The organist librarian

A busy day for John sorting the school library out, cataloguing and talking to volunteers. Great lunch and read stories to reception. Found house keys were in house so contacted cleaner and got them. Meantime we had tea at Sean and Moira's - lovely people.

A busy day in the library at the school - there is an enormous amount to be done! I have never seen such a mess - there are some volunteers who help and year 6 students. Lots of donations on shelves! Also read stories to reception.Skype meeting on youth matters. Only John Rayer and Duncan. Excellent programme on royal collection of art.

Watched "The Jane Austen book club" and loved it.

Call the midwife was brilliant as usual. To mosaic, tai chi and tai chi lunch at Jacks. I had eggs Benedict - delicious. To Acton and collected Sean and Ciaran from Cardinal Vaughan. University challenge. 

Farewell to Fr Duncan. We sang Litany to the Holy Spirit Peter Hurford and I got a clap for Toccata in D minor. I would have played the fugue but no time to practise as I just missed the early train. I was on the wrong platform! So 30 minute wait. Annoying especially as everyone got up to take me to the station. I reckon the emails on my phone distracted me. Delicious family lunch at the Rosendale and good service. Really enjoyed the panto at St John's - Myles was better than ever! Sean stole the show with his laugh and on stage too! Great fun! Busy clearing up.

Brilliant organ day at Bloomsbury Baptist. Dame Gillian Weir discussing her King of instruments TV series. Inspired playing from Richard Gowers and Nikita Chekshin. Impressed by RAM students. I told one he should wear shoes!  Philip Norman  challenged us to reintroduce interludes in hymns. Best to warn the clergy and congregation! Rebecca and Des at mass. Liz took the boys to Mass at Anerley and Dennis, Ann Marie and Henry came. They went off to bed happily at 8.45. Watched new dance works. Flurry of emails about the motions for conference and the public speaking competition. 

Played before funeral at Caterham. I only found out yesterday that I was glad and Stanford in G Nunc was to be sung by a professional group so by mutual agreement Laurence played. He was most impressed by the organ and my playing. I know, Faure Elegie, Thalben-Ball Elegy. Deceased was big in St John Ambulance so church full. Because of the change in funeral arrangements I was able for the first time to attend the Holocaust memorial day candle lighting and presentations by 4 schools and a survivor at Croydon Town Hall. It was most impressive and moving. Met the rabbi from Shirley, Rose from South Norwood, Irene Siepka and the Mayor. Excellent string quartet from Whitgift and a fine singer from Oasis Coulsdon. Programme on Rembrandt and otters. Long chat to Andy Pritchard. 

Mass, art, interfaith lunch, Croydon Council planning Committee Crystal Palace football club presentation. I was impressed at the councillors questions. The club seem to be unaware of the impact on local residents. Watch it https://croydon.public-i.tv/core/portal/home. The club come over as arrogant. History of a house in Liverpool programme fascinating. 

To Mass and art - finished Ann and Paul and Owen.Left early to get to interfaith lunch which in fact started at 1. Much talk about the committee which meets 6 times a year 2 hours each time - what on earth do they discuss for so long? Alan can lend me a projector for March. Bus diverted coming back. Finally spoke to Laurence about the funeral tomorrow - there is to be a professional choir of 8 and I was glad so I was very happy to say I would play beforehand and then go as I have had my fee. 

Programme on stolen Van Goghs. Question of sport

Tuesday to Mass. Henry came to pay and is nearly walking. Took the car to John Biles to replace headlight bulb £26. To Provincial Council - both conference motions approved and Brendan takes over as director. Some comment on the public speaking competition costs. Wednesday to Mass and coffee. Waited for Laurence Williams to ring with funeral music details but nothing. Why he can't just email I do not understand. I had to come home to get the school form so was late there but enjoyed the cooked lunch. Reading Penguin's egg to 3 groups. Fell asleep at Acton. Home to watch Trust me I'm a doctor and Tom Kerridge on weight watching food.  Council saying we cannot have a drop down kerb but will fight this. 

Dennis made his first visit to Beckenham circle and there were 35 present including Bernie who is on the welcome desk at the cathedral and I have been trying for a year to persuade him to come along! We enjoyed sausage and mash and Dennis chatted to Frank Savage.

We sang Malcolm Archer's delightful setting of Brightest and Best and I played Walther on Jesu meine freude and Von himmel hoch. It was good to be singing "Be still my soul" which always reminds me of Liz's Dad. Sleet and light snow!! At evensong we sang Brewer in D and Bullock Give us the wings of faith. To mosaic and then to USPG regional day in Great Suffolk Street which I enjoyed especially Helen on India.

Slept in and Liz got my new Sony phone. The Doro would not recharge. To the icon workshop at St Nekarios Battersea to paint the border on the icon. Bishop Nicholas confirmed 28 adults at Mass - a long service. Came out to see the window rose made of plastic bottles illuminated by cyclew power! Watched A Vicar's life and paradise gardens with Monty Don.

To St Stephen Wallbrook for Michael Nicholas's recital. He tells me Ben is married and he remembered my singing with Michael Fleming. What a pleasure to see Helen Murphy there! Watched Songs of Praise featuring HM the Queen and Simon Lole. Opposite St Stephen Wallbrook is the London Mithraeum which is free. Not a lot to see but very well presented. To Royal Festival Hall for London Philharmonic orchestra and James O'Donnell playing Bach, Saint-Saens 3, Faure Pavane and Jongen Sinfonia concertante- paricularly liked the third movement. Full too. Saw Adrian, Terence and Martin and Prommers. Conducted well by Dirk Brossé. The acoustic is so dry - the Albert Hall far better.

To Mass and art - started a new picture. To Clapham Common to meet Clare new spiritual director - very charming lady.  the plans for Crystal Palace football ground. Appalled at the size of the stand and the numbers who will be coming. We need a residents parking scheme and an incentive for fans to use public transport. What benefits are there for the local community? Very little as far as I can see! There may be more jobs but who will get them? Framed picture Liz gave me for Christmas. 

Henry now near to walking and he enjoyed his new walker. To Heythrop for Panikkar event with 3 good speakers and a film about the great theologian. Good to see Michael Barnes, Michael Redman, Michael Ipgrave now Bishop of Lichfield and Peter Tyler. At coffee after Mass learnt a lot about St Chad's and why people left. Watched La boheme from ROH and wrote up notes on Panikkar for Xavier. 9 people came to Westminster Cathedral interfaith group and we had a great conversation about Panikkar as Mohan Gupta did nor turn up. To Grow meeting at Caterham vicarage - I left here 7.20 home at 9 thanks to poor train services. Show More Reactions

To the Kairos centre for Balham circle's 100th meeting with Mass celebrated in the lovely chapel by Bishop Paul Hendricks. I was amused by their motto Porta ad Australem Gateway to the South. Sat with Tom from Kingston and Philip. Unimpressed at food dumped on table and dishing it up ourselves. Nice to Brian and Patrick. 

3 day icon painting with Ian Knowles from Bethlehem icon school at Royal Western Academy of art Bristol excellent. Hard work but very worthwhile. Quite humbling too. We stayed at the excellent Clifton Hotel and went to Saturday evening Mass at Clifton cathedral. Liz did some exploring of Bristol and Weston-super-Mare. We ate twice at Racks under the hotel and the breakfasts were great. Had eggs royale! Gained 3 pounds. St Michael  Icon not quite finished and some minor blemishes - more time needed. To mosaic, tai chi (30 minute stand) and collected Liz's robes. 

Rose late. Went to South Norwood methodist for hearing aid clinic to find it closed because of an inspection of the building. A warm welcome at St Vincent's and Anna showed me the library which needs so much work! Big piles of donations. It felt chaotic. Read stories to 3 groups from Sean's class which was fun. One child told the story himself! To the house and dropped off. Watched programme on hearing loss and  Miriam in America. 

To Mass and sang at a large funeral at St John Upper Norwood. Big family all doing things. Henry came to play. To Swale circle for presentation of 40 year scroll to Pat Gallagher. Sadly sickness meant about 9 missed the meal. 90 minute drive there and 75 back in mist and rain.

Back to mosaic and tai chi. I shelled out £42 even though I will miss 2 sessions. Tony was late. Produced posters and invites for the dementia awareness event. With Dennis Woodhouse to take music for February to David Dibbs and to Norwood Catenian circle meeting. David has a 3 manual Wyvern. Lively discussion about the review.

Fr Jerry blessed chalk so we can write above our front doors 20+C+M+B+18 the year and the Magi Casper, Melchior and Balthazar. It also stands for Christus Mansionem Benedict "May Christ bless this house". He also gave us some lovely prayers to say as we do it. My hands were so cold today I found it hard to turn pages! Peregrine sang Three Kings beautifully. I played Buxtehude and Gade on How brightly shines. Also Andrew Fletcher on Was lebet one of my favourite hymns O worship the Lord. I have enjoyed serving and playing for the Epiphany 2018. For some reason we tend to be away for it e.g. Sydney 2017, India 2015 and 2013, and York Minster 2012. Tree and decorations down and put away. Cribs and dining room tree stay up until Candlemas. Stunning playing and musicianship from Nicola Benedetti with the London Mozart Players at St John's. Beethoven violin concerto and Coriolan overture. She signed my score. The rapport with the conductor a joy to watch. Lots of children ther

To St Michael Turnham Green for Laurence Long's recital of Christmas music. He plays really well but I thought Wachet auf and the Brahms were too fast! Richard Elliott's piece on Good king Wenceslaus ingeniously reference the Nutcracker. Paul Ayres Exite Fideles was a good end. To the cathedral but 7 guides on so did some better photos for the children's guides and came home early.

An enjoyable visit with Liz to the Horniman museum to see the British Wildlife photography award winnng photos and chose the owl as my favourite. Also visited the music gallery. Great homily at Mass today from Fr Stuart on marketing and the church and how word of mouth is the best way to invite others to come along. To Catenian Provincial executive group meeting at Swanley - very useful discussion. Good programme on Canaletto. 

To Mass then to the cathedral to discuss the children's guides and quiet day with Michael Moran on God with us. I fitted in part of the recital at St Matthew Westminster by the talented organ scholar there Alexander van Dijk - a virtuosic fast Toccata and Fugue in D minor. I do think the player should acknowledge applause between items even if he does not want it! Saw Sebastian. Had some quiet time and sorted out emails when I got home so some publicity done for interfaith group and the dementia awareness evening. Now babysitting. They enjoyed Dunkirk. Henry played quite happily and now asleep. Liz is featured in January Catena and my letter has been published.

Both of us to 10 a.m. Mass at Anerley with Fr Stuart. Turkey in oven. Watching New Year's day concert while preparing prawn starter and cherry dessert.  A delicious New Year's Day lunch 12 of us! Miss  Bruce Woodhouse ! My cherry and kirsch dessert was much enjoyed. Grainne and Clare came with Sophia and Alexis. Henry on great form and the boys so good with him. They stayed the night. Saw more of New Year's day concert. Muti looking older. Took boys to see Henry and Molly and Liz took them home. I spoke with Dennis.