The organist librarian

Took Liz to station and parked outside the pool only to find the showers not working so abandoned it. After Mass delicious chocolate cupcakes and coffee. To St Bartholomew the Less for a sheer delight A4 brass quartet mince pie and wine. The Harold Darke sent shivers down my spine and the Poulenc! Amazing virtuosity in the Smetana and such talent. Amazing Assyrian exhibition at the British museum. Their Iraq project is unique. I am greatly enjoying reading An English Christmas edited by John Julius Norwich which Louise Maher and Tom Maher gave me last year.

Swam, Mass I was late as dropped Liz at doctor. Car to Battersea park and on the way dropped scores at Balham and got 2 guides to USA. To St Matthew's Westminster to hear Nigel Groome. Got calendars at Church House bookshop. Lunch at uni. Fell asleep in talk on aurora Borealis! Petrenko conducted Royal Liverpool Phil Elgar In the South, Strauss songs and Iain Bell sung by soprano replacements (songs were changed and no announcement in the hall),  Bartok concerto for orchestra and a lovely encore Rachmaninov. Sir Andras Schiff playing Bach from memory. We left after fugue 12 I was tired and could not follow the score. The mental activity required is huge. What an achievement but I do think concerts should not be an endurance test! He was still playing by the time we got home on buses and car! 

Went down on buses and back on train. 4 in choir and another lady will join later! We sang Martin How's Day by day and went through the Anthem books finding out what items are familiar. I played Dad's voluntary on Ar hyd y nos it being Father's day, Parry on Melcombe and Willan on Dominus regit me. The Nardone setting going well. To Penge congregational church for a recital in aid of Alzheimer's. Alvin Moisey played Chopin, Debussy and Gershwin. His wife Hiroko played Massenet on the violin and their sons played Bartok - amazing talent for their age. They are embarking on Land's End to John O'Groats cycle ride. Alvin's mother had Alzheimer's. He thanked their neighbours for their patience!

Woke early but no swim as woke again at 8.20!  To art and did a drawing of courgettes and beans which Julie kindly brought from her allotment and had them for lunch in our garden!. To Central Music library to get scores and only one not found - it was in the store and staff member disappeared! Excellent talk on Dvorak 7 and a good performance by BBC Welsh. Bartok Dance suite. Malcolm Hayes' violin concerto seemed to go nowhere - a bit of a non-event! Train strike off but delayed by fire at Clapham Junction. Lou and boys came overnight.

Liz looked after the boys while I went to the Hinsley Room to lead the cathedral spirituality day on "Blessed are the pure in heart". A daunting subject but the group of 12 liked the Alexander McCall Smith passage, Catechism and Gregory Collins quotes. I focused on Candlemas and Transfiguration and played part of Rachmaninov vespers.  Packed Prom Dvorak cello concerto and Bartok Duke Bluebeard's castle - good talk on it too - hair-raising moment when full organ blasts forth! RPO Charles Du Toit. Spoke to Ann.

A wet Bank holiday Monday.  Today's Cadogan hall Prom definitely a highlight - Barber, Debussy and the Shostakovich Piano quintet. The second movement is Bach alla Shostie and is magnificent. Great Dvorak encore too! Home for lunch and Adventist wedding was holding up traffic so parked for the evening at West Norwood. Tried to follow Boulez Eclat with score without success!  An interesting talk about Willa Cather by Dame Hermione Lee and a fine concert by the San Francisco SO Ives, Bartok Piano concerto no. 2 and the Eroica.

Despite the rain we enjoyed the visit to Down House with excellent children's activities. we coloured in pictures to make a Punch and Judy set and learnt about Darwin's family.We went on to Christmas Tree farm where the cafe was closed so we ended up at Holwood Farm shop where the tea and food were excellent.  I;listened to Bartok Concerto for orchestra and the Schumann encore from the Prom - impressed! Now watching How to be Bohemian.

To mosaic. Once again I have paid for 4 sessions 2 of which I will miss. Progress on Madonna's face very good.  Liz took Ciaran to Kidscape at Purley which he enjoyed. Very heavy rain. The Cadogan Hall prom was Jeremy Denk playing Scriabin, Bartok and the last Beethoven sonata. His introduction was excellent and his playing brilliant. Got very wet walking from bus stop. Ciaran went to see Molly.Li stened to the Philharmonia's Prom at home - Bartok, lovely Mozart and Shostakovich. Enjoyed Haydn Symphony no.90 (the audience fell into the trap!) and Barber from the Boston Symphony orchestra on Iplayer with scores. V ery impressed by TV broadcast of Nielsen with the Danish National Symphony orchestra conducted by the splendid Fabio Luisi .

Yesterday we went to Jim and Hyacinth's to collect some plants - they have an amazing garden! Woke early and went to the pool only to find it closed until 8.30 a.m. To mosaic and main pattern finished - just the boring white background bits to do. I think I shall take a break from it in the summer. To St Michael Cornhill and gave out Beckenham and St John's fliers in the course of which I met Prof Michael Musgrave who studied with Downes and Darke and is an expert on Brahms. Stephen Farr played beautifully - Preston, Mendelssohn 2, Bartok (!) Judith Bingham, Alain, Thurlow and best of all the Dorian! Always makes me think of Dad doing his FTCL. Home and working on Croydon meetings idea.  Also  a new blog on Jerusalem. http://cmjerusalem.blogspot.co.uk/

Tuesday swam 24. To AgeUK for hearing aid clinic. The lady was late and there was one lady before me who had a mould problem so I thought I would miss the start of the opera. She gave me keep dry tubes but I have to ask the hospital for thicker ones. I parked at Selhurst and by train and tube got to Hackney picturehouse just in time. Gergiev conducted Iolanta by Tchaikovsky and Duke Bluebeard's castle in extraordinary productions by a Polish film director. The opening of the fourth door was extrordinary. Anna Netrebko was great as were all the singers. This is definitely the best cinema for opera as it is smaller although I could not see at all when I came in! To Acton and we had pancakes. Watched Inside the House of Commons. 

Watched the centenary concert for Solti from Chicago with the World orchestra for Peace conducted by Gergiev. Mahler, Strauss, Mozart, Verdi, Bartok. Only conducted by the maestro once in Mahler 8 in Paris. To the boys "you must watch me otherwise it is a disaster!" head into hands - they laughed and it worked! Do not listen to the organ chord at the beginning - it is not in tune! Attenborough programme.

Swam 30. To Bromley library to get scores - no sign of the Vaughan Williams symphony No. 4 there or at Wandsworth libraries! Feeling withdrawal now Olympics are over! Roll on the paras! We have £250 worth of tickets and Dennis now has ticket for the closing ceremony as well. He enjoyed the women's volleyball final. Changed to a scart connection on lounge TV and solved the lines on the screen problem at last! Pre prom discussion with Olga Neuwirth told us little -  she obsessed about memory and the brain it seems. The 2 pieces we heard were really odd. 2 out of tune violins and a wooden box which cost £75 to hire. Piano, flute, viola and cello and so much banging and scraping the cellist lost his bow at one point. Scottish bassoonist who proms made his page turner debut on Radio 3. Hoffnung would have sent it up. The end of the piece Marsyas about the artist dying in water was quite pleasant. But at the concert we suffered a viola concerto which was tuneless, no rhythm, just banging

Woke around 6 a.m. and went back to bed and had breakfast with Ciarán. Tom still asleep! No trains so various buses to arrive at the hall by 10 a.m. for roll call. Chatting with Peter and then to Marks Kensington High street for coffee and shopping - apparently this is their best day for wine! Sat in very nice garden behind St Mary Abbots in memory of Alec Clifton-Taylor. Got sticky tape for hat decorations. Back for 3 p.m. roll call and then stayed in queue. Amazing outfits especially Germans and lots to eat. Had cava. Went in at 6 p.m. and rehearsed Maxwell Davies new work with words written by Prommers. Stephen Jackson hopeless! Got a very good position on the rail at centre and young family near us. Several people who came on the day. It seems only 30 full seasons were issued for the gallery so we were very lucky! Many people had to buy 2 half seasons not including the Last Night. Maxwell Davies piece in tribute to prommers collecting for musical charities. Bartok Miraculous manda

Swam 19 having collected car from Selhurst. Hoovered a bit and rang up about our car which is ready. To funeral of Fr Alan Fudge in a packed cathedral. Liz was boat and I was communion torch and water. The Neocats sang their hearts out - I spoke to the guitarist - the music is partly by Kiko who founded the Way. Ended up outside with the hearse. We had roast dinner at cathedral cafe and underground to Moorgate and Post Office. David Stone not there so rearranged meeting. Much enjoyed the refurbished Museum of London. To preProm talk but fell asleep for part of it. Liz went to farewell drinks for Nick. Liszt Totentanz (score) and Mephisto waltz (piano score)Mahler Blumine and Symphony No.1 (full score). This was spoilt by a drunk coughing and talking - stewards spoke to him at the end but too late really. Markus and his wife.Stayed for 10 p.m. Prom and Liz came. Audience choice we all had a numbered ticket and numbers were drawn from the tuba. The orchestra in casual clothes. We then sh

Tuesday swam 34. Ironing watching The Hour and found I had to put in hearing aids to hear it on my computer which is a tad worrying. Washing. Back roof has been completely done and looks great. Hoovered. To pre-Prom talk with clarinet, trumpet and trombone from Royal Philharmonic orchestra talking about the programme and working in such a busy orchestra. Sat with Martin Ball. Copland Fanfare, Bax Symphony No.2 with score, Barber Adagio for strings, Bartok Piano concerto 2 with score - amazing pianist, Prokofiev Symphony No.4 with a triumphant conclusion. 2 buses to acton and there in 30 minutes! Very good value 2 and half hours of music and a good attendance.

Tuesday's prom was splendid. Took the car to Acton and babysat Ciarán while Liz and Lou shopped. Had a great time running in his bedroom On your marks get set Go! But sometimes he just went No! London Phil cond Jurowski with scores. Kodaly Dances of Galanta, Bartok Piano concerto No. 1 which makes much use of percussion, Liszt Dante symphony with chorus and an excellent tenor. Loved it! Wednesday to Polka theatre Wimbledon - Ciarán loved all the playground and a rocking dolphin. The show was about archaeology and worms and they ended up playing with sand and having a great time. Had lunch there. Drove around the common and tennis club but no sign of a playground so back to Acton as he had dropped off. He had great fun in their pool and Liz cut back the hedges and ivy. Took car to Albert Hall and paid for parking. No scores! Berlioz Corsaire, Faure Pavane, Pascal Dupasin piece for quartet and orchestra interesting and Firebird with exciting ending. Offstage trumpet had a monitor so

Ciarán woke around 6.45. To Hormiman musuem and had not been there for years and it is transformed. Loved the aquarium and a quick tour of the music gallery. Had coffee and then to the Spa Beckenham for swim. Ciarán loves the water and did not have his armbands so held on to me but he did do some swimming and jumping in! He hardly slept today. Water plat in the garden and slide and trampoline. Watched a lot of Thomas the tank engine DVD and he took the cover to bed. Liz went to buy new HDD recorder and I put him to bed - he was quite lively despite the lack of sleep. Watched Prom on BBC4 - Halle conducted by Elder - Sibelius, Bartok and Janacek.

Clearing up upstairs. Put all photos from camera onto Facebook including Cyprus and Germany. So much quicker on the new lap top! Listened to prom Sydney Symphony conducted by Ashkenazy Strauss, Ravel Piano concerto, Scriabin Symphony No.3, Elgar Chanson de Matin as encore. Liz ordered in pizzas. Also caught up on some other Proms - Dvorak New World, Bartok Cantata profana (with the score).

Had a lazy relaxing day. Swam 40 lengths, Ann did 30 and Liz less than that! Watched DVD of Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire which Tom lent me and the Bartok Duke Bluebeard's castle and Beethoven 9 from the Proms which were both great! I finished reading the Catholic Bishops conference booklet "The Gift of Scripture". Tonight the ladies go to Covent Garden for their outing to a pub and tapas bar and I am going with Lyn and Rosemary to see "Carmen Jones" at the Festival Hall. Tomorrow we go to Bath to see Bruce at the RSCM course and Ann goes to her friends in Reading and will join us in Bath on Sunday. We all return Monday. Liz went to see Grandma. Louise, Ann, Liz and AnnMarie at the tapas bar!