The organist librarian

Tai chi with DVD before going to work - cannot get used to the 9.30 a.m. start on Saturdays. To 99p shop and got weedkiller, trowel, plug strainers and washing up brushes for the library. Did game plan and polished up staff meeting minutes. To Tooting Bec for Mass - church cold again and mike not working so Fr Daniel whose English is not good any way was hard to hear. To Gillian Warrior's flat at Prince of Wales Mansions for reading group farewell which was lovely - nice eats and Liz came. A nice card from them all. It was delightful! To church where we sang "Bread of the world" arr Bullard and Ps 61 to plainchant. The Wood setting was a bit thin - 2 sopranos not there. Molly very keyed up about getting first badge next Sunday. Practised and then to King's for lunch with Liz - nice lamb. I tripped outside the hospital and fell - my shoulder and left thigh hurt a bit. Grandma in pain from her arm. To Compline and played Bach and Brahms - 9 there. Watched Antiques road...

Compline went OK - 5 in choir and 6 congregation joining in - described as "singalong" this morning. I played most of Mendelssohn 6 - another favourite!

Thursday had staff meetings.Straight to church after work to rehearse for Karen's Archbishops' Award exam with Helen Burroughs - nice to see her again. All went well although I felt Alison could have sung out more in the "Ave Maria" duet. Practice was good although I found it hard to sing. My side is better but the cold is still lingering on. I went to Compline at Croydon Parish church on the way home - it was pouring again and this was a moment of peace in a busy day. Surprised to find Malcolm Hubble had not been paid for deputising for the 2 June Sundays when I was away.

40 lengths Friday morning despite a couple of people getting in my lane! Took tour of the estate and visited 7 sites meeting lots of people I know. Grandma had a fall so Mandy called the ambulance and Louise went to King's as we were short of staff at lunchtime. I dropped in on the way home and ate with them and Louise stayed overnight. To choir practice and we covered all the June music. The Byrd 4 part mass not ready for Sunday and a mini-revolt over it. So we abandoned it for the moment. To Croydon Parish church for compline. I was just in time and sat in the nave without a book but I found I knew all the words any way. A lovely end to a busy day. Actually I then did the music lists for July and August and got to bed late. I don't sleep well when Liz is away. Spoke to Dennis about wedding and Grandma.

The Byrd 4 part mass is proving more difficult to learn than I expected. We certainly are not ready to sing it in public until the end of May! I practised the organ before choir practice and we finished in good time for me to get to Croydon Parish church for compline at 9 p.m. Andrew Cantrill was cantor and the 8 men sang the plainchant. I noted that Tony Trent was in the choir. There were 3 in the congregation and oddly we sat for the whole thing! The choir sang "In manus tuas" by John Shepard. When I got home I sat down to watch QI and promptly fell asleep.

Before the ending of the day Creator of the world we pray... From all ill dreams defend our eyes, From nightly fears and fantasies, Tread under foot our ghostly foe that no pollution we may know. What a wonderful hymn this is for those of us who wake in the night!

Thursday to Battersea for stock day. Geoff started by saying he was there to listen and then he talked and kept on talking! To WHSmith Croydon to choose book with token from Derek Phillips. Jon Cannon's "Cathedral" about English cathedrals perfect - have visited every one of them and sung in some and played the organ too. Liz has a mug from each one! Friday to choir practice. Practised Compline and one of the sopranos said I wasn't playing the tune as she had heard it on her recording. I pointed out I was playing the tune as in the plainchant but trying to find the right pitch and key. So she said "there are only 4 lines" to which I replied "I know that". I should do after 50 years of being a church musician! Also rehearsed the Stainer - unfortunately it tends to stick in the brain! Saturday did a lot of catching up and to Mass where we had the wonderful gospel of the raising of Lazarus which always reminds me of SSG summer school when the altar w...