The organist librarian

Builder came to give estimates. Liz to servers council AGM. I wrote minutes of art auction meeting and then changed them this evening after my visit to the auctioneer at Chiswick auctions. First Advent wreath candle lit and Fr Daniel celebrated. Trained 2 on thurible.

Played Bach Nun komm and Wachet auf and we sang Advent prose. Horrid hymns Mine eyes and Colours of day. St John's Cambridge missed first bit as I fell asleep. Liz went to lunch at vicarage. Bravo Cecilia McDowall and Gabriel Jackson. The Telemann was amazing. But the lessons were almost inaudible. Same thing at St John's- no Wests. Fr John played loudly, Wood, Mendelssohn, Guest arrangement. Longing for light and Hark what a sound, People look East from A and M. Boys had one barney and they had gone by the time I got back. It was very wordy. Dynasties on painted wolves. Inside the Foreign office was fascinating. 

Grandsons happily settled in and doing drawing. I enjoyed the London Mozart Players 4 cellos coffee concert very much and did some sketching. Advent 1 and the youngest server lit the first candle on the wreath. McDonalds before Mass and the boys sat with Lourdes. Michael was cantor. 

Beautiful coffee concert by Keziah including Malcolm Arnold's Fantasy for harp. Mchdelov, Rousseau, Tournier, Stadler all delightful. Tried a sketch. Nice chat to her and wrote to the director of the Proms as she should play there especially at the Cadogan hall. Met her husband and son. Nice chat to Mary Johnston and Ian Golds. Watched programme on Joe Orton which was a bit near the knuckle.  The young cathedral servers enjoyed doing the Find the animals, birds, fish quizzes and completed them in about 20 minutes. Ideally you would be 7 and up. The terms pulpit, vault and pillar were not known to them - the solution would be to include a small photo of the pulpit. Before Mass the thurible was found to be full of water so there was a delay. Advent wreath candle no. 1 lit by one of our new servers. On the train home I found 3 tiny glass globules in my Ocado apple - a complaint will be made!

To Caterham and served tea and coffee at church fair. Engaged about carol singing and several people took leaflets. Morrisons car park jammed. Soper Hall crap school choir outside. Caterham school choir and band much better outside Morrisons. Home for lunch. To Ben Bloor's recital at Bloomsbury. Philip wanted me to turn but I had to leave. Excellent playing. Vespers Advent 1 and first candle lit by Fleur. Emmanuel served as his friends were having silver wedding celebration but he was as usual a pain and acted as MC!! Programme on Christies.

A great visit to the superb organ at Bedford Park and the large Walker at St Mary Acton. I played Thalben-Ball Elegy and Andrew Moore. Lunch at Field's then took the boys to meet Father Christmas as St Vincent's school fete. Abandoned attempt to get to Bloomsbury Baptist for the recital as 207 was so slow but met Rizwan on the bus and had a good chat. He is a Sufi and a friend of Alan Rainer. First candle lit on the Advent wreath by our youngest server!

Acolyte at Mass with the Cardinal for the start of the Year of the consecrated life followed by Mass for CAFOD with Bishop John Arnold, his last Mass before going to Salford. I told him about Ashley Beck giving Evangelii gaudium out at Monday's circle meeting - he was pleased. Saw Muriel in the hall. Fr Michael very nice at 6 p.m. Mass and Advent has begun. Ben played a subtle improvisation on "this is my body" Nun danket and Wachet auf.

Woke at 4 and 6 and 7. Liz off to the cathedral. I did some hoovering and reading and then to St Paul's cathedral for Sung Eucharist. I was early so did some more reading despite the Germans next to me. Lovely Bach Nun komm der heiden heiland prelude. Men sing plainchant very heavily. Byrd 4 part Mass always a treat. An exc sermon from the Treasurer. Dean presided - he appears to tbe High Church. I hated the vestments and altar frontal - purple with check pattern and blue! Nobody seems to bow to the altar apart from the 3 main clergy! Byrd Vigilate motet at communion. 3 rather odd hymns to well known tunes - why? Lift up your heads to Wareham, O child of promise come by James Quinn to Carlisle and Ye servants of God. Lovely Rachmaninov Alleluias and the responsorial acclamations worked quite well. Mendelssohn Prelude and fugue in E minor at the end but the lady from Stuttgart next to me wanted to chat - she said I had a good voice, they had been to Opera House for the Donizetti and...

What a blessed day! I spoke to Ann on Skype and went to Homebase to get paint for Liz as she is redecorating Grandma's house while she is in hospital. She did not have the procedure today but Louise and Bruce visited her. Liz was on sacristy duty at the cathedral. Fr Paul Fox from Chelmsford led the spirituality day. It was lovely to see everyone again as I missed last month as a result of the fall. There were also some new faces and I sold some CDs! Paul spoke about Kairos time and ordinary time and the need to wait patiently. I went to confession with him and he was wonderful. It is such a joy to lay the burden down and start again. Paul works in prisons so has a wealth of experience. The final Sharing in his life session was attended by 7 and they enjoyed it. 3 of the group had been to the Holy Land and spoke of the moving experiences in the desert and in Galilee. Hannah gave me a wooden rosary from Bethlehem. I've never been given a rosary before and I am so happy to know t...

Here is a magnificent icon painted to mark World Aids Day. At the CAFOD Live simply service today in the cathedral, we heard a lot about HIV/AIDS in Africa. The Angolan London prayer group danced the Light of Christ down the nave. I had to light a taper from the candle and pass the light to the bishops. Guess what? The light went out and I had to relight the taper. Keep calm! Bishop John Hine, Bishop MacMahon of Brentwood and Bishop Kieran of Arundel joined the Cardinal. Actually the cathedral was only half full. The music group were great mostly from Stroud Green and we had Bernadette Farrell's Advent litany and God has chosen me. A nice version of St Theresa's prayer by Michael Talbot (not as good as David Ogden's) and we went out to "We are marching in the light of God" with everyone holding candles. I helped Liz clear up as she was looking after the sacristy. Paul Clubb was thurifer at Mass and we had 3 boys to help. Mgr Mark gave a great sermon about meeting ...