The organist librarian

Swam 20 and Liz came. To art and finished the Chennai painting for Fr Renato and started a rugby picture which is the theme of  Thornton Heath Arts Week . Traffic and late running trains meant there was no way I would get to St John's Smith Square to hear Patrick Russill play so went to Royal Academy to see Eileen Cooper's work. She combines Picasso child-like faces with passion! The schools work was pretty awful - one would have thought the standard would have been higher?  Had a M & S picnic in Green Park. The Royal Society of Antiquaries has a good film and small Magna Carta exhibition. To British Museum to see the new Woolfson gallery but all that gold and bling! Exquisite but .....? Served as crozier as Cardinal said Mass of sick and retired clergy fund supporters. Delays getting home and watching third round of  BBC Cardiff Singer of the World . Impressive Mongolian baritone!

Voted and swam 20. Some of the parties for Europe are ridiculous - why send somebody to the European parliament who is against the organisation? To art and we did mixing acrylic colours. To British museum for 1.15 talk on early Buddhism which was cancelled due to staff shortages so went to lecture on Viking hoards by Gareth Williams. Huge thunderstorm so went back in again to see Sutton Hoo burial display and German WWI medals. Home for meal and out again to Sisters of Sion for 44th Cardinal Bea lecture by Rabbi Alexandra Wright and Clifford Longley both excellent. I attempted to answer the rabbi's question "What can Jews learn from the passion?"

Liz was out all day so wrote article about City Centre meeting and watched David Starkey's excellent series on Music and monarchy. To St Chad's to book Nov 24th mass and it appears school bazaar may be on that day as well. To UCL to return scores and had a look at the fantastic Islamic collection in the British Museum. To St Paul's cathedral for interesting talks on compassion by Karen Armstrong and Camilla founder of Kids. Looked at caravan of painted donkeys and met 3 people I know. Raheed rang. Mix up over Ocado delivery.

We had snow flurries Saturday and a little this morning but the wind made it very cold.  Drove to West Dulwich and left car there. Timothy Penrose welcomed us to All Saints Dulwich and I played Oldroyd and Murrill on the organ which came from Barnes. I was at the opening recital. The church has been beautifully restored after the 2000 fire and much improved. Adrian gave me a lift to Goose Green and John Webber gave us tea and a short recital - the vicar told us the history. I had to leave after the Sweelinck. The organ is a Walker. Vespers and Mass for Palm Sunday with Canon Christopher. Watched Come dine with me episodes. Sunday took Liz to West Norwood. The Palm Sunday procession went ahead and I took my pitch pipe so they started on B flat! I then made my way back through the church ready to play Ride ride on when they arrived and all went well. I played St Matthew Passion final chorus at the end and we practised. To British Museum to see the outstanding Pompeii and Herculaneum...

To Brentford on trains and bus and met the family at softplay. Amelia was there with Rufus and Scarlett and her Australian mother-in-law. Had a very nice lunch at Syon House - I had beef pie. Built track and the boys put on their Buzz outfits. To opticians in Ladbroke Grove and Mr Shannon advised new specs - £591! Not had new ones for 4 years and eyes are healthy! To British Museum to see the Spanish prints especially Goyas and fine Asian galleries and Asian drinking rituals. To Westminster Abbey for Professor Keith Ward's lecture on faith and secularism. Saw Graham Hedges. Watched Michael Palin in Brazil and University challenge.

 Sunday to St Alban's South Norwood to play for the service. Fr Russell sings well and welcoming choir who sang the psalm. It seems I play quicker than the resident Frank - the organ not in good state. Mr Jackson who was our piano tuner died and his wife went back to Thailand - his ashes are buried under the altar. Met Liz for lunch at Prezzos on a special offer and delicious. To British Museum for community preview of Shakespeare's world - a very fine exhibition with many lovely objects. Glad we went. Liz came home and I went to the preProm talk and the excellent Pelleas conducted by Gardiner. The Monteverdi choir had very little to sing. Sir John Tomlinson was outstanding.

At Coulsdon admitted Sean to the choir and Ellie got her light blue ribbon. Barry's introit went really well and we sang "Jesus Christ the apple tree". Played Bach Fantasia in C minor. More cards! Straight to West Norwood to park and 68 bus to Briitsh museum. Community preview of Grayson Perry's Tomb of the craftsman - very intriguing with lots of themes - brilliant ceramics and tapestries. Cross dressing, pilgrimage, magic, religion, maps. Had an expensive coffee and to curator's introductory talk. Interesting that pilgrim shells only appear in the final piece. To Zizzi Central St Giles for calzone on special offer. Nearly left bag behind and got train to West Norwood so Liz could sing at St John's evensong. I went to Virgo Fidelis for mass for deceased Catenians - only 4 of us there!

Took Dennis to Mayday for course at 8 a.m. Only 5 in choir at Coulsdon but they did well. Played Parry on "Rockingham" and Moore Toccata. Short practice with Sean and Molly then to 12 noon Mass at cathedral. Fr Graham Stokes first supported by the cathedral clergy with an excellent homily from Fr Alexander -priest as doormat! First blessing and nice reception in the hall. No tennis on screen at CArdinal Place roof garden and chat to Ann Bond. Ate chicken at Wagamama then to British museum for free communities evening invite through Stephanie. Excellent talk on Treasures of heaven by assistant curator and we spotted ourselves on film of Therese of Lisieux at the cathedral. St Ethelburga's choir sang well. The exhibition is superb with a very fine audio guide. Loved the cross from the Pope's private chapel. The Mandylion oddly unimpressive but the Holy Thorn reliquaries were stunning. Beautiful ivories too. Really worth going! Interesting how we preserve items which rem...

Last night after a relatively quiet 9 to 5 at work Liz persuaded me to leave the quiet comfort of the lounge to go to St Paul's cathedral for the 11.15 watch night service. The Cambridge Heath Salvation Army band played very well and the precentor Canon Lucy Winkett spoke excellently. The cathedral looks splendid and I liked moving to the great West door during "Lord for the years" to hear the famous quote used by King George VI "I said to the man at the door of the year give me a light". We drove up via Tower Bridge and heard the fireworks. The journey home took a long time and every bus was packed! We go home at 1.45 a.m. Today we spoke to Ann on Skype having got Dennis on the mobile at midnight. We went by train to Westminster Cathedral and served at Mass. Fr Michael spoke about Mary and the Trinity and Deacon Ed said he had seen the fireworks from their roof terrace. Watched a lot of TV including the Vienna New Year concert, 3 hour programme on Vaughan Willi...

For a laugh a page read Alan Bennett's "The uncommon reader" about how the Queen takes up reading. Also excellent is James Naughtie's "The making of music a journey with notes". I am also enjoying "The Museum" which accompanies the TV series about the British Museum. We have some excellent meditations for Advent by Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen and Gordon Giles.