The organist librarian

Another lovely day. Catenians and I reported on welfare. Elizabeth O'Reilly is 91, Kitty Duggan and Wendy Dobbs both O.K. Willy Britto urging us to go to Goa in October. I had a Guinness and came home. Liz had been to St Paul's for Royal Holloway evensong and a bloggers meeting! Tuesday Caroline at Town hall and Southside. Back twinging in pool so only did 20 lengths and met Humphrey on early train. Tai chi on Monday helped. To park at lunchtime - very warm. Liz at Chiswick. Woke early again.

To swim on Tuesday and staff meetings including a training session for casuals. Liz went to Chiswick and when I left the house to go and pick her up my back really "went". This meant I spent 2 days on a chair watching TV and reading. All movement slow and awkward. The medicine the doctor prescribed last Friday contains opium so had to be ordered specially! It is a powerful painkiller. I caught up on "The Tablet" and watched Covent Garden Prokofiev "Romeo and Juliet" with Carlos Acosta, an odd programme about Jesus in Kashmir, islands with Martin Clunes, The seasons from the Proms and the history of the English Bible. I missed Norman Harper playing at St Michael's, Thomas Wilson playing Dupre at the cathedral (Liz went) and most annoying of all "Peter Grimes" at ENO which Liz went to.

To swimming 20 as some twinges in back. Saw Andrew who had had a good time in France and off to the Cotswolds. He says Adrian is leaving the choir school and others may follow. The last interview was an interesting high-powered art teacher and painter. Chat to Angela about counselling - she feels I have so much to offer I should think bigger. Met Gillian in street so went for a cappuccino with 2 of the English conversation group one from Japan one from Italy and Dawn. To tai chi and saw a DVD of the form - we have only learnt a third of the it! To Gillian's with Liz to watch DVD of "Where angels fear to tread" which is excellent and faithful to the book. Lovely top floor flat in Prince of Wales Mansions overlooking the park. Marie, Elena, Graham and Celine from the reading group were there. The 12% white wine sent me off to sleep at one point but we did enjoy the film and the chat.

Liz and I are safely back from a delightful holiday in Ireland. We set off on Monday and parked the car at a garage near Gatwick. All went smoothly and our Ryanair flight even gained 15 minutes on the flight to Shannon. We picked up a small silver Peugeot hire car and set off for the delights of the Castle Oaks Hotel, Castleconnell. A beautiful bedroom, swim, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi before sumptuous 4 course dinner - the best Irish beef and smoked salmon. The next morning we were in the pool again before a full Irish breakfast complete with white and black puddings. Killahoe has a fine cathedral which encloses a High Cross and Ogham stone. We drove to the Cliffs of Moher. Magnificent views over the sea and bay. The new visitors centre built into the hillside had opened a fortnight before and the audio-visuals were excellent. We were lucky with the weather here. It does look as though there will be charges levied to enter the area. We paid 5 euros to park the car. We stopped at Ki

Last Saturday saw the climax of problems with my back. Throughout the week I had had some pain in the left hand side of my lower back. I thought this might have come from the fall I had carrying the cross up the side stairs of the sanctuary. I had pain even when lying in bed and was convinced we needed a new mattress. The pain was worst in the evening and on Friday night I had a great deal of pain just after I drove off from choir practice. I had to stop the car and rest. I had been taking Ibuprofen all week and a hot water bottle helped and Ibuprofen gel. Saturday i went to work as usual and felt fine but on arrival at the cathedral I felt the first twinges. These increased during Vespers so I sat on the sanctuary for the 6pm Mass and did not serve. The cantor helped to go to communion and as we came off the sanctuary, the pain returned. On getting into the car the pain was excruciating and I was crying with pain. Liz took me to St Thomas's Hospital casualty. The triage nurse aske