The organist librarian

 Thursday St Thomas Becket. Swam. They liked the shortbread gift. Saul from Glyndebourne 2015. 2 Wigmore Hall concerts. Henry came and we watched Zootropolis very funny. Made mince pies. 2 Wigmore Hall recitals and 2 winter walks in Yorkshire and Cumbria. Only connect, University challenge.  Henry slept late and Dennis came to pick him up. Antiques roadshow of toys. Boxed chocolates at Christmas with Jo Brand. Last part of Saul. Third Christmas institution lecture. Fish and chips. Only connect, University challenge won by Balliol, Masterchef.  Sat 31st SM next to the Thames, S and B. Hurtado on the call of the fishermen. Pope Benedict died aged 95. Dennis came to collect big teddy and we went through my medical records.  Back to the cinema after a very long gap. Picturehouse West Norwood New Year concert Berlin Philharmonic. Jonas Kaufmann on stunning form. Kirill Petrenko precise but exciting. His face in the Death of Tybalt Prokofiev! Capriccio Italien sounded like a new work! Loved

 Drove toCaterham no problem. Snow still lying. Clarissa came so went through the Nardone and Thorne with her. Linda had a bad throat and Peregrine hurt his shoulder. I played Bairstow and Statham on Veni Emmanuel. We sang People look East. Clarissa announced she is coming to midnight but not the carol service so that's the alto gone. NT at home Prima facie a fantastic performance by Jodie Comer and a very thought provoking pay. I avoided the football and much enjoyed Straight line crazy with Ranulph Fiennes. Antiques roadshow.  Monday rain overnight so snow gone. Rang Ann - her 66th birthday. Swim at 10 and had the lane to myself! Another 2 sopranos not coming to carol service but hope to be at Midnight. This is getting ridiculous!. To King's to see Dr Varma at last. No bedside manner at all. He called me Sir! It's up to me whether I have a knee op but as I have no pain there seems to be no point. Age is against me. Go back in a year. Booked to see GP about my left heel. 

 Sat SM Catherine was back. S and B. To St Andrew's school to be Father Christmas for 2 hours for the first time. So lovely to see the kids faces light up and the parents too!. A public service so the parents find out what the kids want - nothing, everything, big and small!. Enjoyed it. Saw Henry, D and AM. To St John's fair and bought a calendar for breast cancer and a dinosaur book signed by the illustrator. Veggie bap. Nice to see Fr Antonio and Adrian. Played Walther Wachet auf and Bach Nun komm der heiden Heiland at Streatham Hill. Ariadne auf naxos from Stockholm. Dresden Advent concert with a good tenor Peter Gabor. Old Berlin Christmas video with Hermann Prey. Liz left 2 Advent candles alight and they burned out.  Sunday Gaudete. Hard frost. Fog in North Croydon but not in the South! Church very cold. COAT Sunday. Played Bach and Walther Wachet auf and Rhapsody on Helmley by Lloyd Webber. We sang Come now O prince of peace. So sad to hear David Dibbs had a heart attack

 Sm from Amersham, S and B. To Riverside winds at St John's. Good I left at 12 as traffic was bad - there was a match. A family came to have a go on the organ at Caterham and I practised which was good. Church cold! Dropped off old specs at opticians in Sanderstead. Got TV in lounge working - the aerial was in the wrong hole! Still the dining room one to sort out and lounge ornaments to go back. Bedroom all done. To Streatham Hill and crib grotto up and trees in place. Very nice but where's the big surprise at Christmas! Fr Valentine wants me to play 2 short voluntaries offertory and communion.  Sunday played Peeters on Wachet auf and Martin How's Advent prelude. We sang Glenn Rudolph's Veiled in darkness - lovely top notes from Lynda and Linda and we had the descant for Longing for light as well. Met with Susan Gibbin and I will liaise with Jerry about the music planners on his laptop. To Roehampton club for a lovely delicious lunch with Rosemary and Joyce who is 91! T