Home Sweet Home

Sunday Morning: 5am

The drizzly rain softly hits my face and body as I embrace the clock tower. The drunk dancers have gone. The silence I had longed for last night is with me. I am free to play. My legs and arms cling to the stone surface. I kiss and caress the building. My velvety green dress is soaked and clings to me like a second skin. Like a moss covered stone I grip the castle.

The porter is watching me in the fountain. I climb the ornate, gold fishes to have a kiss with the embellished gold heron. We embrace. I kiss all four gold fishes on their cold gold lips.

Two stone lions flank the main entrance. I share a long embrace with both. A kiss on their stony mane follows the cwtch.

Finally, I kneel at the Castles main entrance. Arms sprawled so that they nearly reach both side of the doorway. My face rests on the cold, wet marble. I close my eyes and meditatively contemplate this building. Caressing the steps. I part the building with three extra kisses for each step.

The castle is now blessed.

Settling In

Arriving at the castle laden with bags, I was warmly welcomed by the reception staff. The area was buzzing with excitement as the bride and a swarm of bridesmaids made their way in. I hadn’t imagined there’d be a marriage taking place today. It had been my intentions to settle in and explore the castle. I now had to make sure I avoided this holly union. As I unpacked the guests gossiped below my window. Gazing at them I realise they are all from my hometown; they see me at my window and recognise me. Greeting each other with waves I then hang out of my window to congratulate the groom on his big day. Turns out he’s the boy I used to smoke on the back of the bus with when I was sweet sixteen.

Mid afternoon the receptionist brings a long lost friend up to my room. Bright, strong women surround me. My workmates, playmates, who over the next few days will watch me climb trees, sing and play. My room has two oddly tall single beds. Very Victorian. You genuinely have to climb into your bed. Once I’ve reached the mattress I feel small, mischievous and childlike.

At teatime we head to the grounds. By this point we have had a chance meeting with the writer on the project, and all head off to the rhododendrons. The bark is soft and wet underneath my bare feet, but I have a firm grip and feel safe. Perched in the tree I lean back and imagine tomorrow, when I will wear my special green velvet dress and reach out towards the ground. Bridging the gap between tree and ground.