The organist librarian

Spoke to Dennis and Liz on Skype and later in the day they chatted to the boys. To the pool but not open until 8.30 a.m. due to lack of lifeguards so came home. To Watermans for music and Sean really enjoyed it. To cinema with babies to see "Behind the candelabra" about Liberace. Michael Douglas was brilliant - was he kind and caring or a monster? Saw Mia and the gang outside then buses home as car in service. looked after Sean while Lu went to read a story at Maples and took the recycled yoghurt pots. Watched some Wimbledon tennis. To Tapas at Purley for meal with Bill, Christine, Brendan, Carol, Gerry and Eileen -  £22 for lovely food monkfish and prawn skewer, green salad, meringues with orange liqueur.Very nice but there was a long wait to order dessert! 

Arrived early at Jackson's and got tram to St Paul's cathedral. Evensong was men's voices only including Kontakion. I had an enjoyable play on the fine Lewis organ - June Nixon seemed vague and signed my copy of her voluntary on Adoro te which I played. Very fine tuba! To Spanish tapas restaurant in Middle Park where we waited an hour for paella and ate cheese and sangria. Coyuld not finish it! Had creme brulee and worked back to b and b. Thursday to airport without a problem and got 1 p.m. flight to Sydney. Ann met us and soon at Petersham. Went for a swim in the park and had a nice dinner. Trailfinders arranging return via Bangkok.

Had a lie-in and a sumptuous breakfast. Stayed till lunchtime so clear up. Flo and Tom went with Louise and Tom and Alice. Some great dancing last night from Jeremy who was in Chicken shed company for a few years! Dennis and Ann Marie emerged from the signal box suite wearing matching Just married T shirts! Eventually set off for the hill of Tara where we saw an audio-visual presentation in the church. Then via Navan to Tara - nice b and b Castleview. had a walk to look at shops and village and the reordered Catholic church. Excellent meal at The Poet's rest and drove up the hill where the first Easter fire was lit by Patrick according to legend. Have been there before - great view. Saturday drove to airport on M1 and handed car in. New company had taken over disabled assistance that day but they did well apart from an anxious delay waiting for the buggy. However the flight was 30 minutes late any way. I went straight off with just my rucksack and got train to Redhill and then Coul...

A wonderful weekend in Bath enjoying the end of the Royal School of Church Music course which Bruce has attended for 15 years. He startled us by singing a solo in the Gibbons 2nd service Magnificat and making a speech at the final assembly! What a fine line up of singers 160 in all. We attended the mattins and evensongs in the Abbey and the delightful concert on Friday evening. The accommodation at the YMCA was basic but OK (my bed was not that comfortable and there was noise in the night from stag and hen parties outside and seagulls in the early morning but we would have experienced the same at the Hilton!). A good full breakfast for £1.95! I bought a fine new panama hat at the hat shop. We enjoyed sitting in Victoria Park and eating ice creams in the Royal parade gardens and the sun shone after long weeks of rainy London. Ann joined us on Sunday afternoon and cried at evensong. Dad's presence was very much with us both with his favourite Howells, Bairstow organ music and "S...

A stunning production full of life and colour and much enhanced by the Philharmonia Orchestra's playing. Andrew Clarke who was a chorister at St George's RC cathedral was an outstanding tenor and the cast are all excellent. I have always loved Bizet's score. Sometimes it was hard to pick out the words but the sheer drama of it all made up for that! Thank you Lyn and Rosemary for a delightful evening and it was nice to meet your croquet playing friend Ann. On the way there I met a man who comes to the library and Mansel the orchestra's personnel manager! Martin Clunes the TV actor was sitting near us! The ladies returned at midnight from their tapas bar outing and I picked them up. 21 went and had a great time. AnnMarie was very happy! Louise very excited to see her auntie Ann again!

Had a lazy relaxing day. Swam 40 lengths, Ann did 30 and Liz less than that! Watched DVD of Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire which Tom lent me and the Bartok Duke Bluebeard's castle and Beethoven 9 from the Proms which were both great! I finished reading the Catholic Bishops conference booklet "The Gift of Scripture". Tonight the ladies go to Covent Garden for their outing to a pub and tapas bar and I am going with Lyn and Rosemary to see "Carmen Jones" at the Festival Hall. Tomorrow we go to Bath to see Bruce at the RSCM course and Ann goes to her friends in Reading and will join us in Bath on Sunday. We all return Monday. Liz went to see Grandma. Louise, Ann, Liz and AnnMarie at the tapas bar!