The organist librarian

The weather broke and lots of rain! To Mass at the fine church and coffee afterwards. Visited the Grange museum which had interesting displays about Rottingdean residents Kipling and Burne-Jones. To St Margaret's church with its Burne-Jones stained glass and evidence of happy-clappy style! We were heading for Wakehurst Place but decided to try the Bluebell railway as Liz had never been on it. There was a steam train running so we enjoyed the trip and the loco shed. We then had a walk in Sheffield Park as the rain held off. Picked up fish and chips at McDermotts and home by 6. Watched programme on Sophiatown and "All the small things" which is an excellent series. Also Mastermind. The Tablet has come!

We set off after lunch on Wednesday having tidied up and Liz had done shopping for Grandma. We got to Rodmell near Lewes via Newhaven having got on the main A27 instead of the side road. The Monk's house is National Trust and was the home of Virginia Woolf. It has fine paintings and her writing room in the garden with interesting displays. The garden is delightful with tulips and lovely trees. We then proceeded along the coast to Rottingdean to find St Martha's convent where we were warmly welcomed and installed the comfortable cottage. Dinner was roast chicken and very tasty apple and cream cake. We watched "The Speaker" which we had previously missed and "The Apprentice".

Friday evening I got the train to Coulsdon South where Liz picked me up and we drove to Brighton. She had had a busy time when she found some bugs had eaten away the carpet under one of our sofas! The Grace and Compassion sisters have 4 different addresses in Brighton and eventually we found the right one in pouring rain - St Benedict's in Kemp Town. A delightful house with every comfort including en suite and TV in the room. As we missed supper we went into town and ate fish and chips at Harry Ramsden's. This proved an ideal quiet retreat with morning and evening prayer in the lovely chapel and daily Mass,excellent food and a warm welcome and good company. We sat at table with a delightful elderly Sister from Ireland visiting her dying sister-in-law in hospital and today we met Fr Carl from Hove. Saturday we set off to try and find an organ recital in Herne Rd but abandoned it and went on to English Martyrs, Goring-on-Sea with its remarkable copy of the Sistine chapel ceiling....