The organist librarian

Swam 20, art and worked on Galilee painting, interfaith lunch, delivered some letters reminding neighbours to return the form about getting a back lane gate, joined Kensington library to get scores (which they keep in store) Got a nice card with koalas on it! Lovely prom Debussy, Vaughan Williams and Elgar 2 - Mark Elder conducting the Halle. Annoyed to be told not to use the torch to follow the score. I shall complain to the hall. Watched Nielsen and Hugh Wood on TV recording.Also went to mosaic workshop in Norwood and got tiles and posted BT parcel at post office. Liz's ring to be fixed - insurance does not cover it.

A really lovely day but missed Liz. The boys loved the splash zone at London museum of water and steam at Kew and we had lunch at Gunnersbury which has a great playground. Ciaran came straight away and called me when Sean fell over and all was well. Tom brought me profiteroles! The prom was great - Prokofiev Classical symphony and Rach 2 - so romantic. Opinion was divided on the Chinese work by Qigang Chen - one soprano sounded like a cat but I thought some of it was like Delius and Mahler. Xian Zhang conducted BBC National orchestra of Wales. Great photos from Jersey by Bruce. Pleased that the blood test was negative for prostrate problems. Listened to Prokofiev piano concertos 1 and 4 with scores from Gergiev's prom.

To Mayday for blood test - half hour wait. Got to Gate only to find no show of Merchant - projector problems! Refund but disappointed. It's on at Stratford tomorrow but can't do that! Got battery for smoke alarm. Home to catch up on proms on TV! 

Swam 20.  Lovely Nielsen and Mozart from Northern Sinfonia wind ensemble. Sat next too aena prommer of 23 years and briefly saw Simon Surtees and Mary Smith. Mosaic going well but now need to buy glass tiles. Tried to get battery for smoke alarm - no luck so far. To see Dr Ojo. Keep an eye on knee, bloodtest as prostate needs checking and prescription for malaria tablets. Delicious pasta with butter. Talk on film music with Stephen Price. First half of Prom awful, Boulez too loud and scores impossible to follow. New violin concerto notmuch better. Planets god but choir too loud. 

Listened to Delius In a summer garden from the Prom with the score.  Played piano for Provincial President's Mass at West Malling. The attendance was down no doubt due to the rain but we enjoyed an indoor picnic! Glad Louise and the boys came! the drive down was no fun in the rain and then had to detour round the village as High Street was closed. All went well despite the short rehearsal wth Gerrard and John but i really think the Haas does not work well.  Brilliant playing by Leif Ove Andsnes and the Mahler Chamber orchestra Beethoven and Stravinsky. Excellent interview with him beforehand! Sat next to a charmng couple from Paris. Got 452 and then 137 and tube to Balham but ended upon same train which I would have got at Battersea Park!

Very enjoyable visits to organs in Long Ditton, Epsom and Ewell lunch at King's Head. St Martin of Tours has a very fine organ indeed. Only heard start of Jonathan's Durufle at Ewell as i went to get train at Ewell West.  John Scott played brilliantly at Bloomsbury Baptist. Shaftesbury Ave closed so Leicester Square very crowded! The Prom was good - Bryn Terfel in Fiddler on the roof. I was surprised how much dialogue there was and I missed quite a lot of it!    Some of the weekend pass prommers pushed past us in the queue! We heard about 2 vicars of Long Ditton who survived from Edward VI to Elizabeth and the other one from Charles I to Charles II with Cromwell giving money to the church! I played some Andrew Moore and enjoyed it. Excellent steak and ale pie and Youngs bitter at lunch. Home at 11.30. Liz at Acton having served Mass and off to Lourdes in the morning. This time she is helping feed the sick as well as serving!

Swam 20. It rained all day. Chat to Ann on Skype. To St George's Beckenham expecting organ with Nigel but it was Hammig quartet father and mother and som Tim Burton on cello 2 who is going to Royal College of Music. Arensky - quite lovely.   Liz went to the prom. I was at Balham library to get scores and met Mike Cornford in the rain looking well. An interesting Global Net 21 and Ethical society meeting at Conway Hall about Terrorism, War and community - an Islamic perspective. Both speakers were challenging and there were some heated comments from the floor. 75 there.

Ciaran went to Kew and we took Sean to Chiswick where he enjoyed the sandpit. He got his leg caught between stool and bridge wall but was OK. Liz went to get her ring sorted as she has lost another facet.  Another excellent Prom Beethoven piano concertos 1 and 4 and Stravinsky Apollon musagete. Interesting talk on Beethoven's piano music with Misha Donat and David Owen Norris on great form. Una corda really means one string which never hear! 

Tom home training. On train and bus. Sean would not sit still so ended up in buggy. Once we got to the park we was happy. Nice playground and sandpit. Ciaran unimpressed by size of zoo despite the lemurs, coatis, donkeys and birds! Ice cream and lunch expensive and Liz got carrot cake as Gcompensation! Stairs at Finchley which is near JW3. To Faiths together in Croydon meeting at CVA and spoke about my ideas which were accepted. Penny was onside! Two meetings in Nov one for women on domestic abuse and the other mixed on hate crime aimed at youth. Police and faith leaders need to be addressed on this too. Happy and decided not to go to Prom but listened on radio sound not great. Ravel with score. Met Tima and John on train - she is going to Lourdes where she will see Liz who went for training. Programme on compensation to British slave owners.

Swam 20. Took advantage of shade to put new felt on shed roof in some places 2 layers on top of the old roofing. Looks good and should last - had it 32 years! To Thornton Heath library to take photos of the display of our pictures which looks great. The reading group was not happening so to Tate Britain to see the lovely Barbara Hepworth exhibition. What a carver she was and how she used different stones so skilfully! The family intro to the Prom was great not quite as lively as last year and BBC Newsnight were filming. Violin, clarinet, cello and piano led by Sarah and she got the kids playing Mozart! The prom was excellent. BBC Welsh conducted by Sondergard. James O'Donnell playing the Poulenc, Symphony of Psalms and Haydn. Te Deum and Mozart 41. To Acton.

Swam 20 and to mosaic started on Madonna and child. Liz did not make it to Cadogan Hall. 2 good Proms Tallis with Cardinall's music and Andrew Carwood and a fine new work by Cheryl Frances-Hoad.  I did not take the Spem in alium score - too big! BBC Phil and Storgards Haydn (hurrah) Gruber concerto with Colin Currie and Petrushka. I went to the hall to get seat tickets (a waste of time as not many there) and to Royal Academy to see John Cornell Wanderlust  -only of interest to Magritte and Duchamp fans! Saye dunable to speak on Friday but a flurry of emails and we got Tv imam Ajmal Masroor! 

I played Sheep may safely graze (which was Liz's Mum's favourite) Leslie Woodgate Pastoral song, Willan on Sandys and Quentin Thomas on Crimond. Nice chat to Leon and then to  St John's vicarage garden  party for Adrian and Graham's 70th! Liz went to children's prom with Louise and Ciaran. Interesting talk by Sir Nicholas Kenyon and Lesley Leavey on the earlyhistory of the Proms.  Some lovely playing of Beethoven at the Prom. Fast and furious is not very musical sometimes and why not more in the Maestoso sections? Still Nelsons and Birmingham forces impressed.

I was early so coffee at Caffe Nero and apricot croissant - very nice! Lovely playing from John Webber at St John Goose Green. Good to chat to Richard Pilliner and an organist from Paisley.  To Brockwell Park to give out info for Faiths together at Lambeth country show - very hot! Lambeth country show is a real ordeal especially for families!    Daniel Levitin on the mysteries of music in the Brain. Fascinating! The first BBC Prom lecture which was held at the Royal College of Music and I heard it later on radio. Quite true that the music yu hear up to 12 influences you and then from 12 to 16 you deide what you like. Timbre and pitch is fascinating too - how come the organ can sound like a cello or a violin? Tea at Marks and got wine for the birthday boys tomorrow. Fr Andrew at mass - he tends to rise slightly in pitch! Excellent prgramme on Melvyn Bragg on TV. 

Swam 20. To Bromley library and Marks for mints and WHSmith for torch batteries. Liz went to Sr Audrey's funeral in Salford. John enjoyed Measure for measure at the Globe and the first night of the Proms was a joy especially the Mozart and Sibelius. Belshazzar well done! Sat with Marilyn and Adrian - nice to see everyone again. 

Swam 20, to art and worked on Galilee picture in acrylics on canvas, our pictures are up in the library and the rugby club are chuffed! To dentist and back tooth removed! To St John's for Mark Brafield's excellent recital - about 60 there. Oley was nice, Preston, Bach, Franck and Tournemire encore. Not so keen on the Maxwell Davies. I was able to eat the cakes and sandwiches! Chose hymns for St Michael's and relabelled my photos so they are in date order.

Had a quiet morning with Sean who was very reluctant to take his pyjama top off! To Hinsley room and 7 came for a stimuating discussion with Kat Hobbs of Campaign against the arms trade then to SGI Brixton and 14 there for conversations including some new faces like Gisela (who had brought her cranes to the centre to be taken to Hiroshima for Hiroshima day!) and Bob retired Westminster Abbey chaplain! Very interesting discussions!

Swam 20 and Nick came to sort out laptop and take old one away. 3 and a half hours! To Greenwich picture house to see Comedy of Errors from the Globe. Laughed and laughed and the text was brilliantly interpreted with lots of clever nuances and visual gags. To Acton and Liz went home to get railcard then to servers council and back to get phone from car! Picked up Sean from Shameena's no problem and finally got them to sleep at 9 15! Listened to part of William Tell from ROH and dropped off.

Swam 20, to mosaic and tai chi then home. To Central music library to get scores and a meeting at Westminster City Hall about gang crime and Shield. A delightful dinner for the Catenians at Pierlugi's. Lovely to see Simon and Christine, Tom and Barbara, Tina, Mary, Rene and Cecilia. Sat with Don from Beckenham.

I played Finlandia at the end of the service today as we remember Liz's Dad who loved it. He was a steward at the Royal Albert Hall and always enjoyed the concerts. BBQ after church and then we walked up to Grangewood Park for the Friends of Grangewood park picnic and kids party.  The BBQ is complete just need to do a gas leak test. At St John's we sang Howells Collegium Regale and Gardiner Evening hymn - always a treat! To Hyderi mosque Streatham for debate about faith values and British values and iftar. None of the speakers addressed the greed and false expectations of many people. They all seemed to think faith values = "British" values. 

Up at 6.30.10 a.m. breakfast at Joanna's then walk round Crystal Palace park ending at Westow House which was the White Swan hotel where the circle first met 9 July 1925. Lovely day and enjoyed the walk. Nice to see Tom and Barbara Tannion there and Mike and Denise Belfourd from Beckenham.I went in my study and found the first book of minutes from 1925!  t was all happening at Mass this evening - confirmation wirh retired bishop Mark Jabale and the visiting choir was excellent. They were from St Agnes cathedral Rockville NY and sang Mozart, Rutter and Handel. The men had a fine round sound! It would have neen nice to be warned about the confirmation! 

Woke early so played with new laptop. To church to get copy of Lord for the years - it was in fact in the hymn book at St Matthew's/. Last day of the spiritual direction course at St Matthew's Croydon. It's been an interesting years and we had a lovely shared lunch and final liturgy with me playing organ and piano and Cherie played piano and drums! We sang Be still, Tell out my soul, Lord for the years and We are marching.To Balham library to get lots of scores for the Proms. Federer wins against Murray! Liz went to doctor as scan showed possible damage but not to the brain. Neurologist's report to follow. 

Woke at 5 and dropped off so missed swim. To art and prepared canvas using acrylic at Julie's suggestion. Prepearations in hand for the library display. Left early to go to Friends House. The tube strike meant a lot of traffic and full buses. Arrived in good time for Faith in Europe meeting and pleased to see Alan and William and met Revd Alan Middleton now retired to Durham and the former Dean of Rochester. Rowan spoke well and gave us much food for thought and the questions were good. Also met the secretary of Churches together in Britain and Ireland and he promised to get theie interfaith person to contact me. We also heard from Sue from Brussels.Progress on bus very slow so walked to Aldwych and got a 4 to St Paul's. Ate in EAT and then to hear talk by Revd Barbara Bradford Taylor on learning to walk in the dark. Quite good and some interesting questions. Traffic bad so walked to bext bus stopwhere I got a 17 bus to London Bridge and trains and bus back to get car at Selhu

To Watermans for the last session this term with Tamar. After lunch at Fields a happy hour listening to readers in Ciaran's class. Ciaran was delighted with the ZSL magazine and let 2 butterflies go. Radio 3 concert of Guerrero and Lobo from York Minster by the Sixteen. Busy putting ne BBQ together - need 2 people and 4 hours!

Went to parliament for meeting chaired by Baroness Tonge on Palestine with the ambassador and Clare Short M.P. Iftar at the Ramadan tent addressed by Dr Harry El-Banna co-founder of Islamic relief. Delicious meal

Nick came to look at my laptop. After 2 hours which cost €132 he recovered a lot from the hard drive. Advice on what to buy. To circle meeting and 13 there. Freddie Maes on good form. Liz took me there and back as medicines say driving not a good idea and no alcohol. Tuesday to John Lewis to buy new laptop and mouse. Louise can get programmes. 

Liz went with school to Natural history museum. I felt better and Claire rang. Avoid red meat and wheat products! 

Dennis and Ann-Marie came while I was watching Dalai Lama interview and we watched Mehta conducted Vienna Phil from Schonbrunn - Nielsen, Grieg and Sibelius. I got it in the neck because i suggested Dennis might phone first if coming round. To King's a and e - all 4 of us and waited 3 and a half hours. A grim place with drunks. Doctor very good and X rayed it. No osteo arthritis or sepsis so powerful painkillers (2 lots) and home by 3 a.m. 

Woke early right knee hurting so tried cold and heat. I played Handel largo, Water music, March from Scipio and Royal fireworks (for the Royal christening) also Elgar Chanson de matin. We sang Come let us join, All things bright, He who would valiant be and There's a   wideness in God's mercy. Paul played really well and I turned over. 25 came and lovely tea. 

I had a quiet day instead of going sketching at HMS Belfast because my right knee was hurting in the night. It was very hot and muggy despite a thunderstorm, Liz went to help at St Vincent school fete. I watched Antonio Pappano's Classical voices about sopranos featuring Callas, Tebaldi, Nilsson,  Sutherland, Price and modern singers including one singing in an MRI scan showing 30 muscles are used! Westminster cathedral choir featured as well singing the Allegri. The policing London programme was rather disturbing. To vespers and Mass with Fr Alexander. The boys and girls were away so I did acolyte. The schola from St Peter's Catholic cathedral Belfast sang Haydn, Mozart and Elgar well and it was good to see Nigel and meet Ian Keatley! Fr Michael Quaqoe suggested we should be having a romantic dinner which I commented could be expensive. However we ate on the patio with good white wine and had a discussion about the importance or otherwise of the work I am doing! 

Woke early with pain in right knee so caught up on emails and wrote to Mary Endacott. 

Had a lovely overnight stay with Richard and Penny Peregrine at Hartley Whitney. Visited West Grove garden and played the fine organ.I played Handel, Elgar including For the fallen and 2 Pomp and circumstance marches and Crown Imperial. We had coffee at the Women's institute and bought a cake and a plant. The village is very pleasant and has a variety of shops including the organic one where we got chocolate.  Lots of piano and singing before dinner outside and lots of good wine! We also visited Richard's REME mess with fine British paintings on display. Guildford cathedral on the way home - fine Magna Carta banners and quilts. Home by 5. To Shirley golf club for Vincent Cullen Golf day dinner which was good. Long chat to Anne Brant. 

Saw John about wall at back which is leaning. Drove to Hartley Whitney to stay with Richard and Penny in their lovely home. Lunch in the garden then to West Green garden which is NT but owner charges £8. She puts on opera for £90 and pays young singers a pittance. Then to Richard's old mess which has lovely British paintings. Played the piano and sang and after dinner enjoyed opera and St John's records. A delightful day!

School sports day was hot! Started at Fielders and ended there having ice cream. Ciaran won 2 out of 3 races. Rugby ground is huge! 

Swam 22, to nurse and had injections for South America. Yellowfever is private and we will have to take malaria pills and no alcohol for months! Fixed shed my sawing and screwing is not that great but at least the repairs should keep creatures out! It was very hot, washing dried fast and watered garden. Liz went to pick up from school. I drove to Swanley and was very early so listened to Boheme on radio 3. The provincial executive group spent a lot of time discussing Oddfellows who have lots of members and recruitment. Quiet day agreed on the nod! Peter Stevens then spent 30 minutes on his concerns about Catenian Pilgrimages which are too expensive because of freebies! 30 minutes drive back and straight to Acton. Liz had been to Iftar at Collaboration house and met people.