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3.9.20

BACK THEN - a story in 100 words

 


 BACK THEN

Grandma was always reminiscing about her youth.

Everything was better ‘back then’ – neighbours looked out for each other, you bought food locally and cooked it yourself, roads were safe to walk along, people read books instead of screens.

We’d smile indulgently and go home to order pizza and watch TV.

 Then the plague came. We helped our neighbours, discovering that the village greengrocer stocked more than we realised, and the corner shop always had toilet rolls. We took our exercise along undiscovered lanes, and someone set up a book swap in the bus-stop.

 We were almost sad when it ended.

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Just found ten minutes to write a story to go with CEAyr's image. Thanks to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioineers so diligently for so many years!  https://rochellewisoff.com

We are in the throes of buying a new kitchen. The one we inherited was installed by the previous tenants themselves, on the cheap, and after two years in this cottage we are still not happy with it. So the time has come - savings aren't earning anything anyway!  Next Monday the contractor moves in to make a proper mess, which in our tiny cottage means we will be eating out for a week, purely in self-defence, you understand.

And one more thing - I HAVE PUBLISHED THE FOURTH AND FINAL BOOK IN MY SERIES!! If you click on the LIVING ROCK blog entry for last week, you can read the prologue, which I hope will encourge you to buy my books, all of which are on Amazon. And if you have already read the first three, click on the book cover top right to buy ROCK FESTIVAL.


28 comments:

  1. I guess that's the challenge of "building back better" -- remembering what we learned in the pandemic about what was important and who we depended on

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    1. Very important. I was interviewed this week by a researcher from Brighton Uni who is compiling research on Covid volunteering - I joined a local group - and his questions made me think about exactly that.

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  2. I won't be sad when it's over, but I'm glad you played!
    Ronda

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    1. Thank you, Ronda, though it doesn't feel much like a game!

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  3. like they say, it's all about perspectives. :)

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  4. There are definitely things I will miss about lockdown, and a few things I will try to hold onto in the future - less screen time is one of them!

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    1. I have used my screen much more, which is really base for the eyes!

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  5. Charming story, Liz. Good luck with the kitchen and the eating out.

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    1. Thanks Bill. I have started clearing the kitchen already!

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  6. I must admit I'm worried about things going back to "normal" from the point of view of people looking out for one another etc.
    I hope your new kitchen install goes okay :-)

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    1. I don't think you need to worry too much - people will always look out for people, it's only the few who don't.

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  7. I really hope that one good thing comes out of this situation. It has been so nice to see people helping each other.
    Good luck with the kitchen!

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    1. It has been lovely, I agree, Dale.
      As for my kitchen, I have already started emptying cupboards, after clearing shelves in the shed to accommodate plates, mixers, tins of food etc.

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  8. Sometimes it takes a bad thing for us to discover good things :) Great take, Liz!

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  9. I wonder if the grandma in your story knew the grandpa in mine :)

    I just finished "Rock Festival" yesterday, and loved it. I was sorry to have to say goodbye to so many old friends :)

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    1. Linda, what a joy to hear you enjoyed Rock Festival, Would you consider leaving a review on am@zon for each book? That would be wonderful!

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  10. Dear Liz,

    We can but hope good comes out of all of this. Good one and all the best with the kitchen.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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  11. There has to be a smidgen of silver lining in such a massive dark cloud.

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  12. Wonderful story, Liz.

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  13. Ha.. yes I recognize part of this... I definitely eat better bread now when I bake it myself... and working from home is clearly better in many ways.

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    1. There is something very satisfying about kneading bread.

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  14. There is always something good in everything, isn't there? In a way, as you illustrated in your story, the pandemic has reset us in so many ways. Good luck with your kitchen!

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  15. I want the end to come, but you have a wonderful outlook. Plants hope in my heart that we really have learned a thing or two about what is valuable.

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  16. Thank you, I'm happy if I lifted your spirits.

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