The organist librarian

Watched My week as a Muslim, end of Apprentice and Bake off an extra slice. Living with the Gods excellent. Meditation from Belmont Abbey lovely and included icon painting by Father Alex and Brother Bernard making rosaries. Young chorister of the year on radio 2. Bad habits was good.

Buses to Euston, The trains via Birmingham were fine and it is easier and cheaper going that way! Passed Malvern - great views. Taxi very helpful and arrived 3 p.m. Warm welcome from Julian, Dom Brendan and the abbot. Not many have come. Vespers and compline - food as good as ever. Watched University challenge and Natalie Klein on music to infuence politics. Up for 6.30 a.m. 12 years since Alan died! Feast of St Thomas Cantelupe so today became Guardian Angels. 8 a.m. Mass Robert Sholl on Messiaen and Part - prefer the latter. After lunch walk in garden. To Hereford cathedral and saw mediaeval choir book, chained library and Mappa Mundi. Tea at the deanery and lovely garden down to the river Wye. Very friendly. evensong was good - Wise and easy Stanford anthem as boys are new. They sang the long psalm 18 well. The stained glass windows for Thomas Traherne are great (Tom Denny) and new St Ethelbert and St Thomas shrines are lovely. Wine at dinner and Fr Dennis is here! Watched Bake off...

Friday swam 20 and Bruce arrived from Jersey. Took car to check tyres and who walked up bur Archbishop Kevin. He was going to confession with Fr David Standley and he has an article in this week's Tablet on Ecclesiam Suam. Ann Marie took Molly to the kennels and we set off eventually at 11 a.m. Got to Chedworth Roman villa (NT) and had sandwiches and cake and Liz and Ann Marie arrived as we started going round. The audio guide for a £1 was excellent and the mosaics are stunning. We did try the musical museum but we were too late. On to Hereford with a diversion in Cheltenham. Lovely countryside and arrived around 5 p.m. The family were here and the four of us had fish at Hedley Lodge. Liz and I went to compline. Dennis's train arrived at 11 but by then I was in bed. Up at 6.15 for vigils and lauds then Mass at 8 with Liz and breakfast with everyone. To Croft castle (NT) and delighted to play the piano (30s numbers) and the Samuel Green organ (William Croft and Purcell). Lovely...

Swam 20 - chatted to Dave Cameron. The music group from Thornton Heath plays for Mass at Brixton prison every second week! He said Julie Henry was unwell. He had not heard much of Catenians. Also spoke to the little ginger lady - she is a Pentecostalist and worked at Lloyds bank at the Olympic village. Reading for course and set up charity standing orders. Claire came to get empty jars. Listened to evensong by Clare College from Aldeburgh parish church featuring Britten and Holst. To Rosemary and Lyn's for a very nice meal with champagne - fish pie. Both Lyn and I dropped off after the meal while Liz was showing ordination photos! They will be off to Sydney very soon. Liz gave me the book of the history of Belmont Abbey and Rosemary gave back the Minotaur programme.

Bruce did in fact go back to Birmingham on Thursday to get more stuff. I went to chorus and we rehearsed Merlin 3 with Debbie. Emails about the low B flat for the tenors! Friday I did December music list and Christmas music draft, Darren and John organised a skip to get rid of the unwanted stuff from upstairs and Glyn Close. Dennis's old room looks much larger and will become my study. We set off to Paddington via London Bridge and Baker Street and arrived early. Train journeys went smoothly and at Newport we met Fr Barry Angus and Eric. Barry used to be parish priest at South Norwood but had to retire because of cancer. He is an oblate of Belmont. At Hereford we stood in fog for an hour as 3 taxis had crashed on the bridge and there was gridlock. Our taxi took an hour to get there and we arrived for dinner having missed session 1. David Briggs gave a splendid recital on the new Nicholson organ. He played Franck 3, Bach Toccata in F (pedal reed too loud for upper work) Dupre, Haydn...

Sat a.m. long chat to David Briggs and he signed my Franck. He was hilarious about Langlais and falling in love with a beautiful girl and being rejected! If you have experienced this you can play Franck! I was up early for 6.30 a.m. Vigils. At Mass we sang Alan Rees Mass of Peace and visited his grave. Excellent sessions from Dom Brendan on "Nothing more beautiful" ending with a meditation on the Our Father. Sunday up early and conventual mass of Christ the King - Orbis factor, Rejoice the Lord is King, Hail redeemer, The king of love and Christus vincit. Vierne No. 1 from Brother Stanislaus at the end. Final session before lunch. Taxis to cathedral and attended service for road victims. Lovely music - Faure, Goodall, The organ did not help in A touching place. Franck Prelude fugue and variation at the end. Got food for supper in M & S and wine left from Sat night. Exposition with lots of candles and vespers. After compline played the organ - old keyboards and loud! Bach,...