The organist librarian

Ghastly weather but at least the buses were running although I just missed a 407 coming home! I played Peeters and Willan on Song 1 and Gigout Toccata. We sang David Ogden's "Christ has no body now but yours". It seems Andrew Chadney had over a 100 at Munch with music so the potential for an event on National Organ day is there.  With dinner we had a Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 from near Cape Town on special offer at Lidl for £2.50! Watched University challenge. First thing on reaching home trousers and socks changed! Watching Great pottery throw down. Keble College Oxford evensong featured Lennox Berkeley and Parry. No way am I driving to Christ Church Dulwich this evening for the organ recital in this weather!  At evensong Statham in E minor and Philip Ledger Loving shepherd of thy sheep. Psalm 4 to Bairstow chant.  Call the midwife and the Great pottery throw down continue to delight. BBC on Picasso very interesting. Up early Monday searching for my mobile which must hav...

To Tooting to get my data transferred to a new external drive to use with my new laptop. I highly recommend Ink Cartridge Warehouse 166 MItcham Road and the whole thing only cost £70! Mass at the drome with Fr Michael. Quiet day with Michael - 9 there. So glad it is continuing! Signed a card for Joan. To RA for Picasso and paper - some lovely work in the early periods. A genius. HIs fascination with bulls and David and Bathsheba. To Allen Hall for the lecture by Fr John Hemer which was outstanding - the link between OT and NT. Met Jacob from the US, David, Andrew and Rosemary. Lovely compline and the chapel looks lovely.

Lent 2 played Bach O man thy grievous sin bemoan and Franck Prelude and Fughetta. We sang Hear us O Lord to This is the truth from above tune. Good practice and started on Holy Week psalms. There were prayers for Christchurch and junior choir made cards to send to New Zealand. Henry came to play as they go to Ireland tomorrow for Joe's 80th. I actually fixed a new handle on the grill pan. To South London interfaith group AGM at Royal Trinity Hospice. Interesting video about Compassionate neighbours. I am to be coopted onto the committee. Rizwan gave me a lift to Hyderi mosque where there was a very heated debate about security and much else in the wake of the Christchurch tragedy.At Hyderi mosque last night a letter from their neighbours was read out. In its simplicity it said so much. A Jewish lady spoke movingly of why she had come to the meeting. To those who tried to disrupt the meeting and attack Zionism I say not all Jews are Zionists. Many Jews deplore Israeli actions. So ...

Woke early. To Glyn Close to look after Henry as Ann-Marie had dental appointment. He was fine. To Bishop Thomas Grant school to collect shield. Liz got plant pots and I went to St John's for quiet time. To Swanley for my last PEG. I am to chair youth matters. Programme on Picasso's last stand.

Henry played happily upstairs. Mick came. To Picasso 1932 at Tate modern and did some sketches. To St Paul's cathedral for excellent presentation on the glory and scandal of the Cross in the Bible and poetry from Paula Gooder and Mark Oakley. Today catalogued a lot of library fiction and the kids came as book characters. To Anerley for excellent film on Michelangelo. Interesting that he was Christocentric. Nudity was obvious but nothing said about this poetry and homosexuality! Art and finished reading The music shop by Rachel Joyce which I loved.

23.9.17 7.50 a.m. set off for Montserrat another highlight. Stunning views and great to be among the first to see the Black Madonna – first coach in the car park and miraculous how Bernardo reversed out! An excellent driver. The crowds arrived soon after us with a big queue for the Madonna. Lit candle. Did a sketch of the amazing rock formations which I remembered well from 1974. Went back into the church magnificent organ and lovely sculpture in Blessed Sacrament chapel. Bought nice things in shop and good to know boys choir still sings at 1 p.m. To Sagrada Familia with guide Santi wonderful and excellent museum downstairs. We were lucky to get in as it was open day for the locals so had to be booked online. Queue for security. Finished at 2.45 which worked well as we got our stuff off the coach and jumped in a taxi to the Picasso museum who took us quite close. He had to open a special barrier. The museum is very good and interesting to see his Meninas the Velasquez we saw at the s...

19.9.17 To Malaga alcazar good views and military museum with town model and soldiers in uniform. Good guide. Birthplace of Picasso has some etchings. Roman theatre. Wine cooled muscadel delicious at El Pipi. Past cathedral but why did we not have an hour free time to visit Picasso museum or other sights? Cold swim. Drink before dinner and a very good buffet. 

11.9.17 Good breakfast woke in night. Coach tour of old Madrid stopping to see Cervantes monument. Guide Sergio got us in front of Las Meninas before other groups. I stayed in the Prado and Liz went to Segovia. Great colelction sketched El Grecos but not enough places to sit.Lovely Goyas, Velasquez, one Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Titians, Tintorettos. To Museo Thyssen-Bomemisza which covers all periods. Impressionists, Cubists, Caravaggio Had coffee and salad at Starbucks. Walked round the Royal Botanical garden - it was hot -  two sketches. To Museo Sophie Reine which is huge and not very well signed. Miros, Picassos including Guernica. Lee Lozana special exhibition just plain rude and crude. 4th floor even more modern stuff but had had enough! Tired and back to the hotel which is very well placed. Liz bought delicious Segovia confectionery. Excellent dinner at Plaza Major with singing and guitars. Tapas, lamb (too much) millefeuille. Sat with Melbourne couple. We are only Brits - Auss...

Maundy Thursday to art and completed painting of Mum and Dad for May 9 Bereavement support day. Played Night so traurig William Wordsworth and Bach O sacred head. We sang To mock your reign and Ps 88. Good Friday 3 hours excellent meditations with art. Practised the Vigil psalms. Ben came and Susan but not the new soprano. Sketch of Picasso's portrait of Poulenc.   Watched BBC young dancer, Decline and Fall, jaguars. 

A quiet day with Sean. Yesterday was a full day Picasso portraits at NPG brilliant, left bag in locker and to St George Hanover Square. David Saint recognised me and played really  well. National Gallery for Beyond Caravaggio. Too many people, lovely to see Dublin pictures and good film. Back to NPG Black portraits. Tea then Wellcome for excellent Bedlam. Did a psychic awareness test with photo. Earls Court wait for Richmond train got Ealing one which became a Richmond! Good painting session and Nelson gave me a 1905 book on Palestine. Gareth Malone and William Kentridge in Joburg on TV. Car would not start outside school but Louise had bought a portable charger. Home in good time and changed with bowtie for Frank Bond. Bill Whitmarsh took Brendan Foley and I to Chislehurst golf club for joint Blackheath/Bromley meeting which was great. Sausage and mash. New brother Peter Graff knows St Joseph's college. Frank and Duncan delighted by scrolls.

To Kent House. Unfortunately got off at Bromley South where I should have changed at Orpington. Anyway Brendan met me at Sevenoaks station in his BMW and we picked up Fergus (very grand house). Visited Oakwood House (lovely but expensive) Village (not so nice) Holiday Inn (disappointing) and finally Darenth Valley Golf club and his will be a good venue for a St George's Provincial Gala Dinner and Dance. Menu  Butternut Soup, Lamb noisettes, two desserts and cheese. Brendan will also book the Heartbeats. It was a miserable day so came home and had a rest watching Picasso programme - my tooth was bothering me. I went to Bloomsbury Baptist to hear Henry Fairs play Buxtehude, Hoffmann and Bruhns. He is now so fat I am amazed he can see the pedals! They locked a troublesome door which i do not think they should have done. It made my exit befofe the Nielsen awkward. Mark Doran was at mass -confirmation candidates and Fr Andrew had asked Mark to help with radio mike. There were 6 se...

Swam 22 - woman in yellow cap insisted on going fast in our lane when she could have gone in fast lane! Some people! To Heythrop to see Michael Barnes and discussed essays and dissertation which is now Meister Eckhart and Buddhists: what appeals to Buddhists? Think I can cope with that. Chatted about opera and Giulini. Had a delightful lunch with Michael Redman - always an interesting chat. Worked in library on Eckhart reviews. No. 9 bus on a lovely sunny afternoon to Somerset House - a good exhibition on Becoming Picasso 1901 at the Courtauld and then a fine photography exhibition in the East Wing. Some amazing photos. To SS Anselm and Caecilia in Kingsway for Mass celebrated by the Archbishop for Michael O'Leary 50 years as server and diocesan award and 50 years of Guild at the church. Ian Coleman directed Mozart Spatzenmesse and Palestrina. Not sure his unaccompanied psalm setting worked for the congregation! Home to watch programme on Turner.

Tuesday to serve at Chrism Mass - splendid service and the MacMillan Mass worked well. We were consecration torches and faced inwards. We moved at the wrong moment to come out behind the choir so had to get out of the way! Byrd motet beautifully sung and nice lunch afterwards. Met Stephen Wang and had a chat to Allen Morris about his vacancy for an animateur. It does look as though one could get to Lisson Grove on public transport. Had tea at M & S and then picked up Ciarán from nursery. Watched The Undatables - Aspergers syndrome guy very nice, Tourette's guy could not stop swearing. Finished reading The Tenth parallel. Wednesday took Ciarán to Amandas and he enjoyed it. Had a couple of run-ins about buggy, walking and holding hands! To Starbucks and Sainsburys for lunch. He slept 2 hours and I went to spirituality day for the afternoon. Sarah Richards on love. The idea of myself as a child and interested to find young people in 3 of Eric Gill's Stations. Bought Anthony di...

Tuesday Chris was back and I weeded sport and American literature. Left at 4 to get to Clerkenwell for 5.20 - went well. To Power station forum and the amended plans look good. Lorinda presented the new Battersea trail booklet which I helped to write and I mentioned the US Embassy display at the library in July - again I was the one who suggested that! Wednesday decided not to go to Knole with John Goodwill and the Synotts as too much to do. Emptied front garden boxes and drilled holes in them for drainage. Saw 2 young rats in shed - ugh! To St Michael's for recital by Sarah Kim from Paris playing Durufle, Saint-Saens, Dupre and Bach - excellent player. Took 2 suits to be dry cleaned and bought new slippers and sewed elastic on them. To hospital and Grandma able to name the family members and answer questions - saw the consultant. Watched Art of the Sea, Picasso, Songs of Praise and did the ironing. Junior Apprentice was funny. Dennis arrived.