The organist librarian

  Mum died on this day in 2006. I can hear her saying Old age I can give it away! Your father has got all the answers now. St Augustine of Hippo I think the C of E prayers for the day are closer to Augustine’s words. A very fine Bank holiday recital at Bromley Parish church. We began with William McVicar interviewing David Hirst who is one of the few English organists at a French cathedral. Buxtehude, JSB trio sonata 5. Claire de lune (I checked the piano score it never goes above mp) Bryan Hesford variations on a theme of Paganini. Nimrod played very slowly and it works (I shall have to rethink my version) Reger Variations and fugue on God save the King. Great to see Christopher Moore . What a joy! Clearing up garden. Mindful mix Prom gorgeous. BBC4. Forgot to watch Only connect and University challenge so caught up on Tuesday evening!  Edinburgh tattoo on TV been updated.  Annual moan. The presenters for the Proms on TV tell us so little of any value. Tom is all wild en...

 Tuesday Liz went to West Wickham to get toenail done and shop. To quiet time and David was hilarious. Lady turned up late with a baby in the chantry. His comment "Just shut your gob". She left early. Over tea he said he likes his girlfriend  "because she likes me". Liz and Adam were there.  Stunning prom from Petrenko and the RPO. Shostakovich 10 and Beethoven piano concerto No 4 with Alexandre Kantorow who also played a virtuosic encore. Firebird finale. Wed slept late so no swim. Bed and towels. England won semi-final against Australia women's football. Catching up on Proms. Impressed by Dora Pejakevic and Voces 8 singing Roxanna Panufnik and Barber. Mahler 7. Henry came and painted a canvas - a tortoise. Travelling auctioneers. Small mouse when I was cooking. Not nice. Thur another hot night and lie-in. Liz temp up so resting. Listened to last night's prom Elgar In the South with MS and Aus Italien - not been played at the proms since 1900s! Did hooverin...

 Monday nice chat to Ann. Swim and aerobics. Jim will answer any alarm calls when we are away.  Fabulous Carmelites at the Proms. Robin Ticciati so expressive! He was a joy to watch as we were in G stalls. Orchestral details one had never noticed, glorious singing and acting. Nice to see Lionel. Tricky jigsaw.  As Liz told me I would not get it done by Tuesday of course I finished it at 11.59 ! Tuesday packed. Dennis came down. Buses to East Croydon and train to Gatwick in good time. Got searched and trousers were threatening to fall down! Assistance to the plane and Liz went to duty free. Bruce picked us up and we went to Pizza Express. Wednesday to Janet and Richard's for coffee and a nice chat and Janet brought us back as Liz's phone needed to be connected. We enjoyed Samares garden and saw some new areas - the carriages and tropical garden. To Doubtfire for delicious steaks. Thursday to Jersey museum and Emma was off so that was nice. Always new things to see. Bruce t...

 Monday swim and aerobics. To St John's for David's funeral which was very memorable for the string quintet playing Schubert and for the Faure Requiem. A fine sermon from John (who apologised to Dennis for being a bit short with him yesterday). Long chat to Ben. Henry came and painted a canvas and played games. Only connect, University challenge, Earth. Anna Lapwood organ prom. Nice that she paid tribute to her parents on their 37th wedding anniversary. Tuesday picked up Lou and Sean at Selhurst and Lou off to work. Told me about the Manila trip. All three went swimming. Supervision group. Clare came to "babysit".  Fantastic Prom Mark Elder and the Halle The Bells and Shostakovich 5. The tenor was perhaps not quite forceful enough and there needed to be more men in the large chorus. Such a beautiful ending to The Bells. Have not heard this since the 2011 Prom.   I sang in this at the Prom when Dad died. Bruce and Joan next to us, saw Sue and Alan. A sell out. Followe...

 Friday no swim or UNACC to Nymans for coffee and sausage roll and short walk but it was raining. Bought 2 plants and calendar. To Sue's and a lovely meal and chat. Slept well. Sat Lancing college at 10.30 2 organs Frobenius and Walker. 6 young players most impressive including a 9 year old. Lunch with the Gartons - lovely bungalow. To All Saints Hove but no parking so tea at Wakehurst Place and sung Mass at Worth which was another treat. Watched Face the music, My music and Joyce Genfell tribute.  Sunday played Rene Vierne Prayer and Harris Processional. Nice chat to Nigel they had been to Glyndebourne to see the Poulenc. To Hobbycraft and got black elastic so fixed my crosses and bought canvases. Evensong Sumsion, Tye and Mundy. Chocolate cake for Claire's 70th. Vienna Phil from Shonbrunn was lovely and some unusual Franch repertoire. Monday woke early and worked on jigsaw. Caught up on SM from Sat. Swim. Aerobics was full. New tap in garden so the new hose works! NT at home...

 Saturday June 10 set off at 8 and reached Moverons garden for tea and cake. Lovely place to visit with lake and views. To Amber and Richard for lunch outside and a lovely chat. We got to Tunstall around 3.30 and went to Mass at Aldeburgh. Met Mgr Tony who is retiring. Sunday to the Aldeburgh Festival service - Byrd 5 part mass and an excellent sermon by the Dean of St Edmundsbury. He brought in the murmuration theme. Coffee in the hall. To the Maltings to check our tickets which we had in fact recieved online. 7.30 BBC Phil with John Storgards. De Falla Fantasia baetica. Britten Violin concerto with Simone Lansma. Cassandra Miller La donna. We went to the pre-performance talk in the Peter Pears recital room. The idea of a large sound gradually disappearing is hardly original! Sibelius 5 splendid. Monday 12th 2.30 p.m. Masterclass on Britten with Roderick Williams. Fascinating. The baritone Stephen Whitford is one to watch. His Billy Budd improved. Sandeep Gurrapadi with the guitar...

 Alan came and updated wiring upstairs and installed the otters fountain (waited a year for it!) We now have plugs outside. I went to art and did a painting of the Ural owl. Webinar about using The Letter.  Friday no swim again. To Unacc and no news of Bill's funeral. I sent Dot another message. Clare came and was more subdued. Enjoyed Alexander Armstrong in Sri Lanka. Finished Pa Salt. The saga of the tyre inflators continues - 3 returned to Argos as the batteries do not hold the charge! In the end got one from Amazon which plugs in.  Saturday lovely SM from Regent's Park.To Croydon central library to promote Trees4Croydon and had some interesting chats. To Mass at Beckenham - a curious homily on the Trinity mentioning the German Synod as against unity. Liz got nice food from M and S so we ate it in the car. To St George Beckenham for Tallis Scholars 50th anniversary concert. Lovely singing but it would have been good to have had translations in the programme. Saw Janey....