The organist librarian

Took Sean to music and he definitely said Bells and Shaker. Picked up the Alexanders and we had lunch at Acton park café which was nice. I took them back to the 72 bus to go to Roehampton and went to Hisley room. 13 came to hear Imam Hasim Afiz the first Imam to HM armed forces. He was excellent. My phone was left in Louise's car and Liz did not bring it home. To Robert Quinney's recital which was exhausting and I slept twice. McCabe and Giles Swayne was interesting but the Bridge was a relief. Fr Aidan Rossiter was there.

Wednesday Louise arrived with the boys and I looked after Seán while they went to get a grown up car seat for Ciarán. At first he was a bit unhappy but had his milk and rice cake and settled down to playing quite happily. He will be walking before he is one at this rate! Ciarán enjoyed being in the garden and announced the little house is No.24 and Grandad lives in a shop! We went to the prom. The talk featured Timothy West about playing Falstaff so I asked a question about Verdi's version and how Falstaff treated his followers. It was most interesting. At the prom we had Elgar and Walton's Falstaff plus lovely works by Bantock for cello and orchestra and Tchaik 4 well played by BBC National of Wales under Jan van Steen. Thursday more games including monster bingo then they went to Angela's. We will not see them for 2 weeks as they are going to Ireland and not coming to Provincial President's Sunday after all as they go to Stansted early on the Monday. Worked on Liz...

Saw the rest of Catholics programme 3 and heard Guildford's stunning evensong again featuring Philip Moore and John McCabe and Howells Psalm prelude set 2 no 1. Did a lot of reading including Rowan Williams (who sadly is retiring) and Timothy 1. At vespers we sang Jerusalem the golden because the liturgy begins Laetare Jerusalem. The psalm at Mass definitely imitated the song "By the rivers of Babylon" in the psalm tone - Gelineau wrote a very fine setting with Eastern feel for that psalm and Walton set it in Belshazzar's Feast. Chatted to Rose who was in the programme a lot. Amici Choro directed by Andy Scott sang Palestrina, Batten and Morley well and saw Anne Fleming at the end. Diarmaid MacCulloch on TV history of England excellent.

Martin Neary played Bluesday by Iain Farringdon - a good piece. The Stainer was rather attractive too but the John McCabe Dies resurrectionis did not impress. Thursday had a lie-in and Liz came home having been out for dinner and a film at Westfield which finished late. To Streatham for the interfaith lunch. Had a chat to Jon dal Din afterwards. Phillipe did a good presentation on faith as a resource for dying. Hindus do not mourn as they believe in reincarnation! Met Alvaro on the bus - used to be a Catenian. To Vaughan House for presentation on Caritas in Westminster diocese - well done and plenty of opportunity to comment. Edward Adamus, Bruce Kent, Fr Pascal Ryan, met Fr Peter from St Mary Moorfields and Colette from Camden Town. Interesting.

Had a BBQ in garden - nice lamb, barbecue biscuits and bananas. Took it easy as back still not right. Read Choir and Organ and "The Tablet". Watched Kings singers 40th anniversary prom which was delightful and included Poulenc, McCabe and Jannequin and Victorian part songs and folk songs. Britain from the air with Andrew Marr was fascinating. Evensong was from the 3 choirs at Worcester with the new Kenneth Tickell organ. The afternoon prom of Messiaen Messe de la Pentecote and Manchicourt mass sung by the boring BBC singers was dire - James O'Donnell playing what sound like rude noises on low reeds! And to think people pay good money to hear these concerts!