Getting ready for Christmas

 Sunday played Adagio from Elgar's cello concerto and Prelude on St Magnus by Willan. In fact we started late and I played St Magnus variations! Anthem Christ has no body David Ogden. Rehearsed carols with 4 ladies. Paul Miller rehearsed trumpet - it's going to be great and he can come on the 14th as well. Wrote to Catena about recruitment. I doubt if he will publish it. Timothy Radcliffe at Blackfriars. Robin Gibbons has a completely different take on today's gospel parable. Strictly and Angela who is 79 and is out. Evensong was good Walmisley in D minor. Met John who belonged to a community choir in Peckham. SLIFG zoom with Chris Hewer and Julie Siddiqui speaking so well. Lifting the lid. Louise had a great time in Paris. 

Monday chat to Ann. Pity we did not say we would pick up Henry today as was planned. I was supposed to go to C and W today to see the knee surgeon now put back 3 months. Swim, aerobics, both had a chat with Barbara. World opera competition - impressive singing. Antiques roadshow. Excellent lecture on women and climate change by Amina Mohammed Christian Aid lecture at St Martin-in-the-Fields. She is deputy Secretary General of the UN. Kiri and Victoria de los Angeles. John Freeman being very posh and almost bossy. Only connect and University challenge.

Tuesday both swim. To West Norwood to see X the life and times of Malcolm X from the Met. Terence and Adrian were there. It's effective with some fine singing and music. Knew little about him. Is it an opera or an oratorio? Pizza then drove to Penge East. Westminster Abbey Henry VII chapel. Dignity and imprisonment with Lord Hastings and Caragh. Paninal and Ken were there. Bake Off.

Wednesday no swim.Parked at Penge East. Arrived in good time at the cathedral for St Cecilia celebration. New anthem by Joseph Phibbs and Byrd Justorum animae were overshadowed by Take him earth for cherishing by Howells - 60 years since JFK died. Cello prelude played by Margaret Balanas and homily by Mgr Philip Whitmore. Parry on Old 100th at the end. Came home to catch up on emails. Bus to St George's cathedral and in time for African drumming and photo. Choir did well and the nuncio spoke wekk but why was he standing at the altar for the homily and why were people genuflecting? Marcin gave me a handshake. Saw Colette, Dominic, Mark, Stephen who introduced me to Della, Joe, Paul, Stephen at seminary. The hall was nicely decorated with red lights but the noise was too much! Red lights inside and outside the cathedral. The award given to a very brave Margaret from Nigeria who lost both legs and an eye in attack on the church on Owo. Her husband Dominic accompanied her. Planet earth 3.

Thursday woke in the night as we had to be up at 6. At station at 6.45 only to find trains cancelled but we were at Guys theatres in time. Liz had the injection. I went through my diary for the Christmas letter and walked over to Southwark cathedral for morning prayer. The Archdeacon recognised me and wished Liz well. It felt comforting to be there. I had forgotten my stick so my back and knee began to bother me. At lunch we met David who recognised me from St Edmund's. His wife is NZ and it was an interesting conversation. I now need to to be home with Liz. Caught up on Bernard Levin interviewing Joan Sutherland and the de los Angeles recitals. Also Planet earth 3. Masterchef and Bake Off. Excellent programme Simon Reeve returns to Cornwall - a microcosm of what is wrong with this country! To bed exhausted.

Friday had a lie-in and read The Tablet which has 2 goes at the Bishops. I am not at all happy at the bishops dismissal of our request to get Season of creation into the Ordo. A huge diversion at Elmers End via Shirley to get to St John Catford only to find Nick Wibberley wasn’t singing. However the pianist was excellent and met several people including the assistant director of music who is learning the organ and Judith interested in singing at St John's evensongs. West Norwood cinema.Napoleon. Dialogue rubbish,American accents, inaccurate, gory. One scene in a deserted Westminster Cathedral! The Aldi Christmas ad has a pink cathedral! Did not realise how long the film would be so listened to first part of Anita's zoom on the bus and joined in when I gt home. David Ko was on. Watched King's troop preparing for the coronation,

Saturday Hurtado reflection. Angela in Regent's Park. Clearing the garden (back playing up) very sunny but cold.