The organist librarian

Woke 4.30 a.m. dreaming about St Mark's Yeoville people Mrs Wilson and little old ladies who liked chatting to me! Strange how African nights bring back faces from the past the Gordons, Heather Brokenshire, Mum and Dad, Vi and Brien - all gone to glory. Was Killor right to link the zebra mother to my dream about Mum with black and white striped hair? I think so. Leg hurting a bit. Read 500 emails. Sent one to Rob and Ann. Breakfast very good delicious pancake saw Jim, Liz and Ryan from the train last night. Walked to the Falls and took the scenic route but not such great views. War memorial and zebras and giraffe in hotel grounds.  To helicopter which was fantastic 20 minute flight - along the gorge is incredibly exciting. Fantastic views over the falls - amazing. Truly the flight of angels. Bought the video and made one of Liz playing the marimba. Got cash and to clinic foot not as warm and wound clearing up well. Lunch with Castle lager by the pool. Had a sleep and to activity...

Had a wierd dream about driving in Oz to a holiday house and Liz said we would have to share the house. The man was nice but his wife was not. First thing happened he went in the one bathroom and I was going to be late for church and burst into tears in the kitchen saying the holiday was ruined! To 8am Mass at St Mary's - not a great experience - priest uses voice box and is sometimes intelligible and a man moans at the back all the time and loudly! Harvest at Coulsdon was not a Eucharist as Vickie in Israel and Teresa in hospital. We saw a presentation about Tanzania and sang Harvest samba to the CD. Choir sang Thou visitest the earth by Greene. Practised and bought guide cakes. Harvest lunch quiche and damson crumble - very nice. Evensong from Lincoln Dyson in F and we sang it later at St John's along with King of Glory by Grayston Ives. David Bednall on The Choir on Radio 3.

I very seldom remember dreams so I have dashed to the computer to record this one! I was to serve at an ordination but seem to have missed the rehearsal! I had my black cassock on and was following Fr Michael down a dark corridor when we suddenly confronted by a cardinal in pink. We all prostrated on the carpet because the cardinal was so terrifying and like a wolf. Next we were in Brentwood cathedral or at least a modern building downstairs crowding into a sacristy. I was given a long pink cassock with a hood and my immediate thought was do I wear the hood. More and more people crowded into a line in a room as the music started above us with me at the end. The cardinal turned to me and turned out to be friendly. There was a dash to put on the pink cassock over my black one and when we reached our places there was an elderly lady kneeling on her stool without any shoes on so I did the same but kept my shoes on! The lady then passed out from the heat so we all tried to help her. Next a ...

It's been an interesting week! Liz is delighted that the back fences have at last been replaced. On Wednesday the Understanding Islam course started in the Hinsley Room ably led by Dr Chris Hewer. 27 people came so I was very pleased and the session was excellent. I went to the National Gallery and enjoyed the exhibition of German stained glass. Part of the gallery was closed because of a strike! In the evening the Chorus party was distinguished by superb food prepared by Jackie and an enjoyable quiz. On Thursday I visited the new Wellcome Trust exhibition in Euston Road. The collection is very well presented and there is a virtual library. The exhibition on "Dreams and sleep" was fascinating. The chorus started rehearsing Dvorak's wonderful Requiem for the Istanbul trip ably directed by Mark Griffiths. Friday Liz was out with Fr Swavek and the catechists for dinner while I took choir practice. I was home in time to see the remarkable C of E vicar Peter Owen Jones on ...