The organist librarian

My last Sunday at St Michael's 17 in church. An interesting piece De Profundis on Aus der tiefe by Andriessen, Bach Erbarm dich and the Dorian fugue. Hurrah no more Murray setting for a while I hope! A very nice farewell from St Michael's - white wine and very appropriately a transfer from Westminster Cathedral of Our Lady of Walsingham. John and Debbie Williams were conspicious by their absence and Bob was not there. Call the midwife, Bolshoi ballet intrigue, Populaire a French comedy about a typing competition in the 50s. Portsmouth.  Edge of the Sistine chapel ceiling jigsaw done - it will be hard! Played Tchaikovsky on the piano.

Played the piano and went through diary. To Southfields.  Enjoyed seeing  Adam Boulter  's latest work and meeting some interesting people! The curate of St Barnabas Southfields, her friend Sylvia who had been to India on her own and a choir member from St Mary's Battersea. To Bloomsbury Baptist to hear David Flood - his Bach was excellent! Franck, Elgar and Bjarne Slogedal. 13 servers at the cathedral including Rebecca and Emmanuel and a new little girl girled Fleur. Watched Incas with Jago Cooper and educating Cardiff.

A quiet day at home and caught up on TV especially Father Brown. Lz went to choir practice and the pub. Booked for oil painting course with Nelson. 

Woke 2.30 and 6.30 so no swim. To art and dentist. It took Rebecca a long time to scale down the new crown. Met Julie Fifield in the street and told her. She has diabetes and her husband is now 75 and as she said we are all getting older.  Painting Norway: Nikolai Astrup at Dulwich picture gallery is interesting. He's not really that good which gives us all hope!  Standard at Southwark stage of Catenian public speaking competition very high. Jael Umerah-Makelemi from Sacred Heart Camberwell was a worthy winner. St Thomas the Apostle school at Nunhead pulled out all the stops. The judges were excellent Dr Joseph Spence from Dulwich College, Archbishop Peter Smith and Susannah Hardyman. I spoke to the student who spoke about marketing the Catholic chcurch as I did an online survey aboout just that today!  Back in time for the weekend the series on BBC has been fascinating. I have also found Michael Wood'sThe Story of China a real eyeopener.

No session with Tamar so took Sean to Osterley with his bike and he loved the play trail. Snowdrops, crocus, daffodils. Lots of birds and saw a robin and heard a woodpecker. We had lunch there. Chat to Paul Britton. Watched Keeping up with the Khans, Secret life of the zoo and a rubbish Channel 5 programme "Inside Buckingham Palace" which told us nothing new! 

Norman Harper gave a fine recital at Grosvenor chapel ending with Bach's Passacaglia. Charles Dickens museum has a lot about Dickensian a series I really enjoyed.  Evensong at Westminster Abbey Byrd 2nd service, Wesley Cast me not away. Canon White excellent talk on Benedictine stability. Like Comment

To mosaic and tai chi with Hendrika. Watched Father Brown, Royal Navy school and University chalenge. To Beckenham Catenian meeting.

Saturday to the Festival hall for Roald Dahl festival. The concert was sold out but the story bed was great and Ciaran loved posting dreams in a jar and then sorting them out downstairs -  a very simple but clever installation. Also chalk on the floor, audio books and story telling boats. Lunch at Giraffe sitting outside with blankets! Story of suitcases and an excellent guided tour through the wonderful world of Roald Dahl. Lovely meal at the Canteen with the family which was a nice surprise. Watched Dickensian and the 70s. Had a wierd dream about an ordination with PM and Louise Sage.  Went to 8 a.m. Mass at St Mary's West Croydon. Arrived at church to find a large skip full. I have now brought nearly all my organ music home! It seems a pity that the paper was not recycled but a clearout was certainly needed! I played Bach Lenten preludes and Fantasia in C minor. Only one more week of the Murray setting - hurrah! Have played it nearly every week for 3 years apart from Christmas

Took Ciarán swimming and he is like a fish! We went to Grangewood park for a nature walk measuring tree trunks, Squirrel scramble and finding a woodpecker nest hole. The largest tree is a little bit older than the park itself (1900). It was really interesting and we enjoyed it. Watched Dickensian, secret life of the Zoo (again) the sixties lifestyle, Father Brown, story of China. Liz took Ciarán to get a Beaver uniform. Friday got to the car to find could not open the door. Liz had lost her keys at the pool so I went to get them. Britannia rescue Cedars came and it was the inside lights left on last night when Liz was looking for the keys so no trip to Go Ape! Ciarán seemed happy to stay home and not go to the park! We did get him singing a little. Watched Royal Navy school.

Great to take Ciarán and Seán to Tamar's music session and they enjoyed the drawing a line  Westminster cathedral interfaith group was attended by 11 this month and Marilyn Mason convenor of Humanists for a better world spoke about the year of Mercy and Laudato Si'. There were 7 at Conversations for the soul at SGI UK Brixton. display at Watermans, the playground and Charlie Brown film. Ciarán has now come to stay. Watched Dickensian and Simon Reeve in Greece.

Train ride very smooth and airband b close to the station. Laetitia and Pip the dog very friendly. Bought food at Waitrose and we were able to use the kitchen. Bed very soft! Saturday rehearsing in Becket chapel a large choir and evensong. We ate 3 times at Loungers which was excellent and convenient for the cathedral. Sunday we sang Mattins at 9.15 nice Archer Benedicite and Rheingberger 8 part Mass. Did some sketching. At evensong Sumsion and Hear my prayer. We watched Call the midwife. Monday visited Peterborough museum which has fossils and Victorian operating theatre and history of the area. Sketching in cathedral. Fast train to London and Liz came home and I went on to Dover. Coach from Folkestone West. Quality Inn a good walk from station but very comfortable. Back to Maison Dieu for Kirkham Cup and I helped with signing in. Denis from Maidstone was a worthy winner - only 8 spoke and all finished by 9.50! I stayed overnight and an excellent breakfast. Climb to Dover Castle and

To St Swithun Purley on 2 buses - about 50 minutes. Met Revd Fiona Weaver who has great connections with Jerusalem and interfaith. Nice 2 manual Willis 1898 smaller than Coulsdon and Beckenham - congregation of 30 and small singing group but it did sound as though attendance and commitment was an issue. Would consider 2 Sundays a month at 40 pounds a go so worth considering. Interesting to see what Caterham want. Herne Hill clearly evangelical, Streatham want too much. Bromley and Farnborough too far and not easy by bus or train. Liz to St Helen's for Maggie's farewell. I cried off guiding. Watched programme on New Spitalfields market. Simon Reeve in Greece.

To Tamar's and Seán singing the African song! We went to Kew to see the lovely orchids and I saw a couple I used to know at Battersea Park library. We had lunch "sharing is caring" says he! He had the playground to himself and Climbers and Creeper. I said 5 minutes. When we were leaving he said I didn't get my 5 minutes! When he went down the slide again I found a Crunchie in the buggy pocket. He said "Where did you get that?" That would be telling says I. We arrived at school to find Liz and Ciaran had gone. I went to St John Caterham to play for the 7.30 service. Took 90 minutes on trains and I was early. Small elderly choir but a fine 3 manual. I know Jill Caudle from 10 pin bowling and Anne-Marie Garton from spiritual direction is the vicar's wife. Back at Acton by 10.30. Walked to school for Year 1 assembly which was sweet. Be still and Ciaran reading very well. I went to art. Watched Father Brown and Story of China. To Stratford to see fabulous Jo

An inspiring morning at Support library campaign with authors and people from all over the country and met MP Steve Reed's assistant with  Elizabeth Ash  and told her the true state of Croydon libraries.Met Liz at the Royal Academy and we enjoyed the gardening exhibiton despite the crowds. Lovely Monets and Van Gogh. Had tea and cake and then to Acton for pancakes. 

Monday up early and swam 20. To mosaic and left early to get to Sunbury. Liz went to funeral of Lourdes patient at Shepperton. It poured when I left the station to walk to St Paul's school. We sat in on a session with another couple and then agreed to answer questions from a large class about our marriage. They were very polite and interesting questions. Mary took us to Whitton and we had tea and food there. Liz came home and I went to the Festival Hall to hear David Titterington. There was an interesting interview with him and Sally Beamish about her new work with William McVicar. I sat the side to follow scores for the Brahms and Franck. Buxtehude and the Nielsen Commotio made up an interesting programme. Saw Andrew, Chris Town and Adrian.

17 in church. Practising Dorian. Played Willan and Hurford on Song 34, Willan on Nicaea and Mozart Serenade. I told Bill the news. Fr Leon came up to check all was well about getting away at 12. There was a meeting to appoint an auditor at 12 anyway and I go to St Paul's cathedral in good time which was as well as the room was full.  Pádraig O Tuama spoke well at St Paul's cathedral. He is an Irish gay poet and theologian who directs the Corrymeela community and he told some great stories. Good to see Michael Redman there but  William Rhind  was turned away as it was full. Home by 3.30. At evensong we sang Stanford in B flat and Caesar Soul of my saviour. Benediction. End of War and Peace beautifully done. Call the midwife and watched programme on Confucius. Delighted that Liz found the missing hangings in the shed boxes. Brought some organ music home.

A stimulating CMF day at Kilburn and the Islamic centre of England on prophecy. Good to see  Anjum Anwar   Damian Howard  Chris Hewer Diana Mills and Bishop Paul Hendricks again. I asked a question about Abraham and his sons - are prophets perfect or not? To Mass at Anerley - Archbishop Peter's letter rather dull.

Swam 20. 3 women chatting in the fast lane! Had a good laugh at Dad's Army - only 5 are Clapham Picturehouse. Watched Father Brown, Dickensian, Real Marigold Hotel, University challenge, Secret life of the Zoo (Chester) and the Brain.

Enjoyed Interfaith harmony breakfast at Stockwell mosque and promoted tonight's Brixton library meeting and Conversations for the soul at SGI UK - next one is Feb 17th. To art group and much muttering about how we need more space and we should be in the hall! Lens of glasses fell out again so Boots opticians in Thornton Heath fixed it - I hope!  I made the same mistake again! On visiting the loo at the mosque I forgot to put on the slippers provided and ended up with wet socks so had to change them when I got home. It's a point for mosques opening to the public this coming Sunday to put up a notice warning male visitors to use the slippers!  To Brixton library for a lively meeting getting ideas to fight the closure of 10 libraries. Julian from Balham was there. In Croydon and Wandsworth the staff were afraid to speak out - a very different atmosphere in Lambeth. National library day on Saturday and the lobby of Parliament on Tuesday should help. Sadiq Khan must answer the ques

Another extraordinary day. To see Spotlight (£5 pensioner rate at Clapham Picturehouse!) This is a brilliant film but deeply disturbing. The extent of clerical child abuse is truly horrifying and every bishop and cardinal who hid it should resign To the Wellcome to see the excellent Tibetan tantric exhibition. Met Sara Thorley and earlier in the day  Jeremy Travers . Candlemas at St Paul's with incense and procession. Holst, Hassler and Eccard and the Bach prelude. Excellent sermon on the dark and light in the church. . Only in that way can the Church be seen to trying to move forward. Secrecy must be challenged. Final pleasure of the day Alexandra Palace with John Pryer who played the Dorian and Katherine Smith trumpet playing Handel, Haydn, Lovelock and Street and joining in the brilliant improvisation on the Teddy Bears' picnic! Nice chat to Jack and Derrick. Quick journey to Acton just caught the Overground at Highbury! Wed took Sean to Tamar's and he sang the monkeys

Woke early so updated funeral plans and swam 20. To mosaic and painted ceramic tiles to be fired. 7 at tai chi. For some reason Tony asked the new lady if she prayed and had sex!! Home to see Father Brown, antiques quiz and Come dine with me also programme on Hawaii. SSG has a new website.  Mary Crinnegan and Emily McCulloch came to visit! I was at Catenians so missed them.  Dennis Woodhouse  came to visit the circle.