The organist librarian

11 /7 Ea st Croydon to St Pancras. 4 hour Eurostar to Amsterdam. Nice to see Francis Herbert. Tram to Zuid and Marc picked us up. Air bnb very nice. Supermarket and sat outside and drank wine. 12/7 exc breakfast. Tram and metro into town got I love Amsterdam card for 2 days. Rembrandt house fascinating and exhibition of work influenced by him.Portuguese synagogue is huge and very well presented. Jewish history museum exhibition. On Kabbala and modern versions are interesting. Loved the presentations and the children's museum is great. Lovely fish and wine at Alexandros. Supermarket. Watched Federer defeat Nadal. 13/7 to museum Van Loon which is a fine house with garden and coach house. Walked to Rembrandtplein to get tram. Coffee at Cafe Waterloo. Delightful organ and violin at Moses and Aaron church Rheinberger, Kreisler and Boccherini and Durufle well played. Hermitage museum impressive collection Velasquez and Van der Leyden. Group portraits. To Norris botanical garden. Pasta...

Up early after waking several times and got early bus so at church early. Played Bridge Adagio and Peeters on St Stephen. Ironically we did sing that tune as the wrong number was in the leaflet and that hymn goes to St Botolph! Started practising carols. Found hall was booked so back to church and lost practice time as there was a baptism. Watched 3 programmes on the new London sewer. Nice brisket for lunch and a mincemeat tart. Watched Prince Charles on Parry and Canadian canal journey on Rideau canal. 

A quiet morning and the talks prepared for August 1. Listening to lovely evensong from Rugby school including Hear my prayer. Phoned for assistance on both flights. Cut out poppies 4 to a sheet of red felt so I have 2 spare buttons! Conducted London Mozart players at Centrale Croydon. Pizzicato polka went well! An hour at the Lambeth country show on the interfaith Stand which was in a more prominent spot next to the ice cream van! Hot! Truth is it is an ordeal! The crowds at the crossing to the station! Superb singing of Amy Saunders, Rheinberger and Paul Patterson from Nottingham cathedral choir and Fr Thomas. We heard them at Simon Gillespie's ordination. Listening to the Prom on phone on train many interruptions. Trying to follow the score of Sinfonia da Requiem was awful. Good thing I did not plan to go to the Prom as there was an appeal from Missionary sisters which went on far too long although she got a round of applause! Hilarious tribute to Victoria Wood. Tony Robinson ...

Phllip Scriven gave us a real Bank holiday recital which was fun at Bromley Parish church. The Croydon music festival organ class at St John's featured 2 accomplished players and 2 promising beginners all ably helped by Anne Marsden Thomas.