The organist librarian

Train ride very smooth and airband b close to the station. Laetitia and Pip the dog very friendly. Bought food at Waitrose and we were able to use the kitchen. Bed very soft! Saturday rehearsing in Becket chapel a large choir and evensong. We ate 3 times at Loungers which was excellent and convenient for the cathedral. Sunday we sang Mattins at 9.15 nice Archer Benedicite and Rheingberger 8 part Mass. Did some sketching. At evensong Sumsion and Hear my prayer. We watched Call the midwife. Monday visited Peterborough museum which has fossils and Victorian operating theatre and history of the area. Sketching in cathedral. Fast train to London and Liz came home and I went on to Dover. Coach from Folkestone West. Quality Inn a good walk from station but very comfortable. Back to Maison Dieu for Kirkham Cup and I helped with signing in. Denis from Maidstone was a worthy winner - only 8 spoke and all finished by 9.50! I stayed overnight and an excellent breakfast. Climb to Dover Castle and ...

We both went to St Paul's cathedral for Sons and Friends of the clergy. The noise beforehand was bad so I tuned my aids off and sketched a lampstand! Peterborough and Wakefield cathedral choirs sang well and we heard Tavener, Bernard Rose, Kenneth Leighton and Elgar Give unto the Lord written in 1914 for the festival. Hymns were Disposer supreme, Christ is our cornerstone and For all the saints. Dean preached well and ended with Brewer Marche heroique. I went straight to Willesden Green and found the Muhammadi centre in Walm Lane. Sayed spoke well but Dr Shah-Kazemi did not use the time well and I dropped off. The ladies did not get their questions answered and many left when I did before the prayers! The person singing the earlier prayers had a fine voice. It was a pity they used so many Islamic terms.

At evensong we sang Murrill in E and I waited for the Lord and Adrian played Mendelssohn 3 - always a treat! Listened to Robert Quinney live from Peterborough cathedral playing the Wedge, CPE Bach, Brahms, Francis Pott and Elgar sonata - excellent. Put Bruce and EJ's photo in the clock. Advertised events on Face Book and webinar. 

Tuesday went to Acton to get her hair cut and she was fine. I went to Holloway Road to the Dialogue society for the first time for a Faith Matters meeting with military chaplains. The Anglican chaplain did not show but we heard from the first imam now MBE and very impressive he was too. Hugo Clarke of the Curzon Institute challenged us on how we should commemorate WW1 centenary this year focusing on commonwealth soldiers. The discussion was rather dominated by some Jews and somebody wanting humanist chaplains. The Dutch idea of interfaith chaplains does not appeal - RCS would not like it nor would Muslims. Only 1% of the force declare a faith but my point is that chaplains do serve all. I got a bus to Finsbury Park, tube and train to Acton where they were watching the awful Nigella Lawson. Wed babysat Sean and took him to Acton church playgroup. I did go in the church but the person on duty scowled at me so I left. We had lunch at Osterley garden centre and they played on the soft pla...

Woke to a wet Easter Monday - we need the rain! To Bromley Parish church for the first of the Peterborough effect concerts on Bank Holidays. Barry Ferguson reminiscing about Stanley Vann and the lay clerks and a former precentor was present. He played the piano and some pieces on the organ. He showed us the cathedral on a tea tray and distributed photos of the Peterhouse chapel windows - two firsts! It was all a little selfindulgent but I suppose when you are 69 you can do as you like and it was interesting and different!

Friday's practice went well. Bob and Monica swelled our numbers as Karen and Janet were both off sick and we worked on "The Cross of Christ". Molly arrived in an outlandish outfit for Red Nose Day! Dennis arrived safely from Ireland with lovely linen napkins and a hilarious tea towel about tourists. Saturday was a delightful day. Dennis and I met Bruce at the Royal Academy and we went round the Byzantium exhibition using the excellent audio guide -saw several things I had missed before despite the crowds. Spotted the Bishop of London arriving with black hat! Had tea in the members room - much less crowded than last time. Dennis bought us the lovely catalogue and I got some postcards. Bruce is off to Birmingham to the new job and had been complimented by the managing director of Evans! Dennis went off the bank, cycle shop and hairdressers. I got the tube to Guys Hospital chapel for the RSCM event with Hilary Lystan Jones. She was excellent on the physiology of singing whic...

I have gained 2 pounds. 38 lengths - only 3 at the pool at 7 a.m. The trains were up the creek and had to go to Victoria to get back to Battersea Park. Did a lot of weeding fiction and contacted the reading group about borrowing more books. Cold again outside. On return home at 7 watched Peterborough cathedral TVcasts which were very good, Morecambe and Wise with Andre Previn, Vasari. Gill's Mum died in Norfolk so that is sad. A young man came in to the library and was doing a survey about people's belief in God. Were men and women different in their belief? Why do people believe? All grey areas of course.

Baptism at Coulsdon so no Gloria. 7 in choir including Bob and Tony Trent (no choral services at Croydon Parish Church for 2 weeks!) We sang Coventry carol and I played Pachelbel "Von himmel hoch" and a rather attractive piece on Coventry Carol by Gordon Phillips. Tony was going on about a boys choir again so he spoke to Vicky. We met again and talked about the ethos of the church and choir discipline. Practised in a cold church and home for lunch. Liz had been to the sales and got Christmas cards. Watched Kings carols, Vasari, How to build a cathedral, Peterborough cathedral midnight Mass with excellent sermon by the Dean. Did Christmas Tablet crossword and quiz. Wrote to editor about Fr Aidan Rossiter's new word "Willcoxian" -should it be "Willcocksian"?