So that's it. No more Gillette. *weeps* We did everything we're supposed to that day, then closed up for the last time and... bang. it was over. I took advantage of not coming back to break all sorts of rules before we opened up... after discovering that the door to the roof was not locked (earlier in the year) I invited Allie to walk out onto it with me, across to what is called the "secret room", a room only accessible from there and an out-of-commission, pull-down staircase. The secret room is an "off-limits" place... no one's seen it in about seven years (since the restoration of the castle). So, to celebrate our time together with Gilly, we strolled out across the dangerously frail metal plates with cameras in our hands. Allie commented that it was a good thing she wasn't afraid of heights, so I asked (being somewhat more frightened then she was) "are you afraid of death?" But we made it out ok.
After work, everyone (or almost everyone) headed over to the Pattaconk pub and diner for a meal... which was horrible, as it turned out (two of the meals were twenty minutes late, and some of the food simply didn't arrive). Buuuuut... at least I got to say goodbye to everyone. The Nivers hugged me a couple of times before departing, and took my address so they could send me stuff in England (I already had their address because I am a stalker, and I looked it up). Their parting gift to me was an album of photos which show them in various costumes (which I will scan for fb, and put here if anyone cares to see them as Sherlockians). It was a little awkward with a couple of the guys; generally, the men who work at the Castle are a sub par and dorky (with one exception: Peter the retiree was a lot of fun and really nice). Martha and Rosalie, two little old ladies of about 60-something invited me to have tea with them on the 21st, so I'll be getting a call from one of them fairly soon :) At last Allie (only other girl at the castle who is my age) drove me home, and had a cup of tea in my Kitchen before heading back off to Bolton where she lives (a LONG commute). We're getting together too, before I leave on Nov. 2nd.
...and of course, I will shortly post photos of the secret room here (hopefully, by the end of the day). Done it! And a few other pics, for good measure.
View of the park from the tower balcony.
RENEGADE. Out on to the roof we go!
The facade... because the building is supposed to look like a ruin.
Door to the secret room.
Ewwww... ceilings need to be redone.
One of only three fireplaces in the home!
I strongly suspect that this is the legendary rooftop garden.
Last evening party... I was sitting between Allie (dark haired girl with fish and chips) and Martha (short brown hair... looking away from the camera). Will is the balding blond (LOL ergh) in the foreground, and Matt is wearing the light blue shirt. I am slightly uncomfortable around both of them.
LOVE YOU, NIVERS ♥♥forever
One last little thing, before I head off... because I was bored yesterday and in denial about how much packing I have to do, I took a pitch from
this entry at
221b_bakerst and created my own Sherlock Holmes manip:
That is all. Now I am off to box my things *grumbleweep*