Holy Week

 Sat 29 March Cath led SM walk at St James Park. Took Liz to Anerley to go to UCM AGM at Bromley. Hurtado - just the first Rowan's sermons at the retreat and good discussion led by Alison. Sang Brahms Requiem with South London Singers at St John’s. The Sinfonia were good. Lovely to have Emma Tring singing the soprano solo so beautifully. The Coleridge-Taylor Ballade was interesting and liked Geoff Lawrence’s Sea songs. I did find the standing exhausting!

Palm Sunday Played at Beckenham Methodist. Kaufmann, Walther, Pachelbel, Bach Passion chorale and In tears of grief which was announced as being by Batch! Liz with donkey outside St John’s. Fell asleep twice catching up on Digging for Britain. Roman Empire by train. We got the time of Mass wrong it was actually 5.30. Good old days. Antiques roadshow Charles Dance on Ibsen.

Monday Car to Honda Orpington for MOT and service. Got up at 6.30 am. Nice breakfast at Beril’s cafe and chat to Ann. Met 2 nice Baptists. Made the mistake of walking to St Mary Cray station up a hill. To Tate Britain but Turner-Constable was even more crowded than last time! Had a look at Hurvin Anderson. To National Gallery and saw all the pictures Neil MacGregor has been talking about so well. Fast from Charing Cross to Orpington. Surprised to find trim on front wheel had not been changed but it was quickly sorted. Roman Empire by train with Alice Roberts in Spain. Had a rest and read the Tablet. Did not go to SJ too tired. Top of my right thigh muscle. Mastermind, University challenge, Call my bluff and Face the Music with 80 year old Gerald Moore and Paul Jennings who was a tenor in the chorus with us. Good old days with Eartha Kitt and Hinge and Bracket.

Tuesday woke up late so no swim. Took foreign currency to Oxfam in Beckenham and looked in charity shops for 500 jigsaws. Practised and Duncan said he was sorry we could not come tomorrow to Lent group and he had enjoyed meeting us. Meditation once again a large circle and Gail sitting behind so could not hear each other. Some never speak! The subject was truth. To West Norwood picturehouse 5 hours! Fabulous Siegfried live from ROH. Andreas Schafer, Peter Hoare, Christopher Maltman, Christopher Purves and Elisabet Strid with Pappano and orchestra fabulous.

Wednesday To Beckenham crematorium for the funeral of Irene Siepka. Unusually this was taken by her neighbour Elder and family friend. Shirley Park golf club reception. Nice to see people we have not seen for a long time. Angels unawares from the Sistine chapel. Sir James Macmillan. Part of the Chrism Mass from Westminster cathedral. Neil Macgregor's final talk at SM. Liz sang at tenebrae.

Maundy Thursday. Ilge-Hella from Denmark came for a delicious lunch of lasagne and Danish apple pudding. She had been here 48 years ago! Such a nice person. To SJ Durufle Ubi caritas and Byrd Ave verum.Altar of repose on the font. The church was very dark so I went round outside. Chris the tenor from Savoy chapel very good. Apprentice and 2 gone including Rothna. Harry Clark goes to Rome and meets the Pope was touching. Watched some of Chrism Mass. The other Bennet sister is great.

Good Friday seems Pope Leo washed the feet of 12 priests at St John Lateran. This is going backwards after Francis's brilliant idea of washing prisoners feet including Muslim women. Tenebrae from Blackfriars. ToSJ for Good Friday Victoria. I will draw a veil over the problems I had hearing Adrian and also standing but it went well in the end. Had a sleep and listened to some of St Matthew passion from King's. Finished the Harries book. Watched some of Westminster and Worth Abbey. Very much enjoyed the other Bennet sister but OK and bumped into very anachronistic.

Holy Saturday Liz went to servers practice at St George's cathedral. SM Maddie in Battersea Park nt very inspiring. Blackfriars Tenebrae with Cardinal Timothy do a reading. Ibsen Little Ewulf and the remarkable Brand about a failed priest. Drove to St George’s cathedral for the Easter Vigil. What a joy that Liz was serving again! 12 baptisms and 12 received into the Catholic Church. Excellent homily by Archbishop John Galatians 2:20! Choir are very good Grayson Ives setting and Sicut cervus. We got to sing Battle is o’er and some responses and Alleluias. On the way home heard some of Westminster Cathedral vigil. Bed at 12.30. It was disappointing not to get to sing more and the diction in the psalms was very poor.

To St James Riddlesdown I played Alan Gray and Bonighton on Easter hymn, Bach Christ lag and finished with Howells Saraband for the morning of Easter because there are big reeds. On the way there went to the tip at Purley and I was delighted that the attendant took all my electrical bits and pieces and wished me a Happy Easter! Lunch at Rosendale. Ciaran is now very tall and Sean hashad a nice haircut. Lamb and lemon posset. Evensong at St John’s Stanford in C and Te Deum. Ledger arr This joyful Eastertide and Webber Sing the life. Fr John is to be a canon and James Gough will be director of music! Excellent broadcast from Ripon cathedral and Canterbury this morning. BBC SO playing Bartok and Finzi. Pilgrimage North East is good. Loved Hasan who is very funny.

Easter Monday to Bromley PC for Ben Bloor's excellent recital including Howells Saraband and Dubois Toccata. The Chaminade and Langlais were delightful. Liz to help at Messy Easter. 1953 Ibsen The lady from the sea with Irene Worth. Antiques roadshow, Urbi et Orbi (why do they think Latin is a universal language?) To Wigmore Hall for concert by Roderick Williams and Susie Allan based on Die Schone mullerin and lovely English songs including some new to us by Joan Trimble, Ina Boyle, Michael Head, Finzi, Quilter, RVW and Howells. Jacqueline du Pre Royal Society of Musicians concert. Lovely to see Helen. Adrian and Terence had the tickets so glad we bought them. University challenge was excellent.

Tuesday chat to Ann, Liz finally got an appointment at Guys for tomorrow. There was much discussion about going to see bluebells so I apologised to meditation group and then Hyacinth came to discuss her mother's funeral so copied the 4 hymns for her which I eventually found in the Source. Romancing the stone about British sculture Pilgrimage. To Anerley year's mind Mass for Fr Sunith followed by nibbles. Saw Leon and Mark's Mum and Philhomena.Mastermind.

Wednesday to SJ but car keys were not there. In fact I found them in the back of the car. This was a relief as my key was not locking the doors well and Liz's key is fine so I swopped them over. Practised (unusually I left my shoes in the car) but the hymns came when I got home. Have another booking for Riddlesdown. Liz went to Guys and was there for hours. Ibsen Master builder with Donald Wolfi (1958) and Ghosts with Dench and Branagh. Digging for Britain and Big Cats. Ambulance. CCA meeting was good.