September

Autumnal feeling.  When I got to church I realised I had left my organ version of The heavens are telling at home. In the end I played from vocal scores. We sang The garden of the world lament. It was school blessing day. Jaimee managed to drop the communion wafers in front of the choir. We picked them up. I don't think we should have done as our hands were not sanistised. In fact Jaimee should have consumed them and consecrated more. Lack of training showing again! She said something at the notices about nice to see new families - it's not always as bonkers as this! I played One more step on the piano but was not given enough time to get to the organ for the Haydn. Julie said she had asked for the short prayer before the accamation to be reinstated. I pointed out that I needed to be told! Also there is a priest coming next Sunday but we have not been told! To St John's for a lovely lunch under the trees cooked by Fr John now sporting a grey beard! Scaffolding is up for the organ and it's huge! Came home and slept for 2 hours - I woke at 5 a.m. To the Prom  Superb Bruckner 5 Kirill Petrenko and Berlin Phil Prom. BBC singers Bruckner motets. The soprano tone was a little hard. Dale is coming with me on Friday. Marilyn, David and Sheila Bryant at the end. Big discussion about the conductor - there is another Petrenko Vassily. He does look like Kiril Karabits and we have seen him at the cinema.

Monday Liz to St Thomas's for scan. Ann and Paul are coming over next May! Swim and aerobics. Tried Thornton Heath Post Office - very busy and no padded bags so later on went to Crystal Palace and all posted. Total cost £44 so I have asked for contributions from the animators. Picked up Liz from West Norwood as there were no buses coming through! Skipped Green party AGM and CCE zoom. Only connect, Univ challenge, Call my bluff and Going for a song.

Tuesday got the time of dentist wrong so going back next Tuesday. Liz to nails and Guys for physio and contacted about test results. Essex folk. Quiet time started late and we had Buddhist chanting. We were in the hall and it was hard to hear each other. I read Richard Carter letter. Tennis paralympics doubles. Trying to book Manchester organs. Prom Orchestre de Paris Debussy, Stravinsky and Berlioz.

Wed swim. Dennis came which was helpful. To see Victoria at Beckenham Wibberleys. Edington evensong. Recital programme done. To the cathedral for recital by Thomas Ospital. He plays well. Franck No 1 very slow start. He left out the Guilmant which completely confused us as he finished with an improvisation.

Thursday Liz to Liverpool for servers dinner. Swim. Art good start on Sean's portrait. Webinar Steps to act with creation. To King's gallery and a lovely show of royal photos including lovely one of 4 Royal mothers and their babies. Queen Mother "they show us as kind but real people". Tea at Sicilian cafe but it closed at 5. To Guards chapel for inaugural recital by Martin Ford, Ben Giddens, William Fox and Peter Holder. Nice chat to the chaplain who spoke highly of Mark Langham. Peter Stevens, Martin Ford, Sebastian, Chris, Norman Harper, Matthew Martin (liked his piece). Rained.

Friday has a quiet morning reading the Tablet. To St Stephen Dulwich for the memorial service for Michael Spencer. Great music especially Ian Bostridge. Good to see old friends and Angela who used to work at York library! Fabulous Mahler 6 at the Proms with Sir Simon Rattle. The hammer blows and 4 cymbal crashes! Brilliant playing from everybody. Dale enjoyed it.

Saturday SM river trip frm Greenwich. Enjoyed the Sixteen's Prom and Simon Johnson at the organ was stunning. It felt a bit odd applauding cathedral repertoire and in face many of our cathedral choirs would have sung just as well. Prom trio Archduke. Read at Mass and Liz arrived back from Liverpool. Gave out leaflets. Messiah arr Mozart from Prom while I worked on the jigsaw. The soprano soloist did not please and a couple of sopranos sounded tired and probably trying too hard.

Sunday was one of those days. Jaimee had sais she could not get a priest and started asking people to choose hymns. I redid the music sheet but it seems this was not printed so the wrng number was up for "I cannot tell" which Sarah chose. Sara Goatcher went through the service with me. The sheets with the 2 new hymns for the season of creation had been thrown away! It seems they could not find the Mass booklets so we ended up with Shrine Mass again. There was a speaker from Shelter who went on too long. Result service 1 hour 30 minutes and it started late. We sang the two new songs and I played Jupiter theme Holst and Pomp and Circumstance No 4. Practised for recital. Liz went to Messy church. I went to end of 5.30 mass and gave out leaflets. Parlaympics closing ceremony very wet. Antiques roadshow.

Monday Liz to Guys. Ann. Swim and aerobics Andrew the resident entertainment made an entrance after a long absence! Colette's meeting about pilgrimages. How green are they? To Phoenix centre interesting film on Psyche abandoned at Crystal Palace and chat to Yvonne.To Prom RVW Greensleeves. Schoenberg violin concerto played by crazy woman Patricia KopatchinskajaShos 5 brilliantly conducted by 24 year old Finn Tarmo Peltokoski. He really got the BBC orchestra to play! 

Tuesday swim. Liz went to physio. Dennis came to borrow washer and had a chat. Quiet time Fr Tom nice chat to Brian about steam trains. To the Prom Garsington opera Midsummer NIght's dream fantastic. We sat in O. Everyone was brilliant. Eistyn Davies as Oberon. Production excellent and nice play on black and white red and blue. 

Wed swim and Liz to gym. Woke up late. Tabitha from The Tablet finally in touch wanting a quote. Sara reports Church Times were at Caterham to review hymn singing on Sunday!! ? This was a joke! Liz went for hair cut. I did chores and then to Tate modern. Expressionists was good and some painters I did not know. The black South African lesbian photographer Zanele Muholi had a huge show and the films were intriguing. Things have clearly changed a lot but there is still homophobia. Had tea. Waited for 361 bus and walked over Blackfriars bridge. Peter Stevens was surprised at the crowd. He plays so well Mendelssohn, Whitlock Fantasie choral no1 Tournemire, Bach, Franck Cantabile. I thought the Latry Salve Regina with soprano was a bit over the top. I told Peter ICN had called him Harry Christophers in the photo caption from the Prom. 

Thursday woke late. Swim and art. Cheltenham prayer. Menchu has taken fright over the outdoor nature of the Laudato SI' centre but I think we will be under cover! LSiUK animators meeting at 5. Only connect, University challenge, Call my bluff X 2. Bruce arrived to go to course at Peterborough early tomorrow,

Friday SM and Swk and B. Swim only 10 as it was crowded. Both went to Unacc and Triniti had us doing standing balancing which made me uncertain. To GP. Bruckner 4 with Rattle.Smetana Two widows Act 1.  Chat to Clare. A delightful concert at SJ NIchlas Bucknall clarinet and string quartet Mozart and Dvorak. What a treat!

Saturday SM Kensington. Solemn profesion of Br Jerome Johnson at Blackfriars, Lots of plainchant. I did the ironing and practised for the recital. Part 2 of the Two widows and part of 1 Dear Octopus from NT. To Mass despite the match. Last night of the Proms a bit patchy. Katie Derham awful. Lionel Blue got better and Stephen Hough on form. No big choral work.

Sunday played Spitfire prelude Walton, Meditation Bairstow and RAF march past and Dambusters march. Met George from St Petersburg studying A levels at Caterham school. Lunch at the Kerala which has moved to the High Street and been affected by the pavement works. Delicious. Recital went well and 15 came. Liz went to evensong and I had a rest. Barbara Pym day with Patricia Routledge. Young musician auditions 50 narrowed to 12 and it's ridiculous to compare percussion with harp! 2 of the judges are unknowns. Bruce came overnight.