The organist librarian

Henry now near to walking and he enjoyed his new walker. To Heythrop for Panikkar event with 3 good speakers and a film about the great theologian. Good to see Michael Barnes, Michael Redman, Michael Ipgrave now Bishop of Lichfield and Peter Tyler. At coffee after Mass learnt a lot about St Chad's and why people left. Watched La boheme from ROH and wrote up notes on Panikkar for Xavier. 9 people came to Westminster Cathedral interfaith group and we had a great conversation about Panikkar as Mohan Gupta did nor turn up. To Grow meeting at Caterham vicarage - I left here 7.20 home at 9 thanks to poor train services. Show More Reactions

To Tamar's and Seán singing the African song! We went to Kew to see the lovely orchids and I saw a couple I used to know at Battersea Park library. We had lunch "sharing is caring" says he! He had the playground to himself and Climbers and Creeper. I said 5 minutes. When we were leaving he said I didn't get my 5 minutes! When he went down the slide again I found a Crunchie in the buggy pocket. He said "Where did you get that?" That would be telling says I. We arrived at school to find Liz and Ciaran had gone. I went to St John Caterham to play for the 7.30 service. Took 90 minutes on trains and I was early. Small elderly choir but a fine 3 manual. I know Jill Caudle from 10 pin bowling and Anne-Marie Garton from spiritual direction is the vicar's wife. Back at Acton by 10.30. Walked to school for Year 1 assembly which was sweet. Be still and Ciaran reading very well. I went to art. Watched Father Brown and Story of China. To Stratford to see fabulous Jo...

Spent the whole of Thursday with a runny tummy. Did go to art but did not stay long and abandoned any ifea of going to interfaith lunch and ENO to see Girl of the Golden West. Liz went and enjoyed it. As it happens I was OK until bedtime! Watched The Apprentice, the rest of the WWI commemoration day services from Glasgow cathedral and the two programmes on immigrants with Nick and Margaret which were most interesting. I also did the programme for the day in Notting Hill visiting 4 organs on the 8th. Friday all seems OK but have stayed home and not gone to the cathedral for St John Southworth guild first dummy run! Nor did I go to Beckenham to hear Rosemary Field. Spoke to Bruce on Skype. Josie is fading fast which is so sad. Did two Tablet crosswords and have caught up with only one to read!

Swam 20. Dr OJo suctioned my ears - it hurt in the right one. I will be referred to a central unit for a new hearing test - not been done since 2006! To hearing aid clinic and right one retubed and got batteries. Straight to Clapham Picturehouse and lots of time to have cappuccino and carrot cake in the sunshine. Turandot from the Met (2009 broadcast). Fantastic set and costumes. Marcello Giordani was a bit wooden but sang well. Liu sung by Marina Poplavskaya moved me to tears. How much better 'Nessun dorma' is in context! Andris Nelsons conducted.To Tate Modern and had a look at 4 exhibitions. In the African art library lamps made of burnt books becayse 'when an old man dies, it is like a library is burnt'. How wise. I liked the sculptures of Saloua Raouda Choucar. Ellen Gallagher and Ibrahim El-Salahi did not impress. Earl Grey in members room and phoned David Walker. 15 and 9 to the hall. Spoke to RSPB guy near Millenium bridge - there are peregrine falcons on the ...

Swam 20 - had not been this week. Had a horrid dream about being in a bedsit and some guys got a girl in my room and I was very cross and threw them all out. Worked on dissertation and did some cleaning. Helped Liz with Powerpoint ideas. To Canada Square at Canary Wharf nice and early and got a good spot to see ROH La Rondine by Puccini live on the screen. Lovely sets and Georgiou and Charles Castelnuovo sang well but it's not such a good score as Boheme! It got cold. Planes, smokers and chatterers were distractions and I had trouble hearing the orchestra. TFL got it wrong and I should have come home via London Bridge!

To Brent Lodge park to see the animals - looks a bit neglected. Monkeys, blue starlings, goat, pigs, birds, maras. Nice playground and Ciarán banged his nose. To Osterley House for a nice lunch and round the house  with Ciarán counting flowers. Lovely gardens and ice cream. Bought 2 books on Buddhism in second hand shop and Liz bought vegetables in farm shop. To M & S Kew and listened to CDS as C asleep in car - Ampleforth, Aubertin organ Oxford, Military Wives choir, John Rutter. C can wink! Had a great chat about his favourite things. To cathedral via Willesden Junction and Euston for Joseph Cullen's splendid recital. Vierne, de Grigny and JSB with scores. MacMillan and Puccini. He said it was a nightmare getting the balance right and pedals were sometimes not prominent enough. Met the new assistant and had a chat to Martin Baker about SSG summer school - he enjoyed it very much. Home to catch up on emails and watched University challenge and programme on Royal Academy Bronze...

To the Olympic Park - left car near Norwood Junction. Long queues at Canada Water to Whitechapel and to West Ham. A long walk over several bridges about 25 minutes and arrived in the stadium a little late - security very easy. It was a lovely day. We saw athletics shot put, discus, long jump and several medal ceremonies including David Weir. The cheering for a team GB member is amazing - it was full - 80,000 rejoicing. The Brazilian national anthem is rather like Rossini and the Ukranian one like a folk song. Came home on Jubilee line - another long walk to Stratford but cheered along by the delightful volunteers! Tp pre Prom on choices of books for Desert Island discs with Mariella Fostrup and Tim Rice. I asked a question about novels quoting Elif Sharak and mentioning Parade's End character who corrected the Encyclopaedia Britannica! Met Andrew in queue who is a church musician from Watford and a physics teacher -very interesting. The prom was a deli...