The organist librarian

Today my darling wife is 60 and gets her freedom pass! I checked at the pool and we also get free swimming and a possible refund as our membership runs until January. I hid the flowers next door so they were ready when she woke up before I left for work. I have not been swimming now for 2 weeks but hope to return there tomorrow. She had some lovely cards and I gave her Isabel's little book. Isabel wrote in it "Liz Your husband is fabulous!" On the next page I wrote "But you are better!" Took Grandma to King's College hospital to see the Macular disease expert who was very nice and reassuring. We are out for dinner tonight. Wednesday was a busy day. Choosing hymns with Vickie and a salad lunch as I played for the funeral of a 96 year old at 2. To Hinsley Room for Sharing in his life group - 3 came and a lively discussion. Group decided they want to go on another week into December as we missed last week's session because of my accident. I went to All Sain...

Council meeting on Monday at Brendan's. Kevin had been to Saturday's membership roadshow and found it helpful. My mouth has healed up well. I missed tai chi as we had branch librarians meeting. Classical star on BBC2 came to a brilliant conclusion. I wanted the bassoon or guitar to win but the pianist triumphed despite all her problems! All 3 will go far! Liz listened to the Foulds concert on the internet and a recording is to be released.

Saturday evening to St Chad's South Norwood for Mass. Walked down with Mary across the road and saw Mary Crinnegan. The new marble altar is impressive (it's their centenary) but why is there a classical pediment at the base? Alas the Ghanaian parish priest is very hard to understand as he talks too fast. At the start he mentioned Remembrance Sunday but we did not pray for the dead of the wars in the prayers! Tomorrow's 10.30 a.m. Mass is for the people of the parish so what has happened to the requiem for the dead of the wars? It's odd going back to a church where you used to worship - much is familiar but some things have changed. Today we practised at 9 a.m. so left home early. The 9.30 Eucharist was attended by the Methodists and was said with hymns. We did sing the Darke Agnus Dei. I played the Last Post and Reveille for the 2 minutes silence as the guides paraded. There was a gap before the Royal British Legion service at 10.45 a.m. This started late so the Croft s...

Another quiet day with Liz at rehearsals for the Foulds. Watched at last the Royal Ballet performance of "The Sleeping Beauty" by Tchaikovsky and a 2006 prom featuring the Mendelssohn Violin concerto and Sibelius 5 one of my favourites. I love the end of this symphony. I also read several magazines and cleared up the backlog of articles to be read! Spoke to Dennis on Skype and Louis Maingard on the phone. Changed dressing on my nose which is healing well.

An orchid in Dublin Botanic gardens. A peaceful day spent listening to music from the Proms recorded on HDD and reading Alexander McCall Smith's latest delightful Isabel Dalhousie novel "The proper use of compliments". I like the way he brings in words of wisdom!

Hallowe'en is big in Ireland. I suppose this is not surprising. Here is the display in the Dublin Botanical gardens suitably counteracted by the decoration in Drumcliff Church of Ireland where Yeats is buried. For all the saints who from their labours rest .... Hobgoblin nor foul fiend can daunt his spirit; he knows he in the end shall life inherit. Then fancies fly away, he'll fear not what men say; he'll labour night and day to be a pilgrim. John Bunyan

The winter is approaching alas! "I'll walk beside you through the passing years"