The organist librarian

Drove to Caterham. Saw several vintage cars this morning presumably trying to get to Brighton. All Saints Howells Sine nomine and Francis Jackson. We sang I sing a song of the saints of God. Carols practice and practice with trumpeter. Lunch at the Kerala lamb biryani, Ferrero Rocher icecream, mango juice. £17.  All Souls 4 p.m. Vierne Epitaphe and Berceuse. Purcell When I am laid in earth. Now playing for Mass at Sacred Heart. The electronic is temperamental about starting very odd. All went well and Fr Sean and everyone very friendly. Watched programme on Morris dancing. Simon Reeve in Mexico and Texas. 

Watched programme on ballet during the blitz and after the War. SS Simon and Jude. We sang Holy is the true light. I played Parry Elegy and Simon Preston Alleluyas. He is 80 this year. Fabulous Walkure live from ROH orchestra brilliant and thrilling singing Skelton, Stimme, Lundgren, Connolly, all of them! The football match caused mayhem. I parked at Selhurst and collected the car after the cinema. The train from Caterham came in on platform 3 instead of the usual platform 1 - took 5 minutes to exit Norwood Junction station. The traffic was horrendous with people doing stupid maneouvres. I was lucky and got straight on the train at Thornton Heath. Liz was at King's and stayed at Dennis's. Watched Simon Reeve on the Med. Finished Varden's excellent book on loneliness. 

Henry came early today and enjoyed himself. We went to East Dulwich picturehouse to see Samson and Delilah conducted by Mark Elder from the Met. It was simply fabulous. Great singing from Alagna, Garanca and Naouri, terrific sets and production, the chorus were amazing! Finished reading Simon Reeve's excellent autobiography "Step by step: the life in my journeys" Highly recommended! Watched repair shop, evensong from Chester.

To Mass at Our Lady of the Annunciation Addiscombe and what a pleasure to have Fr Dennis celebrating! Coffee with Tom Tannion and he is taking the public speaking trophy to Provincial Council meeting tomorrow. To Southwark cathedral to hear part of Graham Thorpe's recital (Chuckerbutty played at the cathedral in the 20s!) and then to SPIDIR committee at Trinity House. I avoided becoming secretary and am to organise a course of refresher days in autumn, winter 2019. Watched Apprentice and Great British bake off also Simon Reeve on the Med. 

To meditation centre for an excellent day with Margaret Lawlor on the paintings of Sieger Koder and she introduces some fine poetry. To the Estorick for figurative Italian art. The gallery is besieged by roadworks. Liz never made it to the cathedral. Lots of servers plus 3 priests. I forgot to get a tray but Fr Andrew didn't mind. Made them practise processing again. Paul De Blic is a handful. Gave out letters about emails and rota and all the birthday chocs gone. Reading Simon Reeve's book and enjoyed programme on the Med. Played Stanford on Gartan and Wyton March St Patrick's breastplate. We sang "Christ has no body".

Harvest played Statham on "Monkland" and Peeters on "Wir plufgen" and we sang"Thou visitest the earth". Excellent Harvest lunch. Dennis went with Liz to King's and she has a hiatus hernia. At evensong sang Grayston Ives canticles (the Common Worship texts caused confusion) and Parry My soul there is a country. Watched Vanity Fair and Simon Reeve on the Med.

Watched Simon Reeve in Burma, Pohan Ormuk and Come dine with me. 

Liz took one of the boys to a sleepover in the BUG house at London Zoo. Great fun had by all specially our walk around in the dark to see some animals that come out at night. Also tee shirt designing as mask making.  Priere a Notre Dame and Toccata from Suite Gothique today. I think the rehearsal went better than the performance - maybe I speeded up too much!  We went to the community preview of Living with the Gods at the British Museum which is featured in Neil MacGregor's outstanding radio 4 series. Not to be missed! Watched German dramatisation of Luther's reformation and Bad habits again.  Simon Reeve in Russia. Blue planet II was great.

To art and cake and photos from the party much appreciated. The Bowes museum Spanish paintings at the Wallace collection are splendid especially the El Greco having recently been in the Prado and Toledo. Cannot say the same about Jasper Johns at Royal Academy. The new loos are a great improvement! I did not go to Dali\Duchamp as I can't stand the Surrealists. Super evensong with combined cathedral and Abbey choirs at Westminster Abbey Victoria and Schutz. Very inspiring to see the boys so close.  Peter Stevens  played the Durufle Toccata brilliantly. Good turnout from the cathedral and I told the Dean SSG will be there tomorrow. John East and Marko there. Some bod tried to stop me sitting in the 4th row with cathedral folk so I told him why I was sitting there and that I had been to the Abbey before. He said lots of people have not. Later he beetled off to the choir. Very officious. Redid letter to Brendan. Watched Simon Reeve in Russia and Bake off extra slice.

Did a scroll for Clive and worked on my life story. 8 to  10.30 played 3 hymns and Hallelujah chorus at vigil at Anerley. Nice bottle of wine from Fr Stuart. They badly need an MC as various things went wrong. Readers went ahead so Sunith had to go back to the Gloria.Baptismal garment missed and nearly left out the prayers which Stuart had to find!  The channel 5 Last days of Jesus seemed to accept some of the gospel accounts and tried to make much of the fall of Sejanus. The Mary Magdalene programme had some good points. Easter from King's excellent and the new series on Galapagos very interesting. Up at 4.30, 5.45 a.m. to 8 a.m. vigil went well and we sang O sons and daughters at both services with breakfast in between. Howells Saraband and Hallelujah chorus the 2 closing voluntaries. Peregrine knew Howard Thomas! To St John's for lamb lunch. Liz made a pavlova. I fell asleep after red wine and missed evensong but Liz went. Good thing I was home as Dennis, Ann Marie and...

Great to take Ciarán and Seán to Tamar's music session and they enjoyed the drawing a line  Westminster cathedral interfaith group was attended by 11 this month and Marilyn Mason convenor of Humanists for a better world spoke about the year of Mercy and Laudato Si'. There were 7 at Conversations for the soul at SGI UK Brixton. display at Watermans, the playground and Charlie Brown film. Ciarán has now come to stay. Watched Dickensian and Simon Reeve in Greece.

To St Swithun Purley on 2 buses - about 50 minutes. Met Revd Fiona Weaver who has great connections with Jerusalem and interfaith. Nice 2 manual Willis 1898 smaller than Coulsdon and Beckenham - congregation of 30 and small singing group but it did sound as though attendance and commitment was an issue. Would consider 2 Sundays a month at 40 pounds a go so worth considering. Interesting to see what Caterham want. Herne Hill clearly evangelical, Streatham want too much. Bromley and Farnborough too far and not easy by bus or train. Liz to St Helen's for Maggie's farewell. I cried off guiding. Watched programme on New Spitalfields market. Simon Reeve in Greece.

played Willan on Bristol and St Stephen and Peeters on St Stephen. At the end Bach Wachet auf. Kyries from Missa Camino by Paul Hutchings went well. We sang a hymn I did not know "From glory to glory advancing" tune Sheen by Holst (NEH). Before service Leon appeared to check when the Kyries would be sung. I was amazed to see him take down the notice about quiet during voluntaries as it had been agreed and he left a new list of hymns for Advent. I spoke to Bill who confirmed the ladies had joined St James to sing an anthem at the earlier service. I came away. Apple pie for lunch. Lovely Advent service at St John's -  we sang Howells Gloucester Magnificat, Richard Lloyd and Richard Rodney Bennett and listened to Bach. Dennis was there and got panto tickets. Watched antiques roadshow, Simon Reeve in Ireland, The Hunt. Uploaded rest of holiday photos. I wasn't able to go on the climate change march.

Both went swimming. A quiet day clearing the garden of leaves and putting the  contents of the boxes into bags. I took the bags of clothes to Emmaus Lambeth at West Norwood. Did the draft Provincial President's calendar. Watched Citizen Khan, Simon Reeve in Ireland.

Louise took the boys to Priory Farm where Ciarán got lost for a while but he was very sensible.  Splendid playing from Daniel Moult and a good audience at Bromley Parish church. I'm no fan of Liszt BACH (my Mum once said never play that again when I attempted it!) and the MacMillan piece didn't work for me. The Wesley, Bach and Britton on I've got rhythm were fun. The May 9 trip to Oxford is now set up with 4 interesting organs.  Did some sketching and played Eric Coates on the piano. Liz did loads of washing for Dennis and Ann Marie. Wathced Big painting challenge, Simon Reeve in the Caribbean and the Billion dollar hotel in Dubai. 

Wednesday woke at 6 and got train at 7 to be Acton at 8.10. Took Seán to John Perryn but yet again no music so went to playgroup at Acton parish church and then picked up Liz and Ciarán at school. Played with Ciarán and he sang lots of songs. To Hinsley room for interfaith group and 6 came. Raheed was on great form and it was a lively discussion touching on intergenerational matters in relation to Islam and faiths. I decided not to go to Abrar centre and Liz was babysitting. Watched Pilgrimage - excellent programme on Istanbul and the Holy Land. Thursday set off at 10 a.m. and got to Sevenoaks in good time. Parked miles from the church and Ignace's funeral was at noon. John Rayer spoke. The priest's lugubrious style would drive me mad. The organist played nothing as the coffin came in! I suspect he did not use the pedals at all. It was good the grandchildren did prayers and sang. The worst thing was I watch the sunrise during the censing of the coffin which we could not see. T...

I had a quiet day on Monday after the extractions. The new tree lights needed unravelling and we got them onto the new tree. Tuesday woke too late to swim and Liz set off early to get to St Vincent's school for class nativity. Have since seen the video -  2nd king certainly bigged up his part and the donkey was good! Ciaran did start to sing after Louise mouthed toys at him i.e. his reward! 4 of us visited Nightingale House and Sally Miller went to a lot of trouble to tell us all about it. It was very interesting to hear about dementia care first hand and the facilities are excellent. It is Orthodox Jewish. I returned home as AnnMarie had to go to Dublin as her Dad was in hospital with leg pain. When I got to Glyn Close there was a card to say they had tried to deliver the furniture at 1.15 instead of 2 as arranged last night. It is now coming Friday a.m. I headed for SA house to sing the book of condolence for Mandela and met Liz there! lovely flowers and tributes. Liz went to se...

Met Dr Cohen from Woolf institute Cambridge - she was in the wrong Pret! An interesting chat and I sent her lots of contacts. Finished at 1 and Liz was serving at schools service with donkey. I put washing away, dustbins ready, etc and then set off for Acton. Watched Pilgrimage with Simon Reeve. Did not sleep all that comfortably. Liz in to school with Ciaran and I took Sean to the last music of the year. We even sang a Peace song. I felt very tired and shivery and a bit hot so home to bed. MIght be reaction to antiflu jab.

Woke at 3 a.m. fretting over the Lamb of God business. Up early and did programmes for the organ recitals.Liz was at the premiere of MacMillan Mass for the cathedral. Corpus Christi Mass followed by procession and Benediction. I was amazed to see the congregation standing during the blessing! I played Crown imperial. Practised some Purcell and Stanley. The choir sat at the front so no sung psalm. The church was laid out for the Big lunch with a bouncy castle in the side aisle and people turned up in droves. Did get some lunch and then to meet Liz who came to Kent House instead of Selhurst. She got a lift to Mary's and contacted Louise. Neither of us had our phones so an hour was wasted! After stirfry Liz went to Fulham for a silver jubilee server and I went to evensong where we sang Brewer in D and The King shall rejoice. Adrian played Crown Imperial and Bridget did a subtle National anthem version as we came in. Broadcast evensong from St David's cathedral and watched Simon R...

Have I got news for you with William Shatner was hilarious followed by Room 101. BAFTA awards OK - lots of things I've never seen! Simon Reeve on the Indian ocean excellent. Sent off second longer draft of the Jesus and Muhammad essay. Did not go to Hyderi mosque for the film - too much to do, hot and tired!