The organist librarian

Swam 20. Snap decision to go to see film Barbara at mosaic had recommended at Clapham Picturehouse My Old Lady - loved it. Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline, Kirstin Scott Thomas all excellent. Home for lunch. Very moving prayers for the Middle East at St Ethelburga's - I said I was uncertain because of the hidden forces like oil companies behind the conflict. William Rhind was there and met a Zoroastrian. To Heythrop for lecture by Charles Taylor - so much better than his book. Long chat to Archbishop Kevin, Siriol, Saira, Rita, Peter, Fr Michael Kirwan, Kim. Lovely to see them all. To Acton. Liz went to hear RAF band at Cadogan hall and enjoyed it. Wednesday had the boys on my own as Liz was serving schools nativiities at the cathedral. Sean was very lively at music and shouted out some things and he was very good at lunch and when we woke up. Ciarán was crying over not being able to skip straight away! To Brixton for Conversations - just 4 of us but enjoyed it. Watched Apprentice and F...

To St Ethelburga's for Peace conference which was well attended with good speakers and interesting workshops. Lots of people I know were there including Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi. An Egyptian urged us to support peace groups in the Middle East and to engage with media, politicians and corporations.

Liz to college. A hot day. To St Ethelburga's for the start of the Westminster Interfaith and then by train to Manor Park  - a very good turnout and good to see familiar faces and new ones including Heythrop students and young people. To Sri Muragan temple (Sri Lankan Hindu) which was pretty chaotic but we did get some food and drink then walked to Froud centre for lunch and St Michael's church. Good to see the Anglican priest who was at Muslim/Christian forum and impressed by their Bible/Qur'an joint study. Bus to Imamia mission which is Iraq/Syrian Shi'a then bus to Mile End with Melanie from Liz's class and to Bloomsbury Baptist for Marilyn Harper's recital. She wore a short dress 70s style!  She played Reinken, Sweelinck, Jane Joseph and Guilmant - left after first movement of the first sonata. Smoke vespers and Pentecost Vigil Mass with Fr Michael - me lending him an arm on the stairs. TV programme on Northern ballet.

Swam 14 as I was late up - back bad but hot cushion and swimming helped a lot. Mosaic - the grey tiles I bought split in circular way which is not helpful! Tai chi - Tony back from holiday and 7 there. Tassos is good! To library to get reserved books - 2 McCall Smiths - hurrah! Home to change and then bus to Tulse Hill and to St Paul's cathedral for service of peace for St Ethelburga's. Lots there and met people from Greenbelt festival. 2 Muslims played the kora from Senegal and sang. Welcome by Giles Fraser. Story from Roi Gal-Or - unfortunately the echo was very bad on the sound system. Lovely singing by Amira Medunjanin from Sarajevo accompanied on the duduk from Armenia. Excellent address by the Bishop of London. I liked the prayers - Help me play my part in breaking the cycle of violence by realising that peace begins in me. Most amazingly the 8 part canon of Praetorius Jubilate Deo worked very well. Guy Bovet Salamanca made a suitable end. To Catenians - very good turnout...

Keeping up the 40 lengths each day and tai chi on Monday too. Wednesday to Hinsley room for cathedral interfaith group at 10.55 so we could observe the 2 minute silence. Rabbi Mark Solomon was excellent and dealt well with interruptions - 18 came and some new faces. Some were a bit too vociferous - good that Jon Dal Din and Sr Hilda came. To Croydon for Biobank online questionnaire and tests on my health - quite interesting and it took 2 hours. To St Ethelburga's in the City for 6.30 - 12 there. Workshop on non-violence building on the example of Jesus and Martin Luther King. David Witton excellent and lots of Power Point but it would have been good to let us talk a bit! My first event there - Chris Hewer gave me a tour - it is a lovely space. Thursday Liz to chorus for MacMillan. Friday the 13th a grim wet day. Bad flood from public toilet in library. RA showed no common sense at all as flooded last night and she got wrong number for emergency services. Choir practice started on s...