The organist librarian

Really enjoyed taking the boys to College garden at the Abbey all about science with 2 remarkable scientists doing circus tricks about science. Lunch at Methodist central hall cafe. Mass at cathedral Fr Julio. Did not like Ask me's art at Meditatio centre. To Estorick Who's afraid of drawing? I am not and did 2 sketches. Jewish museum closed but found the wonderful Gail's bakery! To life drawing at National Portrait gallery. It really is fantastic value £8 for seniors 2 hours with a good model. Tonight we had an older lady - it was bit like drawing your Mum or favourite aunt! Not being ageist at all - she was very good at holding a pose! Got home quite quickly. Liz is at Beckenham Catenian May supper.

Ascension Day mass, art, SLIFG lunch and talk on Ecumenical accompaniment programme in Palestine and Israel. Chat to Fr Adrian. To Lord Ashcroft gallery at Imperial War museum. In the choir for Sung Eucharist at St Paul's Victoria. Annoyed that any attempt to repeat the acclamation of the choir was sabotaged by the organ! Amusing and inspiring talk at St Paul's by Barbara Taylor Brown on Holy Envy teaching students about other faiths. Good to see Alan Rainer. Interesting programme on Victorian decadence in the 90s.

Mass, gave out Signposts invites - one man gave it back saying he is atheist to which I replied "all the more reason to come along", coffee, then helped in garden. Darren moved compost bags to back garden. To West Norwood picturehouse for Matthew Bourne's "Swan Lake" the marriage between music, dance and plot is magical . Music of India series on TV. To my first Dulwich Catenian council meetng - went on too long!     W  T Lake the marriage between music , dance and plot is magical. Swan Lake the marriage between music , dance and plot is magical. wan Lake the marriage between music , dance and plot is magical. wan Lake the marriage between music , dance and plot is magical. wan Lake the marriage between music , dance and plot is magical.

Mass and Liz to Aylesford with UCM where she served. Henry came and played happily chatting away all the time. To Royal Society of Medicine for annual 1963 OJ reunion always a delight. Only 10 this year. John East was remembered. Home at 11.

Woke early. Mass. Kelsey Park and sketching birds. To Bromley PC to hear William Fox from St Paul's cathedral play Whitlock, Ad Wammes, Elgar, Mozart, Byrd and Bach. An interesting recital.Dennis brought Henry down and train to Shepherd's Bush. Nice tea and waffle at Le Pain and great to see Bruce, Emma and one daughter and boyfriend. The boys liked the Chester Zoo guidebook and soon started drawing! Home to watch Professional bakers and Walks of life featuring Quakers and Iron bridge. 

Played Bach Heut triumphiret, Stanford on St Columba and Willan on Vulpius. Folake and I sang A brighter dawn is breaking. Jerry brought the icon of St John from Crete - delighted by it. Songs of Praise senior choir well done Helen Vickery! Some very fine singing and quiet singing too! Interesting interview with a Chinese priest in The Tablet this week. He cannot understand why choirs take a summer break with the organist in the U.K. as in Singapore the choir sings 52 weeks of the year. I rather think it  does the congregation good to have sing more in the summer when there is no choir. Enjoyable recorded radio 3 programme on pilgrimage. Now watching Antiques roadshow. Watched Equator from the air. Interesting programme on the Mayflower especially as we have visited where it was filmed. Brexit party doing alarmingly well in MEP elections. 

Woke early nd went back to sleep. I have prepared the sheet for the Old Johannian dinner on Tuesday and worked on the leaflet to accompany John Michael East's funeral rites. It is quite substantial already, Liz went to doodle workshop at Bethlem. Fr Daniel at Mass and chat to French families afterwards.

To the doctor to see the nurse. I arrived saying "I feel a bit of a fraud as the little scab on my head has gone." She said "Good, I wish all our patients were as good as you, but you are here for a blood test for cholestorol!" I said "OK can you check my little finger" to which she replied "Fingers crossed it will be fine". o St Stephen Wallbrook Harrison Cole (there's a name ontrend) played Vierne and Langlais Plainte - very moving. Then to St Michael Cornhill for a recital by part of Bradford Cathedral choir - Dove, Taverne, Hadley and RVW. Charlie Manning was an expressive soloist. Bravo! They are off to Germany. Alexander Berry has done a great job in only 2 years. To Balham library and caught up on all the news. Linda has retired and Jeremy Travers has gone to Bromley. Alex who was a casual is now in charge! Met a delightful new directee. Picked up Ron and we both went to New President's dinner at Maidstone. Mgr Matthew Dickens spo

Bravo Michael Butterfield such musical playing! Great to chat to you, Marko Sever, Peter Stevens, Andrsez and Gerard Brooks. Nice cafe Conran kitchen. Rosemary Shaw is on SPIDIR committee with me a lovely surprise to see her in Oxo gallery exhibition on women priests, also vicar from Tooting who as at iftar last week. Met Dale Eaton at Globe Swan showcase very nice and enjoyed chat over tea. Champagne and canapes. Osterley 100th meeting very enjoyable evening and a substantial meal. Came back with Croydon brothers home at 12.15 in taxi.

To the tip. After food shopping in IKEA to B and q for paint. Polish Church Signposts poster done and emailed local parishes. One even offered to put up Catenian posters whereas often you find they get taken down or never displayed. Starting compiling tributes to John East. Choral evensong from Ripon. Gerard Brooks played some unusual French music at the cathedral. The detail in Widor 4 was extraordinary. Andrew and Andrew Cessana and Jonathan Holmes there. Martin Baker had heard about John East. Lovely tributes came from Bill Tamblyn and Patrick Macphail. 

Both to Mass.Had a lovely time taking Henry to the lake but on return could not find my phone. But Google locate my phone worked. It was in the car boot! A beautiful day. Garden rubbish in car ready for the tip tomorrow. Played Mendelssohn, Edwardian songbook and Oklahoma hits on the piano. Liz watched programme on oils from Bruce. Chelsea garden show and interesting programme on Indian classical music.

5 at mosaic. A truly wonderful visit to both Brompton oratory organs. Thank you Benjy Bloor! I played Howells and Murray. What a thrill! The Mary Quant exhibition at V and A rather crowded but good. Victoria's coronet and exhibition about Albert worth seeing. Cafe rather pricey! To Royal Academy of music for final recital at Duke's Hall by the amazing Andrzej Malitowski playing most of Clavierubung 3. Some of his registrations were surprising and the speed of youth! Michael Butterfield was turning. I introduced myself to David Titterington.

Repair shop 26 features Escalado a horse racing game just like Grandma and Grandad had in York when I was 5. Poor Grandad had sore fingers from turning the handle so much!  To Liverpool for Catenian conference. 3 circle meeting started with Mass with retired bishop and guitar. Go the Mass is ended is a kids song. Air bnb very pleasant. 2 of Province 7 motions passed on marketing and proxy voting. Great speeches from Lord Alton and Bishop John Arnold. Thursday 3 circles Mass and dinner. Excellent appeal by Across Trust and went on a jumbulance. Walker gallery superb exhibition of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Had a lovely day at Chester Zoo. The Mayor was very welcoming. Went to Maryton to see Sr Mary Pia in the new monastery, She knew John East - later we learnt that he had passed away. The banquet at Aintree was OK with a lovely view. Sunday served at Mass boat and acolyte. Choir were excellent Roxanna Panufnik setting of Missa de angelis. 2 Purcell anthems.  Lunch at cathedral cafe and

Swim, Mass, coffee, visited John at hospice and Sidney and Roger were there. Gave a tour of the cathedral for Council of Christians and Jews. Diana Mills gave an excellent talk on Amos trust in Palestine. Catriona joined us. Watching Repair shop. 

Both of us to Interfaith Iftar at Idara-e-Jaaferiya Church Lane Tooting. The local MP is most impressive and the vicar of All Saints spoke well. A 7 year old sang and read from the Qu'ran. Good to see Fr Andrew again. Rizwan and Malik were there.

When I went to the open garden at Burbage Road the lady serving tea greeted me by name and I did not at first recognise her. It was Cindy Kennett who used to sing in the chorus. Of course her hair has changed! She said Janet her great friend has alzheimer's in Nottingham. I met her sister (whose house it was) and the wife of Aziz who sang bass. Small world! It wasn't long before the name of Giulini was mentioned! Funeral went well. If I had known Jill was a ballet teacher I might have played something different! Finished with CD of The Swan. Jeremy Lloyd played well at Cornhill especially the Elgar! To Forest Hill to see Ros and quiet time at St John's. Now catching up on Planet Child. Buckingham Palace and Victoria and Albert's influence on British music. Liz arrived. Tuesday swam and saw the manager. Henry played happily in the garden. Poulenc Dialogues of the Carmelites from the Met overwhelming and very moving. So relevant to today. Wonderful singing and the orche

We sang Brother James's Air so played Darke Meditation and RVW Hyfrodol. Archdeacon Moira. To death awareness event which was well supported. Then open garden in Burbage Road, Herne Hill. Traffic bad because of football match. Cindy Kennett was serving tea and met her sister and the wife of Aziz who was a bass in the chorys. Evensong lots of unison Dyson and hymns too loud. Orb and Sceptre at end not very good. The last Durrells was superb! Victoria also finished. Sidney reported John East was responsive and liked the radio. 

Up early for Van Gogh and Britain at the Tate. Some lovely paintings they are all about himself and discoveries like Christopher Wood. Members special opening 8 to 10 Saturdays a wonderful idea! Some rooms I had to myself! The queue outside Tate Britain at 10 horrendous. So glad I was there at 8. Abandoned Cadogan square garden idea as wet. To St John East Dulwich for Andrew Chadney's recital. Some out of tune stops. Buxtehude and Percy Fletcher. Nice chat to John Webber. Bridge adagio too slow and no flow. Sitting in the hospice with John East and listening to radio 3, I spoke to John about that superb passage at the beginning of part 2 of Gerontius illustrating the sleep of the soul. "I went to sleep and now I am awake. It is the voices who say the Profiscere hither the echoes come. Go forth upon thy journey Christian soul." As Alan Rees said "This is a loving God welcoming us home". Who can imagine the music in heaven? John Bell said all the strange harmonie

Woke too late to swim. Liz went to Kendal. To Mass. Moved to tears by the Dementia choir on BBC - so marvellous to think that music can help dementia. Watched Repair shop. To 220 Upper Tooting Rd for iftar hosted by Labour party.  Rizwan, Malik and Kate were there. Great food and company - enjoyed meeting Sofia and Peter. 

Swim, Mass, art. Quiet afternoon at the hospice with John East who seems comfortable. The staff are wonderful! Met Sidney Buckland who grew up in Berea and wrote books on Poulenc. CCJ event at Wimbledon synagogue Clive was a delightful speaker on the diversity within Judaism. Good for networking too.

Swim, Mass, to British Museum with Nelson Ferreira. Munch disappointing but the Rembrandt prints are wonderful. Archie Harrison? What! Sounds like a music hall act. Baby Sussex's names.. I was enrolled at Dulwich as a joint member and 10 minutes later became the President! Enrolled two new brothers!! So the circle gained 3 people in one evening! They will meet 6 times a year.

Swam, Mass, Henry came and played in the garden for ages and with the track. Made the shopping trolley. I was tired! Missed quiet time and "Tolkien". The repair shop series is a delight. 

Took Liz to station to go to Aylesford for servers Mass. I went to Mass. Daniel Moult at Bromley PC and good to meet Jacob Collins. I enjoyed Rhosymedre and the Widor but not the Dupre. To St John and St Elizabeth hospice to visit my teacher John East who has just had his 90th birthday. Lovely to meet his niece. He needs prayers please. Home is where the art is. 

Portraits in acrylics with John O'Donnell at Bethlem museum of the mind. 2 hour session. That chatterbox was there again! The new exhibition is interesting and includes Nijinsky and Wain. I did not go to organists AGM as I would have struggled to get to the cathedral in time. Watched Home is where the art is series. St Thomas-on-the-Bourne, Farnham choir sang beautifully at the cathedral. Palestrina, RVW and Ola Gjelo. Fr John gave an excellent homily and we had an appeal from Aid to the Church in need.Played Guest on St Fulbert, Michael Fleming on Noel nouvelet and Gordon Slater Easter Alleluya. We sang "Sing God's Easter people". Fr Jerry blessed the Risen Lord icon and he will be in St John Caterham until the end of the Easter season. Long chat to "Dan" the homeless man and was quite blunt with him about common sense decisions. I do not think he wants help. To St Paul's to hear Graham Tomlin Bishop of Kensington on freedom. Christians have the free

David asked how long we had sung at St John's and there was some discussion. We arrived in 1976 so probably first visited in 1977 with Fr Farmer. Dennis joined the choir in 1986 so I reckon we have been involved for at least 39 years! The standard in the ballet final of BBC Young dancer was very high and I spotted the winner! Chloe Kenneally. 

Swim, Mass, doctor, Jonathan Dods played an interesting programme of Couperin and Vierne at Wallbrook. Welcoming at cathedral and kept meeting people I know including Canon John O'Toole and a priest from Jamaica. Doctor says bruise on back of head, my blood pressure very good, Jenny will remove small scar on my head. Watched Longleat programmes. To choir practice and Adrian directing this weekend. 

Not a great start to the day. Woman swam into me and I knocked back of my head. The same person did this once before so I complained. The manager did NOT take my details and said he would speak to her and the attendant who seemed unaware of the incident! So much for health and safety records. I have emailed the pool. Will monitor headaches. She is a menace. Would you ask for her to come at special times or even ban her? Ryan the manager emailed twice and was concerned. I had a slight headache and felt tired.To Mass then Caterham to play for memorial service for Grayson Clarke.Had a chat to the homeless man opposite the hall  and suggested he try the Passage. Spoke to Daniel Clarke and his mother at Soper Hall about learning the organ. East Surrey museum to see display about WW1. I did not go to Southwark cathedral for Stephen Disley's recital. Watched Planet child, 2 Antiques roadshow, Dementia choir was very moving. Final of Only connect. Sent pool manager the October 2017 letter

After Mass took Henry to Kelsey Park 19 degrees! Today we celebrate St George transferred from the 23rd as Easter week took precedence. Universalis gives 6 alternatives for the second reading at Mass! Just seen Fr Dominic Robinson on Britain's Easter story with Gareth Malone. Most enjoyable! Watched Songs of Praise. The Dean of Southwark Annual report wide-ranging and engaging.First opera at West Norwood picturehouse fabulous singing ROH Faust and new depths in the production. Wed swim and both to mass and coffee. St Joseph the worker. Excellent spirituality day with Mary Lean on Prudence. I went to the National gallery to see Boilly. Unimpressed by Sam Scully. I did find a beautiful early Pieta. Stunning singing and dancing at Linbury theatre Cape of Good Hope a sad tale of refugees.