The organist librarian

Thursday to Catenian Dulwich circle meeting famous for the eats after the meeting. I consumed a pint of bitter and 2 lovely pints of Guinness. No wonder I had to get up in the night but at least I went straight back to bed. A very warm welcome and I had not visited them for some months. Choir practice last night went well. The clutch on the car went again (2nd time on a Friday) so Liz met me at the station and I went by train and came home by bus in time to see the moving end of Darcey Bussill's ballet career at Covent Garden dancing to Mahler "Das lied von der erde" on BBC2. She was clearly very moved by it all. Padrerob (A priest's musings on the journey) which is compulsory reading because it is so good needs our prayers as he applies for a new post. (He did get a new post later in the year!) He has this lovely icon of I think St John. He reminds me that I have said little about my past in South Africa so I will do a bit on that.

Superb singing at the cathedral Mass this evening of Mass and motets by A. Gabrieli with the boys soaring up and basses ending low! Padrerob has excellent comments on his blog about the Ascension which RCs now have to celebrate on Sunday and St Brendan's Day. We are told that the shortage of priests has meant that holy Days of obligation must move to Sundays. I think this a great shame. There is no shortage of Catholic priests - what of all those who left to marry? Bring them back into ministry and the problem is solved. Last night we had Sung Eucharist at Coulsdon. We sang Harwood in A flat and Croft's "God is gone up". Last year we managed the Finzi! Thanks to PadreRob's blog for the picture which is fun! Find it here

To my fourth tai chi class with Jeff or more correctly tai ji. He is an excellent instructor. Without him I don't think I would do the exercises. I am the only man in the class of elderly ladies and it is held in the heated lounge at the local old age home. It is a warm day so we do not overdo it! The park as lovely as ever and the wisteria is now in bloom. Home to find Liz at class for catechists. She goes away to Ireland for a week tomorrow and I know I will miss her! I read some of Alan Bennett's masterly "Untold stories" and wish I could write like he does. Dr Chris Hewer is offering a free course on "Understanding Islam" next January to March in the Hinsley Room so the interfaith networking group (once it gets off the g round)at the cathedral will enjoy that. He is based at St Ethelburga's centre in the City which I must visit.Padrerob has an excellent item about doubting Thomas on his blog. Find it here