A new week

 Monday 10 Aug. Chat to Ann. Swim and used end of deep end of fast lane. Sent complaints to tfl about Bolt and closed bus stops. Lerone suggested sendingit to Bolt so I did. Excellent talk by Stephen Oxford on 3 wise men of South Norwood at Phoenix centre. Lift at Sainsbury's not working again. Cleared up garden - 3 bags. Only connect, University challenge, Call my bluff. SM prayer and chat. 

Tuesday cleaner came for 2 and half hours and did a great jb but she want to come weekly. £60 each time is a lot. Swim. Quiet time read some more Carter and chat to Gail. Picked up Liz from dentist. Tried to send a story to SM. Be 6 and Ades Prom. Inter Alia is a brilliant play and Rosamund Pike won the Olivier award for best actress. NT at home. Sewing Bee. 

Sang Faure requiem at Bob Horner’s funeral. Great sermon from Fr John. Good to see Dave West. It was very slow! Like Giulini. Nice chats to couple from Morden and Dave. Interviewed 2 people for the course. To David Lean cinema to see NT Les liaisons dangereuse. Box office kindly changed our seats to near the back but it was hot. Seems people cried off to see the partial eclipse which we missed. I saw one in Joburg when I was 10 and it was underwhelming! Great production. And men can be faithful to one woman! The piano.

Thursday definitely did the right thing in the heat. Beck Meth first then swim. Discussion with Liz. Spent 2 and half hours on the hottest day of the year writing bidding prayers and short newsletter items for Season of creation. Liz cooked a peculiar mix of tofu and mushrooms. Prom American Gershwin and Barber. 

Friday hot again Sent letter to Metro. To Unacc and picked up Liz for lunch then she went to study session. It was very hot again. Tutors meeting went well then I met Francis. First cafe closed so we went to Gradcafe which was a bit noisy. He starts in September. Listened to Dudamel Prom on TV. Gabriela Ortiz impressive. Jason Arday found dead. A tragic consequence of Cambridge’s campaign and this is racism. Just listened to Tuesday’s late night prom. R.Douglas is credited as arranging the Serenade to music by Ralph Vaughan Williams. So we end up with jazzy type trumpets! The BBC singers did well against a very odd orchestration. Sir Henry and the great RVW must be revolving in their graves.

Saturday woke early. SJ for Assumption ladies sang well Wills and Elgar and a good sermon from Fr Andrew. Good chat to Terence. Got pictures ready to take to Unacc and started planning Bible book cover for September entry. Listened to Prom Stravinsky, Berg and Bartok. To Mass Sat Mass usually has very little singing. Tonight the rosary procession turned up late and we endured 4 hymns 2 of which I did not know. At communion for some weird reason the singers sang another item when it was very clear that the priest was ready to go on! And what is this greeting us with Ave to which we reply Maria? the homily started with us as disciples of Mary. Sorry but that is incorrect! Much of what was said was not based on the Bible. It’s very clear that Mary did argue with Our Lord! I very much enjoyed the morning Mass at St John’s with a good sermon, fine hymns and singing from the ladies.

I was in such a state a knocked the front of the car and there is a small hole. Prom Berlioz Requiem very disappointing. Berlioz requiem from Proms. Tenors where are you? Basses are bellowing and individual voices can be heard! Ensemble is ragged! I’ve sung this work 5 times and it’s about pacing especially for tenors. The radio balance is not good.it should be cruchem! I really wanted to go to this Prom but it’s a relief that we did not get tickets. The balance on radio between brass and chorus is all wrong. All you get is sopranos in the big ensembles!

To St James Riddlesdown and they have a fine new loo! Played Dad's Entry of the bride and Bishopthorpe Suite, two Thiman offertories and Slater on St Botolph. Small congregation. Orgn playing up a little strange noise when open diapason stop pulled out and a cipher on the trumpet on the last chord! Martin was as always very friendly and asked about the cruise and my forthcoming 80th. I am there again next week so I am working on Elgar and Gary Sieling's Toccata and Fugue in D minor. I was driving back and heard Bruch's string quintet and I thought tthat sounds like the Pink panther theme! Did Mancini pinch it? The tunnel was closed going southbound and the diversion was packed so did my own diversion round East Croydon. When I got to the tip at Purley the kind man on duty just took my bag of electrical bits so I did not have to park! I wish they did that at Waddon! Enjoyed Just a minute. Good start on John 1 painting. Superb Prom Vasily Petrenko is a wonderful conductor. He brought real passion to the Webern Passacaglia. Pablo Ferrandez was so expressive in the Elgar cello concerto and his encore Casals Song of the birds. The RPO were on great form in Walton symphony No 2 which should be played more often. Great to meet David at interval.