The organist librarian

Visited the Hornby museum which includes an interesting section on the Battle of Britain. St Augustine's Abbey in Ramsgate built by Pugin, ice cream at Sorbetto and saw Ramsgate harbour, St Augustine's cross and the Viking ship at Pegwell bay. Dover Castle underground tour about the start of WWII and underground hospital tour both excellent. Stayed at air b and b with Gilly who knows Claire! It was a surprise to find the room to be on the top floor with 2 flights of stairs to a shared bathroom. We dined at Dino's with the Dover brothers and John Rayer and their wives =10 of us.

Set off on Wednesday early and got to Portsmouth early for the ferry so enjoyed a visit to the cathedral. David Price was teachng some organists to play hymns and there were some lovely paintings on display. The cathedral looks great! Good crossing to Fishbourne and met the Duceys. To Channel View Hotel where we had a good meeting with Gill. Brendan and Alice were impressed! We went down to the beach to play crazy golf and Ciarán won. The food was excellent throughout the week and the service outstanding. Nice sunny room and we slept well although Ciaran developed a cough for which we got some mixture. Swam morning and evening in the indoor pool. Thursday to Osborne House and walked to the Swiss cottage  and loved the children's things. To Albert Cottage hotel which is lovely. By contrast Ryde castle hotel awful. Isle of Wight steam railway excellent especially Train story. Friday to Carisbrooke castle and saw the donkeys and up the keep, also Charles I's room. Interesting mu...

Voted and swam 20. Some of the parties for Europe are ridiculous - why send somebody to the European parliament who is against the organisation? To art and we did mixing acrylic colours. To British museum for 1.15 talk on early Buddhism which was cancelled due to staff shortages so went to lecture on Viking hoards by Gareth Williams. Huge thunderstorm so went back in again to see Sutton Hoo burial display and German WWI medals. Home for meal and out again to Sisters of Sion for 44th Cardinal Bea lecture by Rabbi Alexandra Wright and Clifford Longley both excellent. I attempted to answer the rabbi's question "What can Jews learn from the passion?"

Caught up on recorded programmes - Come dine with me, Songs of Praise from Salford with Russell Watson, Vikings with Neil Oliver, Best of Men about Sir Ludwig Guttman who started the Parlaympics movement at Stoke Mandeville. Very moving!

Took Lou and Tom to Queen Charlotte's Friday evening. Watched Parade's End final episode. Text at 7 a.m. waters had broken. He was born in the water at 10 a.m. and weighed the same as Ciarán! In fact he looks just like him. Took Cairán to the park and had to shout to stop him on the scooter. Had lunch there and he had a sleep having watched "Blue mountain mystery" about 10 times. Sean was finally checked by the midwife at 8 p.m. and I collected them. Ciaran was so sweet with him kissing him and speaking softly. A great start! Sunday he got his special present of an engine shed. Bruce came Saturday with organ music, bubbly to go with the pizzas and my recharged razor. We recorded a book for him! Lightning McQueen. To St Joseph Bunhill Fields to play for Mass - rehearsed with Martin Pendergast and recognised Fr Peter. One manual with pedals which belonged to the Knights of Malta. A very pleasant experience. Walked in the rain through the graveyard where Defoe, Blake a...