The organist librarian

Watched panda babies, interview with Cilla Black. To Anerley for Midnight Mass with Fr Sunith. 3 Marian hymns sung unaccompanied, Sunith has been unwell and is very slow. Home to whisky. New Year's day concert from Vienna. Resolution to use my oil paints! Highlights of 2015 include Iguassu, Amazon, Venice, Jerusalem, Galilee, Jersey. 2016 offers prospects of change at church. 

We set off in good time to drive to Allendale for the amazing ceremony of local men carrying flaming tar barrels on their heads (actually full of wood) and then lighting the bonfire. Not such a big crowd because of the snow apparently. We had a drink and toasted the New Year and returned to Shirley's for more to eat! 2 small hot air balloons went up into the clear sky. It is a unique event and could go back to Viking/Celtic origins (similar thing in Shetland where they set light to a Viking boat).

St Basil the Great who is commemorated today with his friend St Gregory of Nazianus. To the Hinsley Room for 12 noon. Eileen led a meditation on Christmas 2007 and then a silent meditation. After lunch we looked at Luke 1 and thought about "My peace I leave with you". I spent some time at the crib, checked the interfaith leaflets were still on display and picked up "The Tablet" from our servers locker. It was a useful time of contemplation and we were asked to think about how we had come through crises. I see God working through people to help me achieve peace of mind. The sun will rise tomorrow, all will be well, we will get to heaven. Christmas 2007 was so much calmer than Christmas 2006. Elizabeth's intimate greeting to Mary should be expressed by us in the Peace at Mass. We are the Body of Christ and I am sure Jesus touched people and embraced them. I thought too about the beautiful "Sure in the shining night" by Lauridsen we sang at Windsor. I rem...

Last night after a relatively quiet 9 to 5 at work Liz persuaded me to leave the quiet comfort of the lounge to go to St Paul's cathedral for the 11.15 watch night service. The Cambridge Heath Salvation Army band played very well and the precentor Canon Lucy Winkett spoke excellently. The cathedral looks splendid and I liked moving to the great West door during "Lord for the years" to hear the famous quote used by King George VI "I said to the man at the door of the year give me a light". We drove up via Tower Bridge and heard the fireworks. The journey home took a long time and every bus was packed! We go home at 1.45 a.m. Today we spoke to Ann on Skype having got Dennis on the mobile at midnight. We went by train to Westminster Cathedral and served at Mass. Fr Michael spoke about Mary and the Trinity and Deacon Ed said he had seen the fireworks from their roof terrace. Watched a lot of TV including the Vienna New Year concert, 3 hour programme on Vaughan Willi...