The organist librarian

Up early to be at Coloma by 8.10 for sixth form assembly. Spoke to 300 girls about Catenians and presented 3 bursary fund cheques. Interesting the number of Muslim girls. Brendan Fitzgerald came too. To St Michael Bedford Park to hear the fine new organ. Jonathan Dods very friendly. Nicholas Wearne of St Martin's in the fields played really well - Bach, unpronounceable Polish, Durufle. To Tate Modern to see Richard Hamilton exhibition. To BSO and Evalina checked my knee and tutor gave me some exercises to do. There is some inflammation. To Globe to book for 2 plays in June and had tea at Tate Modern friends room. What a view! Back to BSO to meet Liz and we got the bus home. Watched Fonteyn dancing Sleeping Beauty in 1959 in black and white, Birds of a feather, opening of Winter Paralympics  from Sochi - amazing!

Train to Whitechapel and underground to Mile End and then to Stratford - much better route. A few minutes late - the Aquatics centre super. Saw 15 heats with paralympic records and world records! Amazing when everyone cheers for GB and how do some of them manage to swim at all! Watching five  a side football on TV with blind players - incredible! Home for baked salmon and broccoli. Water melon and mango ice cream.

To the Olympic Park - left car near Norwood Junction. Long queues at Canada Water to Whitechapel and to West Ham. A long walk over several bridges about 25 minutes and arrived in the stadium a little late - security very easy. It was a lovely day. We saw athletics shot put, discus, long jump and several medal ceremonies including David Weir. The cheering for a team GB member is amazing - it was full - 80,000 rejoicing. The Brazilian national anthem is rather like Rossini and the Ukranian one like a folk song. Came home on Jubilee line - another long walk to Stratford but cheered along by the delightful volunteers! Tp pre Prom on choices of books for Desert Island discs with Mariella Fostrup and Tim Rice. I asked a question about novels quoting Elif Sharak and mentioning Parade's End character who corrected the Encyclopaedia Britannica! Met Andrew in queue who is a church musician from Watford and a physics teacher -very interesting. The prom was a deli...

Unsurprisingly we woke later than expected and drove to Elmers End to get train to Lewisham. The signage there was nil so instead of getting the DLR to Greenwich we got a train to Blackheath and a bus then walked in the rain to the park where we went through security smoothly and got a buggy ride to the actual venue at 10 a.m. I have complained about Lewisham. The volunteers were again great and really enjoyed watching the dressage with the music. Storm came over so got wet again then it cleared up but windy. Decided not to visit Maritime Museum exhibition on the river and long walk to DLR Greenwich and to Lewisham and train back. Had lunch and then off to pre Prom talk with 3 members of the Berlin Phil all from Massachusetts! They were not very forthcoming but learnt a bit about the Ligeti. The Berlin Phil played superbly for Simon Rattle - Wagner, Sibelius 4, Debussy Jeux and Ravel. No encore! Packed. Chatted to June and Spanish lady. Liz fell asleep and missed the 20 minute deadline...

Tuesday to lunchtime concert at Grosvenor chapel. Martin Ball was there. Richard Hobson played Bruhns, Clerambault and Bach very well. Picnic in park and took family's photo. To Royal Academy to see lovely Impressionists and tea there.Lovely day. To the prom and the pre Prom talk with members of the orchestra of the Age of enlightenment - clarinet, flute and horn - interesting to hear about the instruments and Mozart's use of them. The opera was well staged so moved from seat to rail at times holding score. Superb singing. Liz missed the prom again. I went to Acton. Wednesday to Chiswick for some shopping and Ciarán enjoyed playing at Starbucks and in the sand at Ravenscourt Park. He was very good about leaving the playground and we then got caught in a downpour. Had lunch in the cafe as we were wet including ice cream. Dried off and to Stratford for the opening of the Paralympics. Fantastic atmosphere and huge stadium. The show was great - especially liked the dancers like th...