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prue batten's avatar

My God, I loved this piece.

Partly because of hiraeth, which I've addressed before and which in its own way sustained me on husband's and my many moves. I would deliberately look for places that stilled my sense of longing and calmed my heartache. It worked to a degree and I have such good memories of those places even now.

The other thing I relate to is the radio - bingo!

My uncle gave me a transistor (this was in the days of AM and shortwave radio) and I would lie in bed at night, covers up (bingo again) tuning it to shortwave and being exhilarated that I could listen to overseas broadcasting across the globe!

Is it the privilege of age that we open up these memories, read them, revel in them and then fold them up and pack them away? No, I don't think so. When we get together as a family, I LOVE hearing my adult kids saying 'Do you remember?' and then off they'd go telling stories which would have us all in fits of laughter.

Newfoundland looks beautiful and so Scandinavian. I expected a heavy Scots heritage there, not Irish. I can relate to how at home you felt there. It's a soul-deep thing, Sue and perhaps that feeling deserves to be an enigma and to remain unravelled. All the more special for being so.

A beautiful piece of writing - worth waiting for. Thank you so much.

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Sue Sutherland-Wood's avatar

Always, always you understand my writing, Prue - and ME! I will re-read your comments many times. Thank you xo

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Rebecca Holden's avatar

Oh! Such a wonderful read! Heimweh, hiraeth, nostalgia, the pull of home; what home IS, what home MEANS.

*happy sigh*

Your writing is beautiful, Sue. This post has wrapped me in a cocoon of thoughts - of loving and missing places, times and people - the special things. xxx

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Sue Sutherland-Wood's avatar

Thank you Rebecca - this means a lot coming from a kindred spirit like your good self. I am always so pleased when people relate to my writing and feel that perhaps I am not (completely) mad after all, lol!

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Rebecca Holden's avatar

Kindred spirits indeed, Sue! ❤️

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Cathy W's avatar

Hi Sue. You've brought back all of the joyful feelings, one Christmas morning, that came with my transistor radio.

My sister's was black plastic and the style in the pic here. Mine was the shape of a brick and had a body of tan coloured leather. Two snaps at the back to open

, and a handle on top. My radio had a mellow, not sharp, sound. Of course I was finding wonderful stations while under the covers at night. Thanks for the memories. CW

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Sue Sutherland-Wood's avatar

Thanks so much and happy to see you here!!

And doesn't it seem like another century ago now? xo

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Lori Campbell's avatar

Awww. I’m so touched. And I have no doubt our moms would have been great friends too. ❤️

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Lori Campbell's avatar

Sue, what a truly lovely piece. I see so much of your mom in you, from that wonderful photo. How proud she’d be of you, and the stories you share through your writing. ❤️

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Sue Sutherland-Wood's avatar

Thanks for this, Lor I truly appreciate the support you've always given me. And I always plant Morning Glories each year for both of our moms xo

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Jen Brown's avatar

For a few years as a tween I lived where tv wasn't available so it was radio.....to this day lI own a radio. Your piece brought back so many voices. From Stomping Tom to Perry Como to the Rolling Stones .No videos to tell you how the music "looked" it was my Interpretation , Love your voice/view of the world

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Sue Sutherland-Wood's avatar

Thank you for sharing - this means the world xo

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Kat's avatar

I loved this piece so much. I find myself drawn to the period of my life where my current self believes there was possibility and choices and hope. I am not sure I felt that when I was living it the first time around, but I remember it that way now. Xo

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Sue Sutherland-Wood's avatar

Thank you for this, Kat - always affirming to know it's not just me :)

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DT North's avatar

So well written - the best. Thank you.

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Sue Sutherland-Wood's avatar

Always so supportive - you're the best!

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Mary B's avatar

What a beautiful place Newfoundland must be, and your mum's England, and everything in between. Your nostalgia hit a note with me - yesterday my husband and I saw 1960s-era transistor radios at an estate sale, the radios with the perforated front where the speaker was. It brought back such a wave. I ride a lot of those waves. I also love the portrait photo of your mom. So beautiful, too.

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Sue Sutherland-Wood's avatar

Thank you Mary B.

So much.

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J. Bruce Parker's avatar

I recall a transistor radio with pull out antenna which would go into the reachs of radio station CKLW in Windsor, but it was the music of Detroit, specifically Motown, which was so captivating.

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Sue Sutherland-Wood's avatar

I loved CKLW too!

Jingle was: "MotorCityBest!"

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Catherine Morrisey's avatar

A little transistor radio under the covers picked up stations from the world outside our borders. So thrilling. I lived for a year in a hut in the bush. A hiker loaned me a transistor radio overnight. I was thrilled to listen to AM radio from Seattle. Fabulous music in the dark woods lifts the lid off your brain.

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