Twickenham
Wednesday 9th April swim and practice at Beckenham. Good work on the VE painting. Vicky from Alzheimers society came for 90 minutes. We are doing all the right things and very reassured by her. I missed the Sion centre talk. SM Duncan who leads group 7 spoke very well and the group was interesting. The question of how I show Christ in my life feels presumptuous but I think when I am happiest and singing well I do show something from the heart.
Thursday 10th April 2025 to art and final touches to the VE painting and finished the giraffe. To aerobics. Home for lunch and then to Twickenham via Richmond. Lovely walk across Marble Hill park to the house and the guides were very nice. Lady in the breakfast room explained about tea and how expensive it was. Cups had no handles so the slops were drunk by the staff or sold on to others! Got bus to St Mary's unversity and met Jeremy and Richard humanist. James Holland was chairing it. The leader of our group who heads Richmond interfaith was pretty useless at reflecting our opinions back. I felt the humanist view that we don't know about creation got the lion's share. The Vedic interpretation was interesting. I felt the Catholic speaker was too much about science. Only in the second session did she mention Laudato Si', the psalms and the Gospels. The problem of Genesis was not addressed. And what about the Creed? I left at question time so did not see Amir. Nice Quaker in our group and a supercilious Tory councillor!. Trains back after a tiring but stimulating day. Apprentice and Jordan got Lord Sugar's business card for the future. Chisola's plan was rubbish which was a shame.
Friday 11th. To UNacc and an excellent lunch. Liz went to surgery to chase up referrals. I went to Design museum to see the swimming exhibition. Who knew there were so many different costumes? Transgender, oversize, even menstruation, gay. Speedos banned by Alton Towers as not family friendly. Surfers against sewage display. Tom Daley's trunks and a jumper he knitted. Had tea and came home viz Shepherd's Bush. It was hot and I carried my coat. Sat in the garden. Bruce back from good Peterborough course. Un Giorno di Regno by Verdi from Garsington. Act 1.
Sat Liz went to Corpus Christi Brixton for Fr Heaphy's funeral. SM Clissold Park lovely place. Wrote report on St Mary's symposium. Jesuit centre zoom on literature and theology. Heavy going! Emma on mysticism in the secualr university. To the lake to meet the Green party candidates. Parveena was there and met Michael and Carol. Antonio Spadaro on new book. Rest of the Verdi a fun production. Another glorious day. Magic Flute from Met. Mark Oakley and Kenneth Williams reading Bible stories most effectively, Jigsaw.
Palm Sunday The Luke Passion was beautifully read by Jackie at Beckenham Methodist, The accompanying pictures did not work but we had the whole thing. Lovely chat to Revd Helen Verrier chaplain at Farringtons school about South Africa and the views of young people today. The girls talk about careers and travel not children, the boys want to be footballers, lawyers or doctors like their parents but no mention of a career of service. I played Thiman on Winchester New (a famous Methodist organist), Kauffmann on St Theodulph, Bach Passion chorale and Tears of grief from St Matthew Passion. We sang "Jesu, Jesu" quite an attractive Ghanaian song new to me. On the way home Love unknown and When I survey from Blackfriars. Fantastic boat race won by Cambridge again. SM passion play excellent. Jolley as Peter. Evensong from Southwark. Unimpressed by the bishop's address. Penguibns done on jigsaw. Ice and sky are going to tricky. Finnish performance of Bach St John Passion part 2. BBC singers singing Casals and Roxanna Panufnik. Munich Liszt Via crucis with piano and David Lang Little match girl Passion. Scarlatti Stabat mater from Denmark, The Piano is back on Channel 4 but it's just as irritating as before! Why do we have to have singers? Surely it's about playing the piano?
Monday chat to Ann. Jigsaw. Liz went to get nails done. Swim and both of us to aerobics. To Phoenix centre large audience for Nigel on the Life of John Betjeman. Excellent talk. To Penge to collect the nets. SM meditation on Van Honthorst Christ before the High Priest. SJ lovely Mass of healing with laying on of hands and unction. University challenge, Restoring the roof of Notre Dame.
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