Wednesday began with School Mass at which we introduced a lot of new music for the new season. After that I had a really good meeting with our deacon regarding forthcoming liturgies. Then I had a midday Mass for Ash Wednesday which gave me a chance to try out my new piece for the distribution of ashes, a setting of the antiphon with Psalm 51 (USA NUMBERING.)

I had my first appointment with a new doctor at 1.30pm. I should never have worried about the Mass possibly making me late. He saw me at 3.40pm! In the event he was very good at listening and responded in all the right ways. I was pleased to find that my heart is in good nick but not so pleased that he has recommended a particular investigation for bowel cancer. Apparently its part of the preventative approach to spot these things early and he promises that this will be good for 10 years!

I then returned to work and did the final prep for choir practice and the evening Mass. Both went well and I was delighted that so many singers turned up for the 7pm Mass. In the rehearsal we did more work on Paul Inwood’s Holy Year Song and on Marty Haugen’s ‘Be with me Lord’ which I love but have not visited for years. We also continued working on D’Evry’s ‘O sacrum convivium’.

On Thursday I rose early as I had a long session at the dentist in order to prep 5 teeth for crowns. I had had similar work done in UK but they had failed to remove the decay! I spent over 3 hours with my mouth wide open and now I can feel the pain which the anaesthetic masked! Then I enquired about having a wisdom tooth extracted only t find that I had maxed out on my dental insurance. The $1500 I paid for the crowns might have been $5k had it not been for my employment insurance.

Continuing the insurance theme I then went for an x-ray of my spine following last week’s accident. That was all done after an hour’s wait and I then took my car to be inspected after the accident. There was not much damage apparent but the insurance insisted that they inspect it and make good any damage. I was delighted as they gave me a Nissan Sentra as a hire car. Quite posh really!

Back home I cooked an aloo gobi for the first time in USA. Then coincidentally I got a message from my Danish friends holidaying in my beloved Agonda, Goa. Weird synchronicity!

Anyhow must take some painkillers and try to sleep.

 

It’s only one day from my last post so why am I posting again so soon? Well,  am waiting for the fish to thaw and needed to do something. moreover tonight is significant for me and many Christians. tomorrow we begin Lent and whatever practices that may imply. Tonight is the night on which you have a blow out. For some it is merely pancakes but for me it was a good drink and a large meal which is now in preparation.

So today started at 9am in the office where among other things I tried to produce a music book for the school Mass musicians. Unfortunately the copier had other ideas and stopped after one copy. we called the technician and he arrived during the afternoon.

When I arrived this morning I was surprised to hear voices from my office. It turned out to be Clyde underneath my desk fitting a sliding computer keyboard shelf. This gave me the chance to do some filing while he finished. Then I set about preparing the menu for Ash Wednesday parish Masses. I finished the composition of an antiphon and psalm for the distribution of ashes. I also managed to get ahead with the music menu for the forthcoming weekend. Most staff left at one point to celebrate FAT TUESDAY  but I decided against eating a load of desserts and stayed in the office. there was a liturgical song practice with the school in mid afternoon and then I dashed off a quick arrangement of a piece I want to do this weekend and clocked out around 4pm heading for Charann’s Bar. I enjoyed my last beers for a while and returned home to watch fr brown and Doc Martin. Happy Mardi Gras to all!

Last Thursday I did some stuff around the house including type the previous blog and in the afternoon I drove for an appointment with my lawyer to finalise things after my accident last May in which I was ‘rear-ended’ by a young driver. 10 minutes from his office I had to ring to say that I’d be delayed because another driver had rear-ended me! The lawyer could not believe it.

I was in stationary traffic when the guy behind me hit me at low speed. I wasn’t sure what had happened at first but got out to see that I had been impacted. he was Hispanic but I speak Spanish so he was a little astonished when I disagreed with his assertion that he had not hit me! I asked for his details and he refused. Fortunately two cars back was a Police officer who took control immediately. having obtained the paperwork from her I was Ok to leave and attend my meeting.

At the lawyers I was shown the final statement and was amazed that a bill from the physio of $3000 could be reduced to $600 by the lawyers. What is the real price of anything?

I then went to work to set up the music equipment and amplification for Friday’s Grandparents’ Mass in Higgins Hall. Then I was free to visit Charann’s.

On Friday I was in early for the Mass which went well and was attended by about 1000 persons. I managed to get the gear back to the church and was then free for the rest of the day. I banked some cheques, got signed up with a new doctor (the previous one had done a runner!) and did some shopping. In the afternoon it was really sunny albeit a bit chilly so I did some reading on the balcony and then joined folk at the bar.

On Saturday I went into work around 1pm and did some preparation work for the round of weekend Masses. The Vigil ones went well and Sunday was similarly OK. the 9.30am Mass also celebrated the parish Scouts and later the parish Knights of St Columba who won the Diocesan ‘Fish fry’. The choir sang really well at the 11am Mass and we completed the last of the Sundays of the OCP Pilot project for contemporary psalms and Gospel Greetings. At the 1230 Mass 7 folk were confirmed by the Pastor.

I returned home during the afternoon to watch Chelsea draw with Man Utd and then returned for the evening Mass. That evening I also booked a week’s accommodation on Sanibel Island about three hours’ drive south of Tampa. I’ll be there at the end of June.

On Monday, which would normally be a day off, I went into work to create a song sheet for the School Masses during the whole of Lent. I also composed a new piece for the Distribution of Ashes. my work was interrupted at one stage by a conversation relating to a wedding this forthcoming weekend about which I knew nothing. I rang both parties and they were delighted to hear from me (we realised that they had been given an incorrect spelling of my name in the email address!). Within an hour the bride-to-be was in my office and we were able to sort everything amicably.

I ended the day at Charann’s (where else?) and retired home checking my mailbox before entering the apartment. A good while ago I had been part of the Wild Goose Coolective which recorded numbers from the ‘Enemy of Apathy’ collection of John Bell and Graham Maule.  The reslting CD had arrived!  didn’t feel up to listening to it just yet and, finding  my armchair, relaxed for a nibble and a few episodes of Antiques Roadshow!

I went in early on Saturday to tie up some loose ends for the weekend series of Masses. After each Mass it had been decided to anticipate the St Blaise blessing of throats. I was surprised just how popular this blessing was over here. I sense an inherent fear among americans and it is possible that this blessing plays into that??

On Sunday I was visited by Paul Inwood who was in Florida for some conference work. At one point I had decided to sing his Year of Mercy song but then decided that this would have been rather creepy! It was good to see him again as we have not met since the NPM in July 2015. After lunch in a nearby Cuban restaurant I returned home for a few hours and then played the evening Mass.

Monday was a day off and eventually I headed for the beach. The tide was extremely high for most of the day but it was still relaxing. In the evening I went into work as Tampa Catholic School were holding an annual celebration at our church for which I was playing. Last year this had been an embarrassing affair with kids out of control. This was not helped by our then Pastor’s decision to lead the School Song . It seemed that since he had left the school the song had been only used on the football pitch and they sang it in a style appropriate to that place. Unfortunately when they had finished the Pastor was still singing in his rather different and perhaps more reverent manner. Pupil power won the day, I’m afraid!

This year the celebration was exemplary. One of the students was to sing Schubert’s Ave Maria and he was so impressive that I asked him to serve as Cantor for the whole Mass!

Tuesday was a more regular work day in which I prepared the weekend Masses, wrote instrumental parts and recorded the tricky psalm for the Cantors. At 6pm my friend Marty joined me, introduced me to some popular liturgical music he knew and then we adjourned for dinner at what used to be Boston’s. After this I stopped at Charann’s where there was only one other customer, a woman who was very drunk and eating her way through quite a lot of food. When it came to settling her bill there were problems until it seemed that the Police might be called. Then her memory returned and she remembered the credit card PIN numbers!

The bar had introduced a new ‘Belgian Trappiste beer’ called Spencer. It was really rather good and you even got a free glass! I forgot the glass .. another senior moment!

On Wednesday I went in for the School Mass and then moved sound equipment over to the Higgins Hall in preparation for the Grandparents Mass which we would ‘set up’ on Thursday. Then I was free until the evening so I headed for the beach on what was a wonderfully sunny day. Later I returned to prepare for choir practice which went well. we looked at O Sacrum Convivium by D’Evry as well as other stuff for the weekend.

In the evening I visited Charann’s as usual before retiring to bed.

 

Monday was a day off but I went in for a funeral and then returned to do a bit of tidying up. I ended the day in Charan’s Bar meeting up with friends.

Tuesday I was back in the office with a vengeance as I sought to catch up with various emails and prepare for the evening’s meeting with Cantors. After the school liturgical music practice I stupidly elected to visit Office Depot to exchange an item which had a part missing. I was stupid not to realise that this was the worst time to travel and got caught in traffic.

Since I had been away the Diocese had introduced a computerised system of clocking in. It seemed a little complex at first but really demands a lot of my memory to use it! I can access the system via my mobile so this should work well.

On Wednesday I arrived for School Mass which went very well, did a bit of preparation and then went home for a few hours in which I booked a flight to London for the wedding of my brother Richard in August. It was quite expensive especially when you consider that I’d only be staying a few days. I returned to work later to prepare for choir practice and work with a couple of singers on the new choir library. The rehearsal went very well and benefitted from me being less tired than usual.

On Thursday I went to keep and appointment with the doctor but discovered that he had left the practice in a hurry two weeks ago! I now have to search out a new doctor. I used the time to visit my bank and set up a few facilities and met a financial adviser. Then I did a wedding which had only been arranged two days earlier. They were a lovely couple and I played some lighter music than I would normally … ‘We’ve only just begun’ and some other bits from a wedding music book someone (I can’t recall who!) had lent me.

I had lunch at the Long Bar … a lovely Chicken Caesars Salad before returning to my apartment to tidy the ‘office’ area. Then I went to Charan’s and drank rather too many cranberries. I was happily interrupted at one point by my brother Chris who had decided to Skype me. Having left the car at home I was able to continue at the Long Bar where I met up with a few friends, had a couple more cranberries and got the details for a tax adviser.

Back home I opened a rather nice white wine and fell asleep.

Today, Friday I slept in for more than I would usually manage before heading for the beach at 11am. It was sunny but not very warm so I only stayed a couple of hours before returning to the apartment to continue tidying. I got bored of that pretty soon so Netflix distracted until it was time for bed.

The weekend before my trip to UK was much the same as any other. I planned to leave for UK during the Monday evening so there was just time for a morning funeral, packing and a final jar at Charann’s before boarding an uber taxi to the airport.

The journey was uneventful and I reached Gatwick at about 9am and collected the hire car. Driving on the correct side of the road was tricky at first, as was also recalling which pedals were which. I’d been in an automatic for the past year or so.

I found my way to New Malden by 1030am and by noon I was in bed! I awoke in time to greet my brother Richard and his fiancée Camille. We had a fine meal en famille. The following day I too mum for lunch at Carluccios and then did a bit of shopping myself. In the evening I met up with brother Chris in a pub. We had Skype connection problems almost every time we tried to speak so it was great to meet up again unencumbered by technical issues.

On Thursday I arose at 5am and by 5.30am was on the road to Shrewsbury Abbey for the funeral of my musical friend and mentor Bill Hayward. The M40 was closed further up so I had to journey on the M1. I got the Abbey by 1030 and adjourned to a nearby breakfast place for a last-minute of the eulogy  had prepared. The funeral was at 1.30pm and the Abbey was full. I bumped into Roger Latimer, Timothy Ault and Iain Nisbett from St George’s College Choir days. Brian, an old RCM friend of Bill’s, was at the organ playing music by his teacher Herbert Howells. Russell Watson  sang Panis Angelicus. The emotion overtook him but it was still good prayer. I spoke after Russell. I spoke for about 25 minutes. I introduced my eulogy by stating that if you tried to praise Bill during his life he would have cut you short, so I was taking advantage of his death to sing his praises.

Folk were kind afterwards and said that I’d summed up the man with respect and humour. Even the funeral directors were surprised to enjoy it!

There was a reception after the service but I left at 4.30pm to journey further north to Sheffield. I arrived in good time to dump my bags at a friend’s house and continue to a Memorial Mass for a dear priest who had supported me when I was going through the redundancy process. I met more familiar faces at that reception and then joined neighbours Andrew and Ruth for a night cap.

The following day, Friday, I entered my house with the lettings agents. My tenants were there too and I was delighted with the state of the place. I retrieved some books, music and mail and went on my way within the hour. My next stop was the Pastoral Centre of the Diocese where I met with Ed Whittaker. Ed had always been a good and gracious colleague so it must have been awkward for him to head up the redundancy process for me. This meeting presented an opportunity to resume relationships on what is now a happier footing. then I dropped in on Sheila, the Bishop’s Secretary and had a good chat with the new Bishop Ralph who is also Bishop of Gibraltar!

At 1245 I walked through the door of the cathedral I had served for so long where a number of my friends had gathered for Mass. the priest was a visitor and his theology was completely unsound. He tried to convince the congregation that all imperfection is sin. I thought of my friend Brian who is blind and wondered what he made of this rubbish!

After Mass several of my friends took me to lunch at M&S after which I searched the Music Room for a piece of music which had eluded those I’d previously asked to find it. I found it immediately … Carmen’s filing system was still working!

At 5pm I attended a Family Group Meeting of the Iona Community at Jenie Lismore’s. It was great to see the gang again and especially Peter Coats. After the meeting at 8pm Peter and I who were staying the night sat down with Jenie and hit the red wine I’d brought with me. We adjourned for bed some time after 2am!

I awoke around 9am and, after essential medical treatment, drove into Sheffield where I dropped Peter before visiting Greg Ryan and later Inderjit and Cathy Bhogal. During the afternoon I met up with my friend Kevin and we visited some old haunts for beer and the inevitable whiskey. At 5pm I met the Pitsmoor gang of friends at the Sheffield Tap. In addition to the gang was also Annette who now lives in Australia but is over for a month. I had to confess that she must spend more time in the sun than I! We ate at Wagamama’s (not my favourite place) and after a few more beers and a diversion to see Peter’s new house I hit the sack.

On Sunday I drove back to New Malden via Leicester where I grabbed a tea and chat with Emily Walker. It was early evening when I pulled into mum’s place. There had been some hold ups on the M25!

I spent Monday morning with mum and then went up to London to meet Bernadette Farrell for lunch. It was great to hear her news and her relief that her daughter is now in remission. I had only just got off the train at New Malden when the phone rang. It was Terri Coyle inviting me to meet her in Turnham Green. I spent a further hour or so with mum and then I was off. we met in a local pub and then adjourned to her house. It took some convincing but in the end I relented and opted for more wine and a taxi home. It was 3.30am when I crossed the threshold!

On Tuesday I had agreed to meet Richard and Camille at their new flat in Guildford before driving to Southampton where I would spend the night with my brother Pete, his wife Gill and daughters. They are all bonkers but, fortunately, did not keep the same hours as my friends!

On Wednesday I stopped at St Mary’s University to meet up with Martin Foster from Bishops’ Conference, Liturgy Office. My visit coincided with an Christian Unity Week Service which I decided to attend. The visiting organist was a little crusty and spend the time complaining about the music, the organ, the so-called university and the demise of pipe organs in UK. Her saving grace must have been her availability!

Leading the service I was delighted to see Mgr Rod Strange who until recently was Rector of the Beda Seminary in Rome. I had spent some days with him in Shrewsbury Diocese some years back where I had led a post Easter School with Gerry Hughes SJ (RIP). While he was at the Beda I had sent him my setting of Bede’s ‘Christ is the Morning Star’ prayer. He recalled it instantly and the moment when it had been spontaneously sung by seminarians at the visit of Pope John Paul II. I was also delighted to chat briefly with Mgr Tony Boylan with whom I had worked in the Northern Dioceses Liturgical Consultation.

Martin and I adjourned to the Pope’s Grotto for a pint and some lunch. (thanks, Martin) . Ten I was back with mum during the afternoon. In the evening mum and I went around the corner to brother Chris and Sue’s for dinner. Chris prepared an excellent fillet steak meal and some great chat. It was after 11pm when we left. This was too early for my mum who kept me supplied with G&T until after almost 3am when I decided I could no longer keep up and retired.

When I surfaced the following midday (!) I did a bit of shopping in New Malden and then brought home a pizza as mum had decided against eating out. Not a drop of alcohol passed our lips and it was early to bed for mum and slightly later for me so that I could enjoy Question Time.

The following morning I left mum at 8am and was in Gatwick by 9am to return the car and hopefully get through security to take full advantage of the Lounge I had booked the previous evening. I did and stumbled on to the plane around 1230. I didn’t sleep at all on board so the lounge bar theory didn’t work and I continued with a regime of more brandy and films. I managed to clear customs at Tampa remarkably quickly and reached my apartment in time to join residents at a wine and cheese evening. Then I slept!

Saturday began with a funeral at 1030am after which I visited the supermarket to buy food etc and have lunch. By 3pm I was back I work for the usual weekend round of Masses. It was almost 9pm when I entered Charann’s after 2 weeks absence. It was good to be home again!

 

 

Happy New Year, once again!

The last weekend went smoothly enough. I caused something of a mild sensation by being able to complete a post-communion meditation song during the sermon. I’ve being doing this for a while. I listen to the sermon and then sketch words and melody for what I then sing/play as a post-communion meditation. this time the priest even prompted me to do it so I played a version at the end of his homily. He has alluded to an old song ‘Looking for love in all the wrong places’ and since this was Epiphany it seemed relevant. It was a remarkable Mass in which the priest got close to the boundary into entertainment!

At the end of Mass I played Bach’s C major Prelude (and Fugue) which I have always associated with Epiphany. I was happy to still be able to play this. During one playing my lawyer appeared at the organ intent on passing on some information about my case (car crash). He seemed impervious to the fact that I was making such a racket and so I didn’t catch a word of it.

Over the weekend we also did a psalm from the Pilot project of OCP. I ended up singing most of the verses but was delighted with the choir’s response at the 11am.

On Monday morning continued working on the eulogy for Bill Hayward and completed my UK tax return. I was delighted to receive the news that they owed me £4.5k! I went into work around midday on Monday as I knew I would need time to prepare for my departure. During the day one of my colleagues gave me a bottle of Bols gin! So in return I took two colleagues out for lunch. In the evening I offered ‘Sing out Epiphany’ at which folk gathered to sing carols and to reflect on any thoughts I put before them. Not so many folk attended but I picked up perhaps three new choir members!

On Tuesday I was hard-pressed  to produce the song sheets for the School Masses in January. The particular difficulty was that I’d be absent for two of them and had to create something that was doable by the cover musician. Fortunately all was completed in time for me to lead a rehearsal at 2pm.

On Wednesday I di the school Mass and then met with my lawyer to sign various forms relating to the car crash. There was a reasonably large cheque but I don’t think I’ll see much of this after the legals have taken their cut! I went home to relax for a while before returning at 2.30pm to prepare for choir practice. it would be a tough one as I needed to get through the next three weeks’ music. There was a welcome drink at the bar after I’d left at 10pm!

On Thursday I took my car in to be serviced and then joined two choir members who were helping create the new Music Library. We expanded our footprint in the upper room and it was looking great when I left to collect my car. Then I headed to the beach briefly before joining friends at the bar. I took with me 60 25c coins which had been taking up space in my kitchen. This caused people to take pity on me as they imagined I might be a well-dressed beggar. I struggled to spend the coins as so many people bought me drinks!

I awoke this morning to the news that my brother Richard had lost his job. he’d had to endure stressful relations with management for a while so he was able to view this as a release! I hope he finds as bright a future as I have.

I spent the morning trying to sort a rough schedule of things I must do next week when I visit UK. I will meet up with family in the London area but also speak the eulogy at the funeral of Sir William Hayward in Shrewsbury Abbey. After that I will head to Sheffield for 2 days before returning to London. I fly on Monday so perhaps today is the only day when I can think about washing clothes and packing. I’ll start now.

Bye!

 

Monday started a strange week in which most of my work colleagues continued their disappearing acts whilst I soldiered on with liturgical demands.

Now that the weekend was completed I was able to spend Monday and Tuesday relaxing at the beach and then going in for a funeral on the Monday evening and the wedding anniversary Mass of one of my singers. During the latter Vivian sang Edith Piaf’s Hymne a l’Amour to her husband! Two of her pupils also sang Pie Jesu by Lloyd Webber, an odd choice you might think, and you’d be right!

On Wednesday I was able to spend a few hours at the beach before venturing to work to prepare for choir practice. I had agreed with publishers OCP to pilot a new psalm resource. In the office I looked at the psalm for Epiphany and decided to re-write the accompaniment and some of the vocal rhythms. we then struggled to learn it so I provided a recording the next day.

Thursday was a housework day and then I went in to prepare the Vigil Mass for the Mother of God celebrations. The Pastor preached at this Mass and those the following day. He did a great job with the Aaronic blessing and was impressed by the ‘New Years Eve’ organ piece by Bach with 365 notes placed over 12 bars! Less impressed was one family by Messiaen’s Le Verbe from La Nativite. Their youngest child declared it was ripped off from some cartoon character’s theme music!

A recent parishioner approached me with a request to get involved with a recording project of the music of Stefan Grappelli and Django Rheinhart. I would definitely consider this when the request is put in writing!

I visited the ‘front Porch’ during the afternoon which I had previously found to be closed. Today it offered a great welcome of fine beer and food. Then I dropped closer to home and sampled further delights at Charann’s Bar and at the Longbar.

My sleep on New Years Eve had been hugely disturbed by the explosive fireworks all across the Bay. I was delighted that my next night’s sleep was better, if alcohol induced!

Saturday began mid morning doing some prep at the office before a midday wedding followed by lunch at a Chinese Restaurant and back for more work and the usual run of Vigil Masses for the weekend.

It was the weekend of the Holy Family so I sang John Bell’s ‘The Family’ after Communion. I had so many requests from wet-eyed parishioners for the source that it must have been OK. Clever guy, that JLB!

On my way into work I found one of my brothers on skype and had a brief conversation agreeing to ring back later. When I did call back the whole family was assembled at my mum’s place. It was a great surprise to see my twin brother Andy. Of course, I suspected that he would be there, but he is the only member not on skype and I hadn’t seen him for months. in addition I hadn’t caught sight of him in Bethan’s initial pan of the gathering. Seeing your family on the Feast of the Holy Family makes for good moments!

I was blessed by the few Cantors still in Tampa doubling up to take more than one Mass. I was able to thank the choir for their very generous gift to me and in return got a bag of chocs and cookies. I really must stop thanking people!

After the final Mass of the morning (actually the 12.30pm) I went out for lunch and then to Goodwill where I bought some cookbooks and a CD of Liszt organ music!  Then I returned to the office to do some work. the publishing company OCP has asked us to pilot some new psalm/gospel acclamation material. It only arrived a few days ago but I think I’ll start using it at Epiphany. I had do some work on it to make it usable for us … thanks to Finale music programmes!

After 4o years in the liturgical music business you might have thought I would have seen everything. So might I too, but at the start of tonight’s 7pm Mass the young Cantor stood up to sing and a slightly late-arrival woman approached her from behind and fingered her blouse as she was interested in the quality of the material. this so distracted me that I lost my place completely in the opening hymn but the dear lady then proceeded to the front benches ready to be a Eucharistic minister later on!

I spent the last hours of my downtime relaxing with a St Emilion and some cheese. Tomorrow will feel like I am finally on the holiday (which my colleagues have been enjoying for days already). All being well I’ll head off with the kayak.

 

 

 

Tuesday was a heavy workday starting with carol-singing at an old peoples’ home in Tampa. Unfortunately I had been given the wrong address so it took me 25 minutes to discover where I ought to be! In the event I was still early … my dad would have ben proud!

Then it was back to the office before taking up an invitation to lunch from the seniors’ club at St Lawrence. During the afternoon I bought more equipment for the church. A few weeks ago I had bought a PA system from Goodwill for $30 and now decided to purchase new cables and various connectors to make it suit our purposes. I returned to set it up for testing the following morning.

The rest of the day was spent in last minute preparations for choir practice, the last before Christmas. After the rehearsal I was able to do a detailed rehearsal with our soloist for ‘O Holy Night’.

On Wednesday morning I met with our tech guy to test the sound system for the first Mass of Christmas in Higgins Hall. We were both baffled as to why it did not work. I had followed the instructions of the guy in the shop (except for one detail). we contacted the shop and out he came and spotted our simple error instantly. Now more relaxed I was able to prepare for the staff Christmas lunch and the carols immediately preceding that. The meal was excellent and was followed by presents. Each member of staff was asked to buy something for $20 and bring it anonymously to the party. What followed was rather complicated but the results was that my present, a bottle of single malt (more than $20!), a teaspoon and a couple of vocation to the priesthood leaflets became rather desirable. In the final moments I lost a remote controlled helicopter and ended up with a wonderful paella set. My whiskey changed hands several times.

During the afternoon I had a brief meeting and then returned home for a rest.

On Thursday I awoke from a good sleep and was in work by midday. The Deacon wanted to do a final check of the sound system and then the Pastor had ‘an idea’. Of course all this happens when you are running out of time to put the finishing touches to the trumpet parts  but you just have to oblige. At 3pm I had a rehearsal with a scratch choir for the Mass and also for the preceding nativity play. All went well and the new microphones and system made all the effort worthwhile. The Mass was attended by well over 1000 parishioners which was way it was transferred to the Higgins Hall. The whole thing was done with great organisation and dignity. My arrangement of Silent Night received instant applause which was both gratifying and inappropriate! At the end of Mass there then began the task of transporting all the gear back to the church. The promised group of helpers did not materialise and it was left to one usher, myself and some conscripts.

Back at the church I had to sort everything and establish what I needed for the next Mass and set up. By the time the Cantor arrived to rehearse I was beginning to ‘glow’ but was delighted that she had done her preparation and the rehearsal was short. The Mass went well and after a quick ‘Dieu parmi nous’ by Messiaen I adjourned to an American restaurant for something to eat. I had not eaten since 9am and it was now 8pm. Then I returned to the office to assemble music for the midnight Mass. News came through that 2 men would be absent struck down by some malady. One was the soloist for ‘O Holy Night’. I substituted this for Bernadette Farrell’s ‘Peace Child’ sung by Amanda who had earlier sung this on the radio.

The Mass went well and the choir were singled out for warm thanks. I was back home by 1.45am but could not sleep so had a quick slurp before hitting the sack.

Fortunately my friend Marty had offered to cover the first Mass at 7.30am so I was able to grab more sleep than I had expected and awoke at 8.15am. I was in church by 9am for a rehearsal with the Cantor and then the three Masses at 9.30, 11 and 1230. Then I was free!

One of our instrumentalists had invited me to share dinner with them. The meal was wonderful as the host, our flautist Jessica and her family, was a more than proficient chef. I left at 6pm but was too late to contact my family so I adjourned to the bar where I met up with friends.

I was back at a reasonable hour and had a gentle reparation for sleep which I am sure will come at once!

Merry Christmas, to all my readers!