The organist librarian

Plumber Danny Searle came and sorted kitchen sink and toilet was blocked. £70. To mosaic and painted ceramic tile to be fired for faces. Tai chi.  To British Museum - the Celts exhibition was good but quite a lot of people. Was it done to fit with the shop? Much preferred Egypt faith after the Pharoahs which was relatively empty and lots to see. Tea and pasta at  cafe opposite St Martin;s and went to evening prayer in the Dick Sheppard chapel. Karen Armstrong attracted a large audience in last of series on religion and violence. It was a bitty talk with ideas firing off in lots of directions. A Syrian spoke at the end. Home to meet Liz back from Newcastle. 

Friday Liz took Sean to London Zoo. John was at Wychcroft for SPIDIR course day with Graeme Watson on the Song of Songs. excellent. Saw photo of Jean  Jean Yearwood  and Marie King. Ann-Marie gave me a lift from Caterham. Liz made a fuss about her flowers but n fact theyw ere OK. Alarm call in middle of night but nothing wrong.  Sat Louise and Tom back from the wedding in Ireland. While Ciarán was at swimming after his sleepover Sean and I made tents in the bedroom and read fairy tales. Back to the cathedral - I have not been there for 4 weeks due to holidays and illness! Did programmes for concerts.  Watched the Trooping. Ciarán "Why is the Queen so old?" "Why do the men ride on horses?" Sir James Macmillan, Karen Armstrong MBE.

Liz was out all day so wrote article about City Centre meeting and watched David Starkey's excellent series on Music and monarchy. To St Chad's to book Nov 24th mass and it appears school bazaar may be on that day as well. To UCL to return scores and had a look at the fantastic Islamic collection in the British Museum. To St Paul's cathedral for interesting talks on compassion by Karen Armstrong and Camilla founder of Kids. Looked at caravan of painted donkeys and met 3 people I know. Raheed rang. Mix up over Ocado delivery.

To Bromley to return Debussy score and attend festival winners concert. Excellent Fench horn and cello. 15 year old girl singing like an opera singer - not to my taste. Older man best in a comic song rather than Handel or Schumann. 2 good pianists. Flute and harp started well then in second piece harp cocked it up twice. Saw Gary Sieling and chatted to a man from Harrow male voice choir. To St Paul's cathedral for Karen Armstrong the case for God. She made it clear that we can say very little about God at all as "He" is beyond all telling. Focused on compassion and the golden rule. Road to Emmaus was well explained at question time. Covered a lot of ground and myth as action, mystery as doing very interesting. Sat with Simon Surtees and saw Michael Redman. Watched Ian Hislop on stiff pper lip and Great British bake off. Did some more reading.