Brian very well indeed. Watched University challenge and start of programme on Russian revolutionary art. To Acton and set up a track with Sean. I was supposed to go to Temple Church for the Israeli/Palestinian bereaved parents who I heard at the Synagogue but I dropped off! Home to watch The Apprentice.

Swam very quiet when I arrived but the lady who swims fast in the slow lane arrived. I see the nutty lady is still about. Mass, Henry came and is crawling! He is so cure. Paul's birthday and he had been on freefall machine. To quiet time. Liz to Acton. Skype meeting on Catenian youth matters - 4 of us and it was excellent. Bake off final. Sue Perkins pilgrimage down the Ganges.

Passion Sunday played Bach Erbarm dich and Brahms Herzliebster Jesu. Excellent talk by Frances Young on Construing the Cross at St Paul's. I made the point that so many hymns are about me and she says her next project is to look at corporate responsibility. Maybe it is good to look closely at the theology behind hymns. Stations this evening effective meditations from Mary's Point of view. I played voluntaries on Rockingham, St Bernard and Herongate as we sang It is a thing most wonderful. Monday swam 12, mass, mosaic, qigong. To West Norwood to take Bruce's floor pieces to Emmaus and post office. To Norwood circle and installation of Juan and Declan. My official visit and John Barrie came from Croydon. Harry Mellor also there. Did not sleep well. To Mass and decided to stay home. Liz to hospital for scan. University challenge, Father Brown, fishing leopards Tom and I at quiet time - trees have been cut down. Adrian and Fr Joe both retiring!  Last Wednesday I was intervie...

We both went swimming. Only did 10 as when I went into the fast llane Max bumped into me. This led to a heated argument and I pointed out to the manager that swimmers must swim in circles. In effect by going in lanes others are excluded. It was all annoying and upsetting. To mosaic and tai chi and then returned books to Balham and met Mike Cornford. He did not know about Ian and David Parker. To Croydon Town Hall and hold a banner for presentation of petition to save the Fairfield. It was rejected. Watched Island parish and university challenge final won by Peterhouse. Peter Kay. 

Woke at 3.30 and 6.30 so no swim. Mosaic and good progress. 7 at tai chi which was mostly exercises and some line dancing!  To Balham library.  Home to watch Island parish, University challenge, Come dine with me. Some Prommers have got the prospectus and price has gone up and family Proms are not included in the season. Still good value. Practised on piano for Sunday. Watched Grantchester. Tuesday swam 20. A lovely day but spent the time doing Catenian secretary's report, Cambridge visit plan and guide and starting reading Alexander McCall Smith. To meditation at St John's and met a Buddhist. Having trouble watching young musician paino final on Iplayer.

Swam and not many there. To art and worked on the Iguassu picture. Good interfaith lunch and 20 there. A good discussion on National interfaith week and IS and the arms trade. My article on Jerusalem published in Westminster Interfaith newsletter and PMM pubIished the short article about the Sarum course. I was surprised that hymns for Sunday were changed and got this reply. "I wish to preach on O Come Emmanuel and the other hymn is in Anglo Catholic repertoire and if not well known can at least be tried if you can play the tune,please. As Bill, Shirley and Phillipa attend Monday rehearsals at St.James I intend in future to use the same or similar choices of hymns in both churches as they have suggested.Many thanks for your adaptability and cooperation.Kind regards, Fr.Leon" In other words the work I have done on hymn choices is being dismissed out of hand. Why was I not told about this arrangement? Very annoyed and unhappy.   Wached University challenge and Simon Reeve in ...

Swam, grouting and walked to the park. Warched programmes on Napoleon, policing London, some of the Bach solo violin Prom but not to my taste. Had trout for dinner. University challenge, Leeds piano competition round 1.

Everybody says rest so no church today. I was going to play the Bach Ascensiontide prelude. Sorry to have missed Tablet 175 mass and Roxanna Panufnik's new anthem. Watched the lovely Amour which has an unexpected twist, VE Day service at the cenotaph, Geordie symphony school which is brilliant - Il Sistema comes to Newcastle! Woodcarving. Enjoyed the end of University challenge and Gonville and Caius were worthy winners.

Up early and coffee at cafe as I was early. Commander Andy Tarrant was friendly and frank and we discussed hate crime, domestic abuse and human trafficking. I am tasked with trying to set up 2 events for Muslims and Eastern Europeans to inform about these issues. The hour went quickly. Went to The Works and bought 4 canvases and a large carrier case for paintings. Much cheaper than Cassart. I was cross with the 468 bus driver and sent in a complaint. 2 buses were made out of service at Whitgift centre with a lot of congestion about and people waiting.This 3rd bus went straight past so I hopped on a 60 and caught up with it. The driver said the supervisor told him to start at the next stop! To art and forgot my computer so worked on flesh tones. Liz picked me up and she had been to Asdas. Nice lunch and dinner. To Milton Court concert hall which is splendid and behind the Barbican for BBC Singers and London Sinfonietta of Gorecki and MacMillan brilliantly conducted by the composer, Met...