The organist librarian

The boys enjoyed the slime workshop at the Horniman which was crawling with kids! An excellent homily from Fr Sunith at Mass today on the gospel for the day. The devil has many ways of breaching the walls of our household including internet porn, gossip, being judgemental, etc. Benjy Bloor played very well at the drome and since his Japan trip attracted a very large audience so large that the concert started late! I did feel that the reeds were used a lot and that becomes tiring to listen to. The technique in the Bach was immaculate. Watched the Apprentice. Letters to schools and 2 auction houses. 

We sang Lead me Lord by Wesley and I played Stanford on St Columba and Percy Whitlock on King's Lynn which is a great tune. Inspired by recent recitals and master classes I am working on Franck Choral no. 3. Lamb chops and homemade banoffie pie. Yum. At evensong Dyson in F and Howell Like as the Hart love that anthem. Fr John met with the choir and there was a frank and good conversation. Excellent vespers from Leeds and Berlioz from BBC Scottish. Boys and Lou arrived. Call the midwife, banoffie pie and white wine. Monday slept in so no swim or Mass. Wet so trip to British wildlife centre off. To West Norwood to collect our clock and Liz took boys to cinema. Tuesday finished the jigsaw which took most of 2 days. I did get to Mass but not mosaic.  Wed to Horniman museum. Took the boys to Brick Wonders, aquarium and sketching at the Horniman. Lunch at the Capitol Wetherspoons Forest Hill. Jonathan Gorsky gave a fascinating talk on Jewish/Catholic relations and 11...

Mosaic then to Balham station to get organ shoe heeled and then to the Horniman museum where I sketched 3 animals and  then to see Ros, More decorations on the tree. Beckenham circle where I was the only visitor.

On the way back from swimming turning from Buller Rd into Mersham Road where it is always difficult to see car drove into my side. Some damage to wheel arch and door. The young woman was incredibly rude shouting at me and calling for witnesses. The boy with her was in tears but she did nothing to comfort him. I did not have phone or pen. Her parting shot was that she was late for school. I phoned the insurance company and he was very helpful. I was pretty shaken. Her car had some damage to the light and bumper. There was no phonecall from her! Marnie from the Met proved to be interesting but surtitles were badly needed! To the Horniman museum to see the World gallery and have a meal. Catching up on Songs of Praise who do we find but Daniel Moult and Ashley Wagner at Birmingham conservatoire!

Liz off early to go to a medical interview about an alzheimer's study but her medication means she cannot take part. Swam, Mass, art and worked on Lourdes painting. To the Horniman for fish and chips and loved the new World gallery and the The Lore of the land exhibition. To see Ros and bus home. Good programme on Prince Charles at 70.

An enjoyable visit with Liz to the Horniman museum to see the British Wildlife photography award winnng photos and chose the owl as my favourite. Also visited the music gallery. Great homily at Mass today from Fr Stuart on marketing and the church and how word of mouth is the best way to invite others to come along. To Catenian Provincial executive group meeting at Swanley - very useful discussion. Good programme on Canaletto. 

Took the boys to Robot Zoo at the Horniman along with the hordes and they loved it. Ciaran held onto the bar like a bat for 50 seconds and Sean 40! Excellent fish and chips.  Excellent talk on the Prayer of the Church by Fr  Brian O'Mahony . Man Mohan Gupta and his wife on the Joy of Love. LSE radio 3 free thinking on Martin Luther with the incomparable Diarmaid MacCulloch, Peter Stanford and Ulinka Rutland so a plethora of riches. Perhaps my question will be broadcast

An interesting morning at the Horniman museum with Ciarán at the Horniman museum doing the bug hunt in the meadow, the Dinosaur families exhibition, aquarium and animal section. Went to Acton to collect goggles and NT card for Ciarán. Plaintive Seán "Mummy where's Ciarán?" To session with Nelson and good progress. 

Met Louise and Ciarán at Norwood Junction. We went to St John's panto Aladdin and Dennis joined us. It was hilarious and well done and we all enjoyed it. Bought a raffle ticket for £10. Saturday we went on the bus to Horniman for an excellent hands on event with old toys. Also went to the fairground and musical instruments outside but it was very windy. Bought some books for the kids and met the authors. Visited Dennis and Molly. Tree lights on and started putting decorations on. Met Louise at Victoria. Canon Christopher at Mass and Hornchurch school choir were good singing Durufle. Sunday p layed Peeters and Walther on Wachet auf, Lang on Winchester New and Philip Moore on Merton. Fr Leon appeared in the loft to see Bill beforehand and there were no announcements before service! I dashed off to get to Acton leisure centre for Ciarán's 6th birthday party. A lovely large room with bouncy castle and excellent animal presenter. Kids loved it. Went back to Shakespeare Rd for suppe...

Discovered that Bromley scores can be returned to Penge library which is great as no parking problems. Alas I left the Shostakovich 10 score at home! We popped in to see AnnMarie and Molly. Ciaran's 4 night stay finished with the Horniman museum - pond dipping, lunch, aquarium, plantasma - all excellent. There was a touching reunion with Sean and Mummy. Liz had gone earlier to get to the Prom in time and I drove to the Hall only to find the gallery sold out and I did not fancy trying the arena! Listened to the Mendelssohn and Ysaye encore in the car. Ciarán has been so good and joined in with all the activities showing great knowledge and memory skills. And how about the precious parting "Thank you, Grandad I love you!" The Stravinsky and Firsova were well played and the encores were Grieg and Prokofiev. Bergen Philhrmonic with Andrew Litton.

Woke at 6.15 and Ciaran was awake after a good night's sleep. We went to eXtremes at Horniman Museum and joined as a family member. There were interesting displays about extremes of temperature and climate and how animals and people cope. I missed mosaic and took the key for tai chi which Hendrika took so I was able to come home. Ciaran watched Alice in wonderland, Yogi bear and Thomas and enjoyed playing games and the piano. I played some Eric Coates's scores Alan had. Just after we skyped Lou and Tom he sobbed away but then played games again and ate his supper before happily going to bed asking me to sit with him as he dropped off. University challenge, Food and drink and Britain's Great War with Jeremy Paxman all excellent. Liz dropped off exhausted!

Tuesday to the Horniman where Liz took Ciarán to see the Amazon adventure and aquarium. He liked the animals section and the bees which he remembered. I enjoyed the music section and the Art of Harmony exhibition. We had a very nice lunch outside and loved the chimes in the garden and the water fountain. Had ice creams. What a view on a lovely day! I was pleased to see that there are now lines across the glass doors where Ciarán ran into one. The Prom talk was about Britten's setting of text. I asked a question about Pears and Britten's religious beliefs which was well answered but it did not make the broadcast. Pears was the dominant one I think. Britten veered between conscientious objection to declaring himself a Christian in the 60s. The prom featured Ian Bostridge singing Les illuminations, Tippett and Elgar 2 instead of Sibelius 2. It was LSO and Daniel Harding's tribute to Sir Colin Davis. The Elgar was very fine. 

Woke at 6 and Ciarán up at 6.45 - he went to bed late last night with lots of stories about trains. Met Calix and Boyan at the Horniman museum and visited the aquarium then to musical instruments in the gardens and an excellent under5s session with Paul - 3 little pigs and Magic porridge pot. Ciarán joining in and singing away. Had a nice Mediterranean platter. After lunch Ciarán ran out of the doors to the restaurant into a glass wall - really stupid design. He bumped his forehead but was O.K. We took him home and he slept in the car. Listened to Barbirolli conducting Mahler 2 in Berlin with Dame Janet Baker. Ciarán said he wanted to go home i.e. to our house! Still no baby and due today! Excellent pianists at Leeds competition and watched part of Last night of the proms programme. Parade's End excellent.

Ciarán woke around 6.45. To Hormiman musuem and had not been there for years and it is transformed. Loved the aquarium and a quick tour of the music gallery. Had coffee and then to the Spa Beckenham for swim. Ciarán loves the water and did not have his armbands so held on to me but he did do some swimming and jumping in! He hardly slept today. Water plat in the garden and slide and trampoline. Watched a lot of Thomas the tank engine DVD and he took the cover to bed. Liz went to buy new HDD recorder and I put him to bed - he was quite lively despite the lack of sleep. Watched Prom on BBC4 - Halle conducted by Elder - Sibelius, Bartok and Janacek.