The organist librarian

Too late to swim again and have gained weight again! To Mass and Fr Stuart back. To tip and cleared garden rubbish. Only Croydon residents may use tip. Nice clear day. Liz going to Bedbugs at London Zoo with Ciaran overnight. Fixed up car dashcam and new tyre checker. Liz pleased by trophy. Did Courtauld gallery survey.

Swam 20 and did Catenian stuff at home. Installed as Provincial President for Province 7 of the Catenians last night. David Barrett the last Norwood brother to be PP in 1995/6 often encouraged me to c onsider offering to do this and I reckon he is chuckling in Heaven! My themes are friendship and youth and my charity is the Bursary a Fund. Let the fun commence!  The meeting was rather long - some people talk too much but we did get some decisions and change is in the air. Positive feedback afterwards and lots signed up for the weekend. I got back to Selhurst in time to get the train so got to Acton around 11.30.  Sean and I had a great time at ZSL London Zoo. Saw 2 lions, 1 tiger, 1 gorilla, aardvark, meerkats, komodo dragon, giant tortoise, monkeys, birds, etc. Mary Beard in a new series on Rome. Laugh out loud humour "I want my wife back"

The Sherlock Holmes prom did not inspire but the Sibelius was great and enjoyed the Michael Finnissy. BBC Scottish sounded so much better with Volkov at the helm!  The Stephen Sondheim Prom was spoilt by an inability to hear the words but some excellent saxophone playing. To the Zoo and loved the new lemurs enclosure and did some sketches. Saw sleepy tigers, gorillas, pygmy hippo and a busy armadillo. My first visit using my annual membership. I really think London Zoo needs to improve and show more animals.  The talk on the National Trust was a delight and the director was most impressive and all praise to the planners for 7 Sibelius symphonies in order - really feels like one has been on a journey and great playing this evening!  3 people on the floor in front of us at the Prom. The girl clearly came for the music, the men not. One of them spent the entire second half listening to his phone and the stewards spoke to them but they carried on using their ipads and tablet...

Thursday swam 14 - the lights were not on when I arrived and mentioned to Clare that the emergency lights should have come on which apparently they do not do which is crazy! Ordered flowers. Liz was at college. To see Fr Paul and 2 hours - the only Christmas items now in Advent are on Advent 1. Gradual hymns instead of psalms and carols agreed. Left my diary but traffic was too heavy thanks to the Goat house bridge closures. Did not go to Tredici concert or the LJS lecture. Watched the Zoo. Friday finished Hilary Mantel's Bring up the bodies - brilliant! Liz's birthday flowers came. To the Palladium for Dame Edna Everage's farewell show. The first section with Sir Les was awful with lots of rude jokes and offensive comments. The second half was very funny and we all got gladioli to wave and take home. We saw Michael Parkinson getting into a car. John Tavener has died - how sad! We once met him at an airport.

Tuesday no swim as Paul Britton came on Skype. To Bethnal Green and bought calendars and fridge magnets. Conversations for the soul at Christian/Muslim forum with Jeremy Bond and a rather strange lady who was there to promote an interfaith song she has composed. To Vaughan House for Westminster interfaith meeting with |Unity of Faiths three about 2014. To Acton and Liz arrived later from servers council. I was babysitting so Lou and Tom went to pub watching Masterchef and good programme on Wakefield cathedral. Wednesday took Sean to music and he was really responding well. In fact he was good as gold all day! He had a good sleep at lunch time and Liz took Ciaran to swimming. Watched the Zoo.

I swam 18 on Wednesday - had a short lie-in today and watched 2 programmes on London Zoo and excellent programme on William Tyndale by Melvyn Bragg. I have caught up on Tablets but unusually new one not come this morning. Sent off service sheets to Erica Argyle and Jenny Gandar and photo to Erik Bjornsgaard. 

Woke in the night again. Train and buses to the Zoo and a walk at the end. Rained all the time. Ciarán loved the new penguin beach, giraffes and gorilla. The mangabey frightened him by jumping at the glass. The Nightlife section was been improved with bats flying around and an armadillo. Biodiversity section is good too. But is it really good value for £21.50 plus £5 train tickets on a 2 for 1 offer? I don't think so. We did see servals and Asiatic lions but the new tiger enclosure is not open yet and there are no elephants. The pygmy hippo, zebras and okapis are lovely. Came home the same way and pretty tired but went to games night against Beckenham which was fun.