I wanna take you to an Open Day!

I believe I can write a few thousand words on the open days at Plas Brynkir and it still won't be anywhere near a conclusive description of the rush. The 14th of August was THE Open Day- when all members of the public, interested in the project, would come and want a guided tour of the site and finds. The day started off early with Mark's instruction as to how we would proceed during the tours. The unfinished work from the day before was still waiting for us on the drawing table and as we were working the first eager visitors came at about 10.20- 40 minutes before the official start of the Open Day. The weather was still indecisive as to how to behave and we were all feeling the growing realization that this was the last day. If I recall correctly Rosie started the first tour, while Alex, Stephen, Kate and I were finishing the remaining work. After the first tour was begun the day took on its own pace. More and more people were coming and only by faith's sudden whim I was at the front door of the hostel as a special guest walked in and Mark wanted me to give a private tour of the site. At about the same time Alex was giving a 2-hour long tour of the site to Michael Tree( Gosh, I do hope I am misspelling this name!). At the end of the official part of this day a sufficient part of us were gathered at the bbq spot at the back of the hostel- enjoying the warm caress of the sun and comforting company of people who had seen your worst- well, my worst in all cases. We finished the day together with Mark, Adam and Linda at a restaurant in the house where the last member of the Brynkir family had died. It was a fun evening indeed. But enough with the sloppy, tedious storied of our days. I want to get serious now! And what is being serious anyway... Spending what was almost a month with this group of people wasn't amazing, it wasn't surreal, it probably won't be a once in a life time experience. It was what happens when a weirdo, such as myself, finds a place to fit in. Arguing, sharing, getting to know others in a way reserved for just a few is a privilege that demands appreciation. We didn't only fell in love with the hostel and the site; we fell in love with being there, touching the stones and unraveling a forgotten story. And I believe whoever goes back there next year will feel the same, time and time again. White hats, yellow hats, and no hats at all we laid out the pathway for the coming years of the project and hopefully Mark won't forget the devotion we showed to Brynkir's story any time soon. Mainly because no one likes being forgotten. And Mark... Oh, that wonderful person! As I look back on that month with him as a project director I see that most of all he taught us how to be ourselves more than anything else. Goodbye, Brynkir, my first archaeological love!