Christ Church...in my dreams!

I have to write this down before I forget it. Dreamt I was back at ChCh. Was in Oxford with someone (not sure who) and I wanted to show him my old college. So we turn up there and I go to the Porter's Lodge (visitors have to go through the Gate in the Meadow and pay). Tell him I'm an old Houseman and I want to go visiting (ChCh's known as The House...but u have to say it in a really snooty accent...think Hice!!!). The Porter's standing in the middle of the room by a high desk that is totally covered with old registers and other books. We're looking through some of these as he tries to find the register that will prove I'm who I say I am. Give him my name and he's looking me up in the books but can't find me. Oh, suddenly dawns on me, that's my married name, sorry, you'll find me under XXXXXXXX (and I give him my maiden name). There you are. My name is next to another girl's with little spaces lined out below for signing in. She's pretty much filled in all the spaces with her signature...there's just one left for me to use. I didn't know they keep books like this? I sign and he lets us in.

It must be winter cos there's snow all across the front quad. We traipse through the snow towards the dining room (as featured in the Harry Potter films...just for info!)....and into the Hall before the Dining Hall...except it's not. There's a big table in front of square, wooden doors that open into a tunnel. This must be the way in now I think. We open the doors but there are bags and clothes blocking the tunnel. Wonder who these belong to? I start pulling them out and a girl appears and tells me they're hers. Keep pulling the stuff out. There's a couple of bags and some clothes on hangers...well falling off the hangers. I pick up a pile of 4 items - sleeveless tops, I think - and two of the hangers slip out. I'm getting annoyed now as other people are just watching us but not offering to help. Put them all on the big table in the middle of the room and then we climb into and along the tunnel. There's a room at the end and I can see daylight. Looking ahead, from the tunnel, it looks like a room full of toys but, as we get nearer, I see that it's actually plants lining a wall parallel to the end of the tunnel. Light seems to be coming in through windows along the top of the wall. People are wandering around looking at the plants. We climb out and decide to follow the room round to the right.

That takes us into a large room facing some stairs that lead up and to the left. There are two large doors in the right hand corner of the room that should open in the dining room but they're sealed. On the lower flower there are ropes that mark up where the visitors need to queue to gain entry to something. A couple of porters stand at the end of the rope, to the left of the room, collecting money from people. And all the way up the stairs, neatly arranged are the largest glass creatures ever seen.....including some yellow glass bears (I think they were bears!). Oh and that means I must have been dreaming in colour!!! I remember reading about this...a special Glass Animal exhibition is being held here...guess this is it. We have to go under the Cookery (err.....isn't that the kitchen?) to get into the Dining Hall now. Hmmm, I think I know how to get there, follow me....we see a door to the left that leads outside and we go through it......back into the snow....

The person I'm dragging round with me seems a bit reluctant. We don't have to do this. Oh but we do...the Hall is wonderful...all old beams, high ceilings and long trestle tables. I'm sure you'll love it. Yeah, that sounds kind of interesting. Come on then, I'm sure I know how to get there!

I don't know if I ever make it to the Dining Hall cos, as usual, the damn alarm went off. Peculiar cos the layout of the place, in my dreams, is nothing like it is in real life. I have no idea what any of this means...or if I want to know...!!!!! But it was very tough getting out of bed this morning....feel like I've had no sleep at all.....and checking out the college website, I see there's a Gaudy this year....guess I won't make it to that one.....already got an invite back to London (that I'm not sure about) or a chance to go to the Bahamas (ha ha ha).....just need to get a job!!!!!!!