Sunday 10 September, 6:00pm

Service surprisingly uneventful: very few mistakes. Antony completed his tidying and sorting while I was marking up the next load of hymn sheets from Gwen’s master list, upon which it was a profound relief to me to find nothing with five flats and not a single instance of Amazing Grace. I am not entirely happy, though, about the two Bach settings for Advent – they are quite tricky for the fingers, so I will suggest to Gwen that even Antony cannot manage all four parts simultaneously, despite his Cathedral background. But I certainly approve of the Orlando Gibbons, which is in F major (only one flat) and very easy to play. And no Graham Kendrick! I didn’t manage to speak to Gwen after the service, for she was closeted in the clergy vestry with Antony. He seemed very excited that he has finished the tidying job, for he was even shriller than usual. Sometimes Antony is quite pathetic.