The organist librarian

Swam, Balham library for scores and Waitrose, art and did 3 large drawings. Excellent talk on Shakespeare and acting by Michael Pennington. Shakespeare prom was fun with Walton, Finzi, Sullivan, Jody Talbot, Porter and Rodgers and saw  Robin Martin  playing.

My left eye became increasingly sore during the day. Liz went off to college. To St Laurence Catford for recital by Hannah Parry-Ridout. Purcell, De Grigny and Bach Wedge very well played. Had coffee with Christopher Town and Michael Toplis recovering from seocnd carpal tunnel operation. On train and tram to Croydon only to find the NHS walk-in full up so came home and completed coursework. Watched Prom of Yeomen of the Guard. To Vespers and Mass Fr Paolo immediately noticed my eye! After mass went to walk in but it closed at 8 so to Mayday A & E. Eventually came outside and rang for an appointment upstairs with Croydoc and saw dcctor who sad it was a bad infection so antibiotics, ointment and drops! Watched part of Royal British legion festival of remembrance form the Albert Hall. It has again been updated. BBC Director general resigned which is sad. Bishop Welby of Durham is to go to Canterbury.

Took car to Victoria. Another very hot night. Delivered clothes to the Passage and got tube to Bow. Nice coffee in the house with Father Michael who it turns out has not been to the opera for years! James is also going to seminary so another one to pray for! I played Ralph Vaughan Williams and all went so much better. Deidre was there this week. Picked up car and drove to Acton to collect Louise and Ciarán. Songs of Praise with Simon Lole playing the piano. Nice dinner with wine. Listened to quite a lot of Yeomen of the Guard from the Proms.

New Year's Eve was quiet compared to 2010 at Allenheads! We enjoyed the white dessert wine with blue cheese. Graham Norton's show and Grumpy old folk were both funny. To Windsor by train for Bridgeman Singers weekend. Gray in F minor for double choir and A maiden most gentle for evensong. Bertalot responses. Stayed at Travelodge and ate at Carluccio's. Good programmes on Morecambe and Wise. At chapel by 9.15 - mattins extraordinary Te Deum based on "Onward Christian soldiers" by Sullivan. Good hymns. At eucharist we sang Hummel Mass in B flat which was fun. One disaster in Agnus Dei - basses came in too early. Nice lunch provided by Arthur. Evensong Brewer in D, Mathias Sir Christemas. 6.34 train and home by 8! Stephen Power played some splendid Bach.

Friday swam and another hot day - weeded fiction. Practice and long chat about changes prior to Sept meeting. Cannot do Bruckner Locus iste in July after all as people are away. We need more singers. Talked about different settings. Saturday lie-in and together on train as liz serving at diaconal ordination and went to Allen Hall afterwards. I went in car to Coulsdon for Yeomen of the Guard in the church. Well done by Utopians Unlimited with piano played very well by Jonathan Rees-Williams. He has served his prison sentence. Peter Thomas and Jon Fox were outstanding. A good audience and £600 for centenary appeal. Those congregation seats are very uncomfortable even with a cushion! Nice eats at interval and Colin Hadley was there.

Woke late having been awake in the early hours so only 26 lengths. Nudrat is coping well. Zia and I did the environmental audit of the library - paint is needed and some cleaning of the outside. Liz was at servers council. Listened to part of G & S "Patience" from the proms conducted by Mackerras. Everyone was having a great time! Dennis rang. Watched second programme on the pre-Raphaelites and Desperate Romantics Part 4.