The organist librarian

Woke late so no swim and Liz gave me a lift to the station as my side was troubling me. But thanks to heat treatment and ibuprofen it wore off during the day. The lads all passed their GCSEs - Wisdom had 3 As so very pleased! I finished at 3.30 and the plan was to go and see "Mamma Mia" at Beckenham but Bruce got the time wrong so Liz took his cassock for Bath to him. He goes there tomorrow for the weekend at the RSCM course with his friends. I came home and finished the Tablet crossword and listened to Dvorak Slavonic dances from the Proms. The revelation of finding my travel diary from 1972 has sparked many memories from those heady days and a contact with the Revd David Murfet now retired in Ripon. I stayed with him in Naples on condition that I played the following Sunday!

Tuesday's swim was shorter as I was late getting up and took the car down as I needed it in the evening. To Catenian council meeting at Jim's new home in Sanderstead. A useful meeting. Wednesday had a lie-in and to Coulsdon to see Vickie. Hymns now chosen up to the end of August. To St Michael's for Riccardo Bonci's recital and Liz joined me there. he played transcriptions of Grieg, Dvorak, Vivaldi by Bach, Rossini. It was a fun programme apart from Liszt's Arcadelt Ave Maria which I thought was far too slow. The extraordinary piece from 19th century Italy based on Aida must have wowed them at Mass! We had a toasted sandwich and cappuccino at Marks and Liz got some lovely jewellery for her wedding outfit. To Allders and luggage shop looking at rucksacks and to Debenhams for china. We ended up at Ikea where we got 2 good rucksacks for £15 each, photo frames and artificial apple blossom for the library. Watched Julie Walters in "Filth; the Mary Whitehouse story...

Monday 5.50 a.m. caught express bus 68 to Waterloo and underground using oyster cards to Heathrow so that we arrived in good time for our British Airways flight. We boarded from the new section of terminal 1 and were served with a good hot breakfast. On arrival the coaches took us into the city where we were asked to change to the Hotel Richmond which was a good move as we had an executive room with a Bosphorus view and very comfortable. We went looking for the Atlas restaurant in Beyoglu but in the end went to Afacan which is self-service and we had aubergines and salad. Tuesday to Borusan BMW headquarters and we rehearsed with Mark in the morning and lunch was provided. The orchestra the Istanbul Philharmonic are pros but the conductor Gurer Aykal has them say sorry if they make a mistake! There are 5 of his relations in the orchestra. He was charm itself throughout and at every break there was coffee, tea and delicious cakes! We picnicked in our room and had a rest! Wednesday was a ...

Liz informed me that I should have got a Valentines wife card from somewhere else rather than St Paul's bookshop. What was wrong with a lovely card from there? She dropped me at the station as I had pulled a muscle in my left shoulder on Wednesday when I woke up so missed swim. Have been doing 40 lengths each day. A busy day at work and straight to chorus as conductor was coming. Mark very smart in a suit as he was interviewed for Turkish TV and the cameraman took some shots. Wierdly the conductor just sat and listened and smiled! He said the Dvorak had not been performed in Turkey before. Liz went to Bow to do decorating using the old car and I returned home.

It's been an interesting week! Liz is delighted that the back fences have at last been replaced. On Wednesday the Understanding Islam course started in the Hinsley Room ably led by Dr Chris Hewer. 27 people came so I was very pleased and the session was excellent. I went to the National Gallery and enjoyed the exhibition of German stained glass. Part of the gallery was closed because of a strike! In the evening the Chorus party was distinguished by superb food prepared by Jackie and an enjoyable quiz. On Thursday I visited the new Wellcome Trust exhibition in Euston Road. The collection is very well presented and there is a virtual library. The exhibition on "Dreams and sleep" was fascinating. The chorus started rehearsing Dvorak's wonderful Requiem for the Istanbul trip ably directed by Mark Griffiths. Friday Liz was out with Fr Swavek and the catechists for dinner while I took choir practice. I was home in time to see the remarkable C of E vicar Peter Owen Jones on ...