The organist librarian

Met Henry and family at the new playground at the lake - you can play music! I went off the Mass St Maximilain Kolbe. Greenwich picture House for 2007 Met Eugene Onegin conducted by Gergiev. Renee Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky (what a loss he was) fab acting and singing, loved the bare sets. And the tenor Ramon Vargas was moving and impressive. Had a good meal at Imperial College Union and the discussion on ecstasy was fascinating. Barenboim added Eugene Onegin polonaise and violin concerto changed to Tchaikovsky. I brought the Brahms score as that was in the prospectus. Very well played. East West divan orchestra.Hamilton too long and never heard a single word! Scriabin was impressively loud well done the brass.  12.30 Mass at Chiswick for the Assumption. Carluccios in Chiswick is shut so we had an excellent meal at Kitchen and Pantry. Sean enjoyed his icecream. Discovered we had managed to leave the keys inside the house so got a locksmith who eventually changed the loc...

Played Pomp and Circumstance 1 and 4, Holst theme from Jupiter and theme from Elgar cello concerto. We sang Greene Thou visitest the earth and Fr Simon quoted Cardinal Cormac's last messages. Very annoyed that tfl expect us to walk from Victoria station to Hyde Park corner to catch a bus which could have stopped at Oxford tube stop. Got to the Prom in time. Mendelssohn Prom was lovely and an excellent Italian meal in Kensington with fellow prommers. Delicious ice cream with sambuca. Now it is raining. Gergiev Prom held up outside and started late. Prokofiev loud, Tchaikovsky piano concerto 3 fast and loud, 2 encores, Shostakovich 5. Lots of students and I spoke to one whose behaviour and constant chatting was very distracting.

To Cadogan Hall  after coffee at Peter Jones for an excellent prom Debussy and Mozart - not so keen on the Ditilleux quartet! Came home as it was so hot and then back for the talk on Charlotte Bronte. Met Damian Howard and Adrian was at the Prom Munich Phil with Gergiev. Ravel Bolero, Rachmaninov 3, Strauss. Train very late and slow home at 11.45!

Tuesday swam 24. To AgeUK for hearing aid clinic. The lady was late and there was one lady before me who had a mould problem so I thought I would miss the start of the opera. She gave me keep dry tubes but I have to ask the hospital for thicker ones. I parked at Selhurst and by train and tube got to Hackney picturehouse just in time. Gergiev conducted Iolanta by Tchaikovsky and Duke Bluebeard's castle in extraordinary productions by a Polish film director. The opening of the fourth door was extrordinary. Anna Netrebko was great as were all the singers. This is definitely the best cinema for opera as it is smaller although I could not see at all when I came in! To Acton and we had pancakes. Watched Inside the House of Commons. 

Woke early and took Liz to Brixton to go to St Pancras and train to Lourdes. She was greeted by VN on arrival in rain this evening. Played Finlandia Dad's favourite, Sheep may safely graze Mum's favourite and we sang Happy are they my Mum's favourite hymn. Also sang Christ be with me so played Stanford on Gartan. To West Norwood and bus to Brockwell Park. Very hot - gave out lots on interfaith bags once I found the gazebo of Faiths together in Lambeth and got lots to do interfaith quiz. Alan and Ivor were there and some other helpers. People looked so stressed and hot! To Grangewood park and had cake and drink and joined the Friends of the park for £3! Saw John and Louise (he goes to the pool) and introduced to Karen organiser of Thornton Heath arts week and people are delighted by the mosaics. Home for tea then to the hall. Pat Barker and Owen Street on war and authors reactions to it. Poetry read by Stephen West. Fabulous Prom from World orchestra for peace conducted by ...

Swam 20. Dr OJo suctioned my ears - it hurt in the right one. I will be referred to a central unit for a new hearing test - not been done since 2006! To hearing aid clinic and right one retubed and got batteries. Straight to Clapham Picturehouse and lots of time to have cappuccino and carrot cake in the sunshine. Turandot from the Met (2009 broadcast). Fantastic set and costumes. Marcello Giordani was a bit wooden but sang well. Liu sung by Marina Poplavskaya moved me to tears. How much better 'Nessun dorma' is in context! Andris Nelsons conducted.To Tate Modern and had a look at 4 exhibitions. In the African art library lamps made of burnt books becayse 'when an old man dies, it is like a library is burnt'. How wise. I liked the sculptures of Saloua Raouda Choucar. Ellen Gallagher and Ibrahim El-Salahi did not impress. Earl Grey in members room and phoned David Walker. 15 and 9 to the hall. Spoke to RSPB guy near Millenium bridge - there are peregrine falcons on the ...

Sunday took Bruce to the station with his boxed up screen and clothes. It was good to see him. We went to the Prom and the pre-Prom talk with composer Sean Shepherd and a discussion on the Jewish influences on Shostakovich. Excellent playing from the National Youtb Orchestra of the United States of America who have been in Russia. Gergiev conducted Tchaikovsky violin concerto with Joshua Bell and a lovely Brahms encore and Shostakovich 10. Monday to mosaic and started on the St John's badge pair and tai chi. To dentist for a checkup and clean and straight to the hall. Excellent pre-Prom talk and Rheingold superby conducted by Barenboim. We had raffle tickets in the queue! Got my usual seat and the lady next to me had a weekly season for the prom costing £42. Trains delayed so came via Norwood Junction and bus. Rain!!! 

Watched the centenary concert for Solti from Chicago with the World orchestra for Peace conducted by Gergiev. Mahler, Strauss, Mozart, Verdi, Bartok. Only conducted by the maestro once in Mahler 8 in Paris. To the boys "you must watch me otherwise it is a disaster!" head into hands - they laughed and it worked! Do not listen to the organ chord at the beginning - it is not in tune! Attenborough programme.

Another lovely day. Swam 20 would have been more had Liz not been able to find her card. Listened to Prokofiev's Cinderella conducted by Gergiev LSO from the Proms with piano score. The recording cut the end of Act 2 which was a shame! A most inventive score! Bruce collected dining room small TV to take to Louise and brought us his old one. He also took wooden bike and bouncer. Spoke to Fr Tom Creagh-Fuller and we has put the conference Mass in his diary - have sent out a draft order of service. Watched Come dine with me, Great British bake off and Ian Hislop's Stiff upper lip.

Liz off to Ireland on train and ferry to sing at Christ Church and St Mary's cathedral with her godson Daniel Beach - staying with Ann Marie and returning Tuesday. House very quiet. Swam 24 and to St George's hospital. Saw Samantha audiologist and am to have new aids - one behind ear in left and with hearing loop. Have lost upper frequencies in both ears so cannot hear s and t so miss jokes if spoken fast. At least this will encourage me to wear the aids more. Picked up swim stuff and home in good time but man came to fit aerial extension at 2. Now have proper aerial connection in dining room so new TV can be installed. Caught up on Proms - Martinu flute sonata, Daphnis with score (end) University challenge. At hall in time for excellent intro with 3 LSO musicians violin, flute and trumpet. People asking after Liz and chatted to several people including Charles (long white beard) and choral conductor of deaf choir in Essen. Excellent concert Gergiev conducting Prokofiev 1 and 5...

Woke at 4 a.m. but got back to sleep. Only swam 26 as slow lane was only 2 persons wide and some people were in the way! Spoke to Ann and Lynn's birthday today (71). To library and met Portuguese lady on bus and tai chi - did a new routine. Home for salmon lunch and then to Vickie's choosing up to November. An excellent Prom by the Marinsky theatre orchestra conducted by Gergiev. Swan Lake wonderful sound especially the brass.

Tai chi as no swim today - decided on some extra sleep in the end! On way home prom of Nagasaki by Schnittke and followed Shostakovich 8 with the score - Gergiev and LSO - alas I dropped off. University challenge, Levi Roots on caribbean cooking and the Queen's tour without sound! Interesting about Uganda and Fiji and the legacy of the tour. Margaret off to Ghana tomorrow! Good to have Liz home. Very shocked by the death of Fr Edward Houghton.

Liz was up early to take Lauren to East Croydon to get train to King's Cross for Eurostar. Lauren was in late having been out with Bruce and friends. Swam 30 lengths. Saw Dan - the baby is a girl, Daisy! Also saw my Chinese pal and Raphael looking very brown from trip to Egypt. The climb up Mt Sinai was 3 hours in the dark but worth it. The Israeli guide to Bethlehem tried to charge them extra and charge to go into the church which he refused to pay! Busy at work but enjoyed the park. Finished reading "The Imitation of Christ" which I started in Lent. I am now asked to review "On Chesil Beach" as I have asked the reading group limpets for their views as I was not able to sit in for the session (only senior on). To Beckenham Odeon to see "Mamma Mia". Ages since we went to the cinema and really enjoyed it. Great show! Watched Gergiev on TV, Tudors and Ronnie Corbett in "Sorry" on return home, also QI although I dropped off! The Southfields libr...