The organist librarian

Michael Toplis lent me a CD of Thomas Trotter playing St Giles Cripplegate which is the same as the Mander at St Michael's and it makes interesting listening. Watched Howard Goodall on the history of music. Wasted an hour on this computer as the cursor got stuck but have now gone back to using a mouse.

Friday was amazing! Everything suddenly came together. Friday October 4th is the date for the Joburg reunion and Colin Robinson offered accomodation in Cape Town and Knysna so we have planned out rip after the reunion along the Garden route from Cape Town to Plettenberg Bay via Montagu and Knysna and then back to Cape Town via Mossel Bay! Excited emails were sent out all over the world to announce the glad tidings! Lauren came back with an earlier start for the tour because of security so 3 p.m. tour, 5.30 chapel with remembrance of the departed (12 so far) a hymn and me playing the organ. 6.00 kick-off. Have been trying to contact Ronnie Jones in Pretoria and in the process emailed Ronnie Gill! No reply as yet. I did manage to complete the Dupuis book overview. Watched University Challenge episodes and Come dine with me and Howard Goodall on history of music - still loads to catch up on! Jago Cooper in South America too but the day has gone on emails!

Liz to morning prayer and preparing for confirmation. I worked on the essay up to 3200 words which is good! I missed playing Wyton and Thiman on Veni creator! To 12.15 Confirmation with Archbishop Vincent. It was hot and long. Sad that the sequence was again said! I got the food from the kitchen to Vaughan House for the simple party which was pleasant especially as the outside area was available. I went to 3 p.m. recital by Thomas Trotter at Methodist Central hall where the organ has been rebuilt. He played from memory Handel concerto, Schumann and the Elgar sonata. Stephen Disley was there and met a man from Madras! Liz to evensong and took plates back. I had a shower and listened to 2 items from the choir book for the Queen with the score. Church Music by Julian Philips sung by Truro and Sincerity by Michael Finnissy sung by Wells. Both difficult but beautifully done. Wells also sang Skempton and Howard Goodall's Love divine.

Sat a.m. long chat to David Briggs and he signed my Franck. He was hilarious about Langlais and falling in love with a beautiful girl and being rejected! If you have experienced this you can play Franck! I was up early for 6.30 a.m. Vigils. At Mass we sang Alan Rees Mass of Peace and visited his grave. Excellent sessions from Dom Brendan on "Nothing more beautiful" ending with a meditation on the Our Father. Sunday up early and conventual mass of Christ the King - Orbis factor, Rejoice the Lord is King, Hail redeemer, The king of love and Christus vincit. Vierne No. 1 from Brother Stanislaus at the end. Final session before lunch. Taxis to cathedral and attended service for road victims. Lovely music - Faure, Goodall, The organ did not help in A touching place. Franck Prelude fugue and variation at the end. Got food for supper in M & S and wine left from Sat night. Exposition with lots of candles and vespers. After compline played the organ - old keyboards and loud! Bach,...

Sunday we sang Howard Goodall's The lord is my shepherd and the matching exercise down the scale No, No, No then Yes on bottom note! I sang short tenor sol while playing and Karen did the main solo well. It is the Vicar of Dibley tune of course. Evensong went really well. Proms continue to delight with Handel's opera Partenope featuring Andreas Scholl - I listened online following the libretto. Monday Mahler 9 conducted by Haitink and MacMillan 7 last words - both marvellous. Spoke to Dennis. Tuesday to Alvering library closing down party - lots of faces form the past including Gill and Chris Mason, Jan, Jeremy, Barry, Ron, Bill, Pat, Laurence - had a great chat. Today spoke to Ann and going on roof with David holding ladder to finish the tarring 3rd coat. Arranged gardeners for Mum on Monday. Liz enjoying Barnstaple.

A quiet day and start of my leave. The ton of shingle was supposed to come at 8 a.m. but actually came around 10.30 a.m. Liz went to borrow the wheelbarrow but we found we could not get the left hand back seat in the car down. The garage could not fix it quickly either so David at No 15 kindly drove up to Kathy's, brought the wheelbarrow down and helped move the shingle to the back garden which looks very nice now. On my 4th trip with the wheelbarrow a nail went through the sole of my left shoe into the sole of my foot. I was OK but will go for tetanus jab on Monday! I did 9 trips myself. We had a good chat about teaching. Watched Henry VIII (David Starkey) and Messiah (Howard Goodall) programmes.

Honours announced and Pat Astley-Cooper has the OBE. It was a disgrace that all her work at Wandsworth Museum was mothballed and closed down. To St Edmund's Beckenham to play for wedding of Liadan Bond and Dan. The new Wyvern organ sounds very good but the conole has been turned round so I could not see when the bride had reached the altar! Mrs Carroll directed the Carroll singers and they sang well. It was very cold. Watched part 1 of Royal Opera Hansel and Gretel, Vasari, Howard Goodall on carols. Fireworks from London Eye were spectacular. Dishwasher is playing up again!So 2008 ends - a year of travel and great experiences. What will 2009 hold?