The organist librarian

Mosaic. Jonathan Lilley played the Academic festival overture and a fine partita on Tallis tunes written for Waltham Abbey by David Bednall at Southwark cathedral. SPIDIR committee. Tate Britain. I did not understand Mark Leckey and fewer people at the Blake which really only comes alive for me in the last rooms Job, Dante, Pilgrim's progress. We have serious damp in downstairs loo. Excellent presentation at Milleret House on extinction rebellion. Very thought provoking. Suggestions for what we can do. The calendars have come and are really nice. Tuesday Mass. Henry came after a delay and enjoyed himself. Quiet time. Cleared up upstairs. Watched canal journeys and Only connect. David won Great British bake off Steph was unlucky. Watched the British tribe next door in Namibia. 

Lovely to spend time with Peter Simpson and a short visit to York art gallery. ellent tour of York Minster, saw King's Book and shop. Lovely unaccompanied evensong. Soft singing in the psalms magic, basses a bit strident at times. Bednall anthem, Tallis canticles. Good meal at Gusto. Really enjoyed the SSG assembly in York. Great talks and discussion, lovely food, beautiful Mass! John ainslie and I sang Christus vincit. English Martyrs is a fine 1930s church with a lovely hall. Journey fast and non-stop and buses took me from centre to Bar Convent and station. River high. 

Thursday swam, mass, art and lots to eat- drew migrants picture, Mind, body, soul was good. Straight to see Clare and a lovely chat. Tree up in lounge. Friday Liz turned alarm off so only 8 lengths and short sauna, Mass for St Ambrose. Haircut. To Turnham Green and Jonathan played an entertaining programme with a class of kids enjoying it. Welcoming at cathedral and choir came to rehearse for St Lucia. Tree up in front garden. Feeling tired and caught my right heel with Ecco shoe. Chester Zoo and Wensleydale cheese. Corinthia hotel programme. Fascinating programme on the princess who disappeared from Dubai.

Truro broadcast evensong most impressive. Recorder won Young musician heat.

Had a wierd dream about driving in Oz to a holiday house and Liz said we would have to share the house. The man was nice but his wife was not. First thing happened he went in the one bathroom and I was going to be late for church and burst into tears in the kitchen saying the holiday was ruined! To 8am Mass at St Mary's - not a great experience - priest uses voice box and is sometimes intelligible and a man moans at the back all the time and loudly! Harvest at Coulsdon was not a Eucharist as Vickie in Israel and Teresa in hospital. We saw a presentation about Tanzania and sang Harvest samba to the CD. Choir sang Thou visitest the earth by Greene. Practised and bought guide cakes. Harvest lunch quiche and damson crumble - very nice. Evensong from Lincoln Dyson in F and we sang it later at St John's along with King of Glory by Grayston Ives. David Bednall on The Choir on Radio 3.

Set off on Monday - 2 and half hours by train via Clapham Junction to Reading then Thatcham and back to Midgham. Met Sr Julian from Stanbrook now at Wass and Br Reginald from Canterbury. We were met at the station and driven to Douai Abbey which is a lovely place with a high light airy church with clear windows. The accomodation was comfortable with a shower in the large room and nice outlook over woods. The school is now rebuilt as housing. I soon slipped into the pattern of Latin Vespers and compline and Mattins and Lauds at 6.25 a.m. and midday office. The food was excellent and the company delightful. I particularly enjoyed talking to Fr Martin from Downside, the sisters from Lewes with their international connections, Michelle from Roscrea and the sisters from Quidenham, Minster and Ware. Michelle Moran gave us insights into the Synod in Rome on the Word of God which were very valuable especially Tom Wright's. It turns out she used to live in South Norwood! David Bednall co...

Saturday was quiet. Doris had a go because I had swopped with Calix. This pattern of only one senior on will happen more now Calix has resigned. To Vespers (not many clergy there) and Mass. Deacon Peter was there. American priest appealed for African missions. He told of a prayer service for rain in Kansas - many came but only one lady brought an umbrella! Ricky was thurifer for the first time and did very well. oliver played Bach Prelude in C minor at the end. Sunday Liz went to help Bruce with kitchen at Bow and she was cantor at 5.30 p.m. mass for new Catholics with the cardinal. She ended up in the Cardinal pub! At Coulsdon we sang Tallis's If ye love me and Nicholson in G. I practised and went to Oaks Wood. It was raining so sat in car - lovely pink blossom out. St George's Day service went well. I played Vaughan Williams, Parry and Elgar. Home to hear evensong from Bristol - Howells in B minor, Elgar Light out of darkness from "The Light of Life" Elgar sonata fi...

I woke early so did more work on the Oxford trip brochure. The reading group welcomed Angela Young. Her book "Speaking of love" had proved difficult to follow because she wanted to convey the schizophrenia of the mother who is a story teller. Angela mentioned several good storytellers who would come to the library so I will follow this up as we have storytelling for children but not for adults. 9 went to Antipasto for an excellent lunch. Graham was unfortunately ill and Micky could not join us either. I had fusilli with spinach and mushroom, tiramisu and white wine all for £12.50 as the food is half price on Saturdays. Took some photos and then back to work where I have been doing clearing up and weeding the fiction again. To Vespers and Mass and much enjoyed Douai Abbey choir in blue robed and led by Dr John Rowntree. They sang a new Mass by David Bednall written for them last year with a French plainchant feel. Lovely end to the Benedictus. Philip did well as thurifer for t...