Farewell Chartwell

I found a small window inbetween work shifts to do one last afternoon at Chartwell today. It was a figurative and literal damp squib, with 16 people through the door in three and half hours. But I very much enjoyed shooting the breeze with my volunteer, Mary, who is one of those people who is Chartwell through and through. I'm not a very sentimental person but I did allow myself a spot a reminiscience. There were times when the job drove me crazy but it wasn't all bad by any stretch of the imagination. I think the job generally gave me more confidence in working with the public which can only be a positive thing moving forward.

A precocious and inquisitive young boy asked a few questions. One of them concerned a giant plant near the waterfall. I confidently informed him that it was "gunnera manicata" which is basically a form of giant rhubarb. I realised later that I'd made a note of that on the day I walked up to the house for my interview four years ago and never thought about it again until today when I was asked about it for the first time.

I will miss my colleagues who I largely had a very positive working relationship with and were kind enough to get me a card and a bottle of Sir Winston Churchill's favourite champagne. I'm not really a champagne drinker but will make an exception on this occasion. I'll save it for Christmas though.

I certainly won't rule out coming back some day. Perhaps when being a National Trust steward is a more age appropriate activity.