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R M Doherty-Allan's avatar

Only getting to read this now, in the midst of tasks, caring and work. A wonderful piece.

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Deborah Sloan's avatar

Thank you Rosina - glad you got to read it.

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Bethany Joy Dawson's avatar

Yes! ‘We are bereft’ for exactly those reasons. Beautiful. Here’s a wild card for you, Truffle Hunters. It’s heartwarming, but niche 😆

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Deborah Sloan's avatar

On your recommendation, I shall be looking into Truffle Hunters!

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Julie Hoey's avatar

Evocative writing Deborah. You notice things, capturing them for us to ponder. So much of this resonates. The double checking of appointment times chimed.

I don't like watching TV but I like watching TV with my husband. But we like different things. I've been trying to watch TV more recently. Not something I thought I'd ever say (spent a lot of time in my twenties watching telly). Last night I watched the end of One Day. I was on my own. I gasped and wept. I rarely see things coming. Weirdly my husband suggested we watch Amandaland on a rare overnight at a seaside hotel. I was reluctant because I enjoyed Motherland. We both laughed a lot. I thought the characters were sympathetically drawn (which matters to me; I don't like cruel humour). Somebody somewhere sounds like my kind of TV. Thanks for the tip. Enjoy this week - you've worked hard for it x

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Deborah Sloan's avatar

Thanks for this Julie! I was thinking about what you said about not liking watching TV but liking watching it with your husband! It is rare for me to watch something on my own or even put the TV on if we're not watching something together. Occasionally if it's something he definitely won't like (he just wasn't in to the Elena Ferrante My Brilliant Friend adaptation, for example), I'll just watch on my iPad. Glad you enjoyed Amandaland - I had concerns too - but I agree there was depth and humanity to it.

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Laura H-M's avatar

Thankyou so much for this piece Deborah, it just hits. Also- now definitely adding ‘Somebody Somewhere’ to my watchlist. And am suggesting Victoria Park for your Dad- smooth flat surface, multiple benches along the way, relatively quiet during weekdays, car park in close proximity to the path…

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Deborah Sloan's avatar

Laura thank you so much for this. I hadn’t thought of Victoria Park, excellent idea. I’d been bemoaning the lack of benches on the Greenway. And do have a go at Somebody Somewhere, I find it strangely moving!

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