The organist librarian

Cleared away the book sale which seems to have gone well. Muggy day and short of staff. Tchaikovsky's Manfred from the Proms played with gutsy sound by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic conducted by Petrenko. Had Christmas pudding at dinner to eat it up! Laughed a lot at "Rev" which has to be the best thing on TV at the moment apart from the Proms. This computer is so slow - we need a laptop each!

Back to work after the holiday and 40 lengths. Dan was there and Marvin. Arrived to find 4 boxes of books dumped outside the front door so moved them next to orange bags and they were taken away! Cleared up book sale and not best pleased to find staff had not done what I said. Recycled a lot of books and stored the rest. Wet day. Angela came for more training. Watched Rick Stein on Italian cooking and opera but I fell asleep. On Friday I watched again on BBC4 the Covent Garden production of Marriage of Figaro while packing up ornaments and pictures in the lounge. Must be one of my favourite operas and it is 30 years since I sang Basilio!

Friday set up book sale, senior development forum at Putney went O.K. To hospital after work. Saturday tai chi and Dennis here again. Book sale going alright. Home to see Ciarán and Louise and saw then Sunday morning. Trinity Sunday only 4 in choir (rest singing at Canterbury) so we sang "Most ancient of all mysteries" and "Father we adore you". I played Willan on "Nicaea" and Harper's Triptych of the Holy Trinity. We sang "Holy, holy, holy" "Eternal ruler of the ceaseless round" "Thou whose almighty word" and "This day God gives me" so a good choice with the Inwood setting and Rutter Gloria. Practised and coffee and then to Purley listening to Gyorgy Pauk's Desert Island discs. Gave Bill organ music for manuals with an explanation encouraging him to avoid "O sacred head" and "Wachet auf" at Eastertide. Canon O'Sullivan. Deacon Joe Parsons does nothing. 2 servers sloped in late and wer...

40 lengths. Set up the book sale myself. To the Albert Hall for 4 p.m. rehearsal. Met Liz on the way! Back to Battersea to bring up car to the hall. First half was Goldsmiths choir singing Faure Requiem - often flat and dull, tenors feeble, English choral singing at its worst. Second half Berlioz Te Deum. John Birch on the mighty organ, RPO. Not a bad audience, Brian Wright did well despite changing tempi unexpectedly. Timothy Robinson the fine tenor soloist. Liz spotted the Cardinal in the audience and spoke to him.

Another busy day and set up the book sale. Calix did a display on the centenary of Mills and Boon romances - Mum loved reading those. To choir practice but Karen was ill and various sore throats about so took it easy and finished early to be home in time to see "The Choir Boys can't sing" withe the delightful and amazing Gareth Malone and QI. Liz returned home.