The organist librarian

Liz was not well so did not go to the opera. Electrician came and fixed kitchen switch and outside light. Suggested renewing smoke alarms.  Fish and chips at breadline cafe At Akhnaten at ENO amazing spectacle. Nearly dropped off at end of Act 2. The bells seem a bit out of place in ancient Egypt. Still a great achievement. To Acton and in bed by 11.45. Friday to Sean's assembly. It was cute. They sang about the yellow machine! To Dr Ojo and at last mole removed from right forearm. No swimming or showers for a week! Decided not to go and do guiding. Choir practice and a new tenor joined. Max seemed relaxed and pleased about 12 juniors. Work on jigsaw - bridge done and river so now it is the sky! 

Good programmes on Peggy Guggenheim and the Queen and Prince Philip's 70th wedding anniversary. Swam, Mass, posted calendar, art and came out I had a £65 parking fine as wheels were on pavement. If the officials would fine those who park on corners on double yellow lines I might be happier. The rest of that road allows wheels on pavement to avoid buses.  Brilliantly constructed piano recital by Joanna MacGregor at National gallery. Lovely Lake Keitele paintings, Degas and Michelangelo with Raphael. To Clapham library but no fish book. Amazing spiral design. To Clapham picturehouse to see "Film stars don't die in Liverpool"  poignant scenes but subtitles would have helped with Liverpool and US accents. Listened to Choir and organ. Liz staying another night at Acton.  stars don't die in Liverpool some poignant scenes wish there had been subtitles! lm stars don't die in Liverpool some poignan Film stars don't die in Liverpool some poignant scenes wish there...

Liz went to Saturday's Prom of Gurrelieder and I listened on phone and at home. During the day I watched the TV Proms of Eroica and Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass and the sweet makers. We had a Milan seminarian called Manolo serving at Mass. He was in a lay group at the Duomo for 10 years.  A marathon of 3 proms. Drove to Caterham as buses replaced trains and parked at Royal Albert hall. 40 miles. I played Dad's Bishopthorpe suite and Liszt on Arcadelt's Ave Maria. The orgelbuchlein Prom was excellent at 1 p.m. and really loved the Passion selections at 3.30. Lovely St John Passion - Sophie Beavan sublime. Lucy Winkett commented on how we need to own this music as it has been taken over by professionals. Met Rita Day and Jenny Stirling.

An enjoyable meal at Bella Vita Shirley for President's Friday. Nice that  Dennis Woodhouse  and  Ann- Marie Woodhouse  came. 24 there. Good chat to Steve and Derrick.  To Kingsley Hall Bromley-by-Bow where Gandhi stayed in 1931 and we saw his simple cell. The interfaith seminar for the Gandhi foundation on animal rights. Not quite clear whether one should become vegetarian or vegan or not change diet at all! Certainly vivisection and industrial animal husbandry are unacceptable.  Bloomsbury organ day heard Richard Brasier play Mathias and good buffet. John Scott Whiteley played brilliantly. Bach, interesting Glass, Franck but Liszt which seemed neverending! Dreadful page turning! Watched Real Marigold hotel and Victorian bakers. Louise brought the boys to stay Friday night and they went to Gruffalo's child at Ashcroft. She was at Bagattis.

Swam 20. Prepared talks for Wednesday's spirituality day. Delivered remainder of gate reminder letters  there are rather a lot who have not replied. To CML and got all the scores I wanted.  An interesting afternoon guiding at the cathedral. Who is the patron saint of London? I was asked. I said St Paul, also possibly Our Lady of Westminster. St Edward the Confessor is the Abbey and England I believe? Had lunch in the cathedral cafe with Thornton Heath couple.Rose let me leave items in locker. Interesting talk on Shostakovich Leningrad symphony. Only the end really took off - Bychkov conducting. The Mozart 2 piano concerto was excellent and the Lebeque sisters played Philip Glass encore. Did not use torch despite Adrian's suggestion. Rosa and Ben Saul there. Came home to listen to Bach violin prom  - not that interesting! Watched part of Planets on TV.

To ENO for Satyagahra - Alan Oke as Gandhi was superb. Philip Glass's music is mesmerising and a fine production. How do they learn it? Stuart Stratford conducted. It was great to be in the stalls for the first time on the secret £20 seat scheme. Met Nick  Ansdell-Evans at interval -I had forgotten how tall he is. It was a long opera and we got back to Acton on tube and train well after 11.30 p.m. Slept well. Thursday I took Ciaran to school and Liz took Sean to Maples playgroup.

Wednesday woke in the night again. Finished reading Alexander McCall Smith's "Tea for the traditionally built" and checked out his website. Decided to give union meeting a miss as had not had an agenda or notice of a meeting. Watched Delius Song of the high hills (cond Mackerras) and Lutoslawski concerto for orchestra (NYO stunning) on HDD, also rest of rivers programme. With Liz to the British Library for Henry VIII Man and monarch. Excellent audio guide by David Starkey. Wonderful to see his books and his annotations plus a fine early portrait, his astrolabe, writing desk box, psalter, etc. Very well presented but there were 2 places where people "bottle necked". To All Saints Battersea Park for Queenstown ward neighbourhood watch meeting and farewell to chair Re Johnson. She is excellent. There were nibbles and wine and I won a box on raffle! Home listening to Handel Coronation anthems from the Prom and fell asleep. Philip Glass Prom.