The organist librarian

Holy Innocents Day. Set the table and then to St John's to sing View me Lord at funeral of Andrew Piercy-McAlpine who was an amazing person. I have informed the family that the tributes are not to be so long at my funeral! All the family except Bruce were with us for lunch - delicious starter, a magnificent turkey wth all the trmmings, Christmas pudding and pavlova. The boys had a great time and we enjoyed carol singing and presents. Ciaran was singing beautifully. Watched The last igloo from BBC4. One of my favourite programmes is The Repair Shop. I am so fortunate to have Dad's organ music with all his markings - a tangible link wth him! Enjoyed Gareth Malone's Who do you think you are.

Christmas Day radio 4 broadcast from Wintershall with the Bishop of Dorking was very evocative. Do go to Wintershall - it is worth the trip! Liz baked panettone - delicious! Enjoyed Christmas University challenge and Christmas bake off. To Dennis and had dinner there. Henry on form! Programme on Michael Bond creator of Paddington bear. Christmas carol part 3 was very well done. I could have done without the swear words. Gareth Malone does it again in Watford. 

Swim, got to Battersea to find mosaic class not on so to British library for writing exhibition. Southwark cathedral organ Harrison Cole playing Francaix and Langlais and saw Andrew Paterson's icons which were very pale. SPIDIR committee meeting. Started to watch Britain's Easter story part 2 with Gareth Malone. 2 programmes on sex education in the past were informative. To Beckenham Catenians. 

Met Robert organist on the train. Three hours at Caterham with some stunning art. 3 in choir and went well. To Soper Hall to see Tandridge art society exhibition. Pictures of poppies and birds sell! Hard to know how to price paintings. Britain's Easter story with Gareth Malone and Karen Gibson (she directed the Gospel choir at the royal wedding and I met her on the bus!) also watched Pilgrimage to Rome. Pilgrimage the road to Rome came to a wonderful end with a moving meeting with Pope Francis. James Jones's meditation on Good Friday on Radio 4. Played favourite bits from St Matthew Passion and Messiah on the piano. BBC Young South Asian dancer was amazing.

Lent 2 played Bach O man thy grievous sin bemoan and Franck Prelude and Fughetta. We sang Hear us O Lord to This is the truth from above tune. Good practice and started on Holy Week psalms. There were prayers for Christchurch and junior choir made cards to send to New Zealand. Henry came to play as they go to Ireland tomorrow for Joe's 80th. I actually fixed a new handle on the grill pan. To South London interfaith group AGM at Royal Trinity Hospice. Interesting video about Compassionate neighbours. I am to be coopted onto the committee. Rizwan gave me a lift to Hyderi mosque where there was a very heated debate about security and much else in the wake of the Christchurch tragedy.At Hyderi mosque last night a letter from their neighbours was read out. In its simplicity it said so much. A Jewish lady spoke movingly of why she had come to the meeting. To those who tried to disrupt the meeting and attack Zionism I say not all Jews are Zionists. Many Jews deplore Israeli actions. So ...

A quiet day with Sean. Yesterday was a full day Picasso portraits at NPG brilliant, left bag in locker and to St George Hanover Square. David Saint recognised me and played really  well. National Gallery for Beyond Caravaggio. Too many people, lovely to see Dublin pictures and good film. Back to NPG Black portraits. Tea then Wellcome for excellent Bedlam. Did a psychic awareness test with photo. Earls Court wait for Richmond train got Ealing one which became a Richmond! Good painting session and Nelson gave me a 1905 book on Palestine. Gareth Malone and William Kentridge in Joburg on TV. Car would not start outside school but Louise had bought a portable charger. Home in good time and changed with bowtie for Frank Bond. Bill Whitmarsh took Brendan Foley and I to Chislehurst golf club for joint Blackheath/Bromley meeting which was great. Sausage and mash. New brother Peter Graff knows St Joseph's college. Frank and Duncan delighted by scrolls.

Lovely funeral for Isla Fishwick at Holy Rosary Hayes. Liz's birthday lunch and dinner at Station House. I enjoyed Opus Anglicanum at V and A. Painting and Gareth Malone. I would have gone to Andrew Wakefield's funeral had there not been a clash. Surprised to see V and A describe a burse as an ecclesiastical purse and in one case the lights were reflecting in the Glass!

Swam 20. Set off around 12 and had an excellent lunch at Ask Gloucester Rd with a discount, I had calzone and tiramisu. To Trail finders and Julian booked 3 trips for us! Singapore, Adelaide, Sydney, Christchurch In January, Botswana and Victoria Falls in June and Spain and Portugal in September. Costs a lot but we should do it now while we are fit. It does mean I will have to pay deputies for several Sundays but that is Ok  I was greatly relieved that Jan Pringle can cover Jan 1 and John the rest. To painting and really got the colour mixing right do dark first, value, hue and saturation. to Acton Thomas in Swansea for a week. we'd woke to find Trump in White House horrified. Tram crash in Croydon. Rain and Sean keen to stay home and not go to Tamar's again. Watched Gareth Malone. To Dulwich Catenians - nice food and good company. Saw Christian Strover coming out of his gate. 

Tuesday All Saints day we drove to Eastbourne for Ron's funeral. Great to see old friends again - we seldom see them. Richard thomas conducted Cast thy burden and Bgoroditse and all went well. The reception at the hotel was nice and lovely to see Ron's photos, Beethoven 9 score and album. Barbara has many more and she needs help identifying when the photos were taken. Lovely ones with Prince Charles. We went on A22 and came back on the M23. Tea and then set off for painting. I was late as train cancelled and first train to Richmond full. Had trouble mixing colours. Watched first Gareth Malone programme searching for best choir in Britain. Wednesday took Sean to Kew to see The Hive and had lunch. Had torubel getting him out of the playground and he wanted a toy but I said No. Picked up Ciaran and Liz went to the parents information meeting. 90 minutes to get home. Phoned Jill which was helpful. 

Swam 20. To Kennington Park to meet Shereen and Noreen about the raised bed garden for the disabled. Met Tony Clark who works for Lambeth council who are only interested in making money out of the park. There is a good cafe and a lovely flower garden.  Catching up on recorded TV e.g. An island Parish and animal sleep. Liz working in the garden. Mosaics put up and got water features going.  Gareth Malone wonderful Invictus choir and Paul O'Grady and the Salvation Army.

Swam, watched more of Gareth Malone and Invictus choir. Lovely playing by  Laurence Caldecote  at Bedford Park. The Paradies was particularly pleasing!  Guiding with Liz and David at the cathedral (quite quiet - very sunny day) then to St Paul's for the service for John Scott. The best parts were the Gloria of the Howells St Paul's service Nunc, How can I keep from singing and John Scott's hymn tune. The Gowers and Bach were wrecked by the acoustic under the dome and some of the organ voluntaries suffered as well. To Sevenoaks for Catenian membership group meeting - home at 11.30! 

Voted and walked down to the hall on a lovely sunny morning for Ascension Day, rawing in Grangewood Park  -stunning foliage,  Sicily at British Museum worth a visit - bit crowded. Rm 90 watercolours and fascinating Assam textile. I am in shirtsleeves. Seen first guy in shorts this year! Liz ordered the Proms passes and the blackbirdbabies flew.  To Selfridges for free drawing session Meetup. Drew face on perspex and then traced and coloured it with felt tips which I hate! Result, s not bad. To St John Upper Norwood for Ascension Day - Grayston Ives setting and Italian carol God is ascended. Quite a few there Jonathan Croucher vicar of Gipsy Hill preached well. Watched Gareth and the invictus choir but slept! 

We both went to celebration event and lunch at Hyderi mosque Streatham to celebrate the birthdays of Jesus and Mohammed. There was a quiz and we sang We three kings. Liz went to the doctor. Watched Dambuster, The Queen, David Beckham on 7 continents and Gareth Malone choir reunion. 

Dennis came last night. Had a lie-in. Liz was better. No chance to see the boys as the family went to Norfolk straight from school and I did not get to hear Margaret Phillips play Bach either. Watched Downton and the Naked choir also programme on 20th century romance. Tried to get Outlook email to work and Blackberry is not working. Posted photos to Face Book. 

Sick at breakfast but recovered to do packing. My plan of putting one carryon case into the big one worked well and we were not overwight. Francisco took us to the airport and helped with checkin. Saw doctor when we left hotel and he reminded us to email. On planes Boychoir, Habemus Papam, Max, Required to be normal, Soile Isokoski singing Mozart, Bridge and Franz Reisenstein piano sonatas. Coco before Chanel. 11 hours Quito to Madrid 2 to London 1 hour Guayaqonquil to Quito Wheelchairs throughout - there was farce at Madrid when we went in a lift vehicle but all had to walk to the building to get chairs where there was discussion about who was going where! It was a very long trek to the London plane. At Heathrow 5 we went in the buggy and then were dumped in the luggage hall. After 20 minutes we walked the last bit, met the cab driver and commandeered a chair for the bit to the car park. Cost £60 because of the delay and the parking fee. Home at 8.45. Thursday took Liz to see Dr Ojo...

Frost only swam 18 as I was a bit delayed. Liz went to King's and all OK for another year. Watched Audrey Hepburn and start of War Horse prom. The Military wives choir were excellent! To Grants Vue to see "Paddington" which we loved. Buses up the creek because of burst water main and nobody to take our money! I abandoned attempt to get home and took tram and bus to Kevin Ingram's for Catenian council meeting. Philip was very grumpy again! Kevin is to be VP and I will take over as secretary so that Brendan can be President. Buses home. 

Woke early and went to the pool only to find it closed and no notice up! Sang carols at Lakeside home which was appreciated. Very hot in there especially as I had my Christmas jumper on! To Glyn Close to borrow Ann Marie's car which has a nifty camera for reversing! King's carols excellent. Played for crib service and 50 adults there and 40 kids charging round the church. One shepherd has lost his head! It was much shorter than last year and went well. I got train at Kent House and was at the cathedral in good time for 6 p.m. Mass. Lucky to get a seat. Liz was thurifer. Saw Peter Tyler who is going to Bangalore in January and Catherine, also Fr Michael and Fr John. Liz got home just before me. The pictures are up in our bedroom and the New Zealand photo has been retired for a while! I watched Gareth Malone's triumph at the Proms and then went for a rest which was disturbed by a delivery! Midnight Mass went well and we managed Mary's song at communion and the 6 car...

Tuesday to Clapham picturehouse for 11 a.m. relay from the Met thrillingly conducted by James Levine in a wheelchair. The intensity of playing was amazing considering the opera last 6 hours with intermissions. The cast were excellent. Johann Botha has a fine tenor voice but is unfortunately rather large so his acting is minimal. There are many touching moments but I found the Wach auf chorus in the last act very moving having sung it in the Chorus (in the foyer of the Festival Hall). and so soon after Jean Taylor so sadly died. The glorious ending and I think the whole cast should hace had a curtain call. It's not just about the principals wonderful as they are! To Acton and Tom cooked a lovely meal. Watched The Apprenitce final 5. Wednesday we all went to school to see Ciaran as Joseph in the nativity. He was so charming and cute and said his lines very clearly and joined in the singing. Seán was on good form and enjoying having Mummy home although she had ...

Liz went to the cathedral where they sang Langlais. Picked up Dennis and took Ann and Paul to St Michael's. 61 there. We did sing the psalm as I found a chant for it. All went well and Fr Paul thanked choir and me at the end. Widor Toccata was appreciated - I have practised this hard and not played it in public for some years! It went reasonably well. To Rosendale pub for an excellent lunch of lamb. I had a lucky escape and did not get chocolate on my best trousers!  It was raining so the boys could not play outside. The Gruffalo eggs were appreciated. They all came back to us and I had some nice wine after surviving Lent (like Fr Paul). Later we went for a walk and had Baileys and ice cream. Dennis went back to Salford and will join us in York. Watched quiz about BBC2 featuring Gareth Malone and Brian Cox. Leicester cathedral TV broadcast was good. Pope Francis was impressive and last night's Vigil was on TV news!

We sang Lo he comes at the morning service so I played Lloyd Webber voluntary on it and Sumsion on Veni emmanuel. Liz ahd made cakes for the boys, clergy and servers. Fr Augustine is moving to Walsingham aged 98! Louise arrived for lunch and had a sleep. The carols went really well. Choir of 8. The Rutter Angels'carol and Little road were beautifully sung and we sang On Christmas night and Sing lullaby. Applause was a little odd  -45 there. Mulled wine and mince pies. Antiques roadshow, final fo Choir in the workplace won inexplicably by P and O. I thought Citi were much better and I like Cheshire fire service's sound.