This is so beautifully written. It has the character development and scene setting of fiction with the rich depth of a true story. I would have gladly kept reading all day!
Sarah your kind comment means the world! I was so unsure about writing something outside of my usual ramblings… thank you so much, I’m delighted you enjoyed it 🙏🏽💛X
Stunning writing! I love how you slowed down time, describing the scene in such detail ~ minus the tumbleweed is particularly memorable ~ where ordinary elements come alive by noticing them, giving them space to simply be there, the time and space of a moment waiting for the beloved daughter (in stark contrast to the less fortunate young ones hiding under their hoodies). Simply gorgeous!
Haha, many thanks Lin, hoodies (up) do seem to give a certain aura to a person don't they! I'm so glad you enjoyed it, many thanks for taking the time to read! 🙏🏼
This is gorgeous as ever Susie. I have a day off today after working on Friday and I have enjoyed reading of ghosts and drug dealers and of joyous reunion 💛 you are a wonderful storyteller. Much love x
That means a lot after reading your brilliant and beautiful story the other day Emily, thank you so much - I wish I had your imagination! The eeriness of Capdenac station would inspire many stories if that were the case!
I am preparing myself for a days (practice) hiking tomorrow, 167 children are coming too! Next week I am away for three days with the same children for a three day hike... you can tell me how mad I am if I return in one piece! 🙃 xx
We had a station like this in North Wales -- only crossed at a point on the tracks -- though the main trrain came and went on the same track and the far one was narrow gauge for a steam railway. T
he mix of elation and shadow in this piece is wonderful.
Thank you Jan, I find these small French stations are all very similar, single tracks with one crossing and more than a little eerie! I'm delighted you enjoyed this piece, I was very uncertain it would be well received being so different to my usual posts.
I do hope you have the same beautiful weather as we do here - have lovely week xx
Huge thanks Holly, that means the world coming from you! I hesitated over posting this though... as one does with something different. As I said to Kimberly, I think a fiction write would have done more justice to this story... I just wrote what I saw - I so love that you enjoyed it!
The metaphors abound, the poetry is prose sings: "There are sheds in various stages of dilapidation on the side of the line at the far end of the platform, over grown with weeds, wind-swept plastic too, caught in railings and unkempt trees. Most, I think, are unused. An air of abandonment is present, as if even the ghosts have hitched a ride on a passing train."
I have been so looking forward to reading about your reunion with your daughter Susie. This "obscura" kept me on the edge of my seat, in both wondering what was going to happen and also waiting for your beloved daughter. And what a relief and a felt sense of that hug when she arrives. Brilliant. Thank you. ❤️xx
Aaah Jo, we had the most giggly girlie weekend imaginable...the boys were present but mostly uninterested in taking part which was fine by us - it passed far too quickly as always and now I'm counting days again until she returns in July... hopefully!
I am delighted you enjoyed this little wander away from my normal journal type posts - Im never sure if its a good idea or not! 🤷🏻♀️
I like you wandering away from your wanders Susie. I am actually always intrigued by the other moments in your life that are sustained and invigorated by your walks in the hills. xx
Attentive, patient, quieting prose Susie. Your words never fail to offer my own mind immediate time-space travel; peering from your daughter’s window, the sound of my own feet walking through eerie silent streets, the curious shiver of a human encounter, and finally the warmth of your daughter’s embrace. Thank you for taking me on this sweet little trip!
I especially love that you felt that closing of distance Kimberly! While I was walking I imagined Rosie's train moving through the countryside towards me - I imagined fearful things too but mostly I just counted, steps and minutes... I am not sure I did justice to the eeriness of the station, a fiction writer would have been far more illustrative of a station that beckons stories - but as always I send a big thank you for your loveliness!
Jeannine you're so very appreciated, thank you for always taking a moment of your precious time to read and add your thoughtful comments. I hope your week is a kind one. 💛
Speaking of daughters visiting, I got so behind on everything while mine was here for ten days that I have only quickly glanced at your past two posts. I decided just to move on and really plunge into this one, not knowing what the subject would be. I chose well! You are most observant -- I'm not sure I would have noticed either dealing situation, but perhaps the Capdenac one.
I once had to wait at that station because of some train dysfunction and take a bus back to Rodez. I actually have a photo somewhere similar to yours...it is an especially eerie train station, I find. And Capdenac has always intrigued me, but I've never bothered to stop.
Huge thanks Betty, Capdenac station is a little eerie, I completely agree, especially when it is deserted which it invariably is when my daughter arrives home... I think a fiction writer would have a field day there!
Time spent with your daughter is far more important than reading anything here, I quite understand, I was exactly the same... every second counts when we see them so infrequently.
As for visiting Capdenac, hmmm... I'd head for Capdenac le Haut by preference!
A pleasure Deirdre, I love your endless ability to capture a moment in words, I was inspired - its not often I am anywhere at all where I can watch people rather than plants and animals!
Leah, thank you very much for taking the time to read this piece. I think often the ordinary moments, that we overlook for that exact reason, are often the most captivating when written down. I am thrilled you felt this... 🙏🏼
This is so beautifully written. It has the character development and scene setting of fiction with the rich depth of a true story. I would have gladly kept reading all day!
Sarah your kind comment means the world! I was so unsure about writing something outside of my usual ramblings… thank you so much, I’m delighted you enjoyed it 🙏🏽💛X
A beautiful telling of tiny moments that have been stretched to fill that, always terribly long, waiting time, Susie.
Stunning writing! I love how you slowed down time, describing the scene in such detail ~ minus the tumbleweed is particularly memorable ~ where ordinary elements come alive by noticing them, giving them space to simply be there, the time and space of a moment waiting for the beloved daughter (in stark contrast to the less fortunate young ones hiding under their hoodies). Simply gorgeous!
Connections. The beloved, the ironies, poignant, the other young laughter at risk under eerie light, contemporary with France; quite some writing.👍👍
Philip, you have a knack for seeing the in-between for which I am eternally grateful... my thanks, illuminated minus the eeriness! 🙏🏼
A wonderful piece of writing Susie - you told it beautifully. I felt like I was there looking on from the shadows...but not in a hoodie!
Haha, many thanks Lin, hoodies (up) do seem to give a certain aura to a person don't they! I'm so glad you enjoyed it, many thanks for taking the time to read! 🙏🏼
This is gorgeous as ever Susie. I have a day off today after working on Friday and I have enjoyed reading of ghosts and drug dealers and of joyous reunion 💛 you are a wonderful storyteller. Much love x
That means a lot after reading your brilliant and beautiful story the other day Emily, thank you so much - I wish I had your imagination! The eeriness of Capdenac station would inspire many stories if that were the case!
I am preparing myself for a days (practice) hiking tomorrow, 167 children are coming too! Next week I am away for three days with the same children for a three day hike... you can tell me how mad I am if I return in one piece! 🙃 xx
We had a station like this in North Wales -- only crossed at a point on the tracks -- though the main trrain came and went on the same track and the far one was narrow gauge for a steam railway. T
he mix of elation and shadow in this piece is wonderful.
Thank you Jan, I find these small French stations are all very similar, single tracks with one crossing and more than a little eerie! I'm delighted you enjoyed this piece, I was very uncertain it would be well received being so different to my usual posts.
I do hope you have the same beautiful weather as we do here - have lovely week xx
Oh my goodness, I loved this, Susie. It’s always wonderful to discover another facet of a writer you love. Fantastic storytelling here!!
Huge thanks Holly, that means the world coming from you! I hesitated over posting this though... as one does with something different. As I said to Kimberly, I think a fiction write would have done more justice to this story... I just wrote what I saw - I so love that you enjoyed it!
The metaphors abound, the poetry is prose sings: "There are sheds in various stages of dilapidation on the side of the line at the far end of the platform, over grown with weeds, wind-swept plastic too, caught in railings and unkempt trees. Most, I think, are unused. An air of abandonment is present, as if even the ghosts have hitched a ride on a passing train."
That "hitching a ride" -- grand!
Mary, bless you for your time and loveliness in commenting... I wonder, just how many ghosts with a ride on a train? x
I have been so looking forward to reading about your reunion with your daughter Susie. This "obscura" kept me on the edge of my seat, in both wondering what was going to happen and also waiting for your beloved daughter. And what a relief and a felt sense of that hug when she arrives. Brilliant. Thank you. ❤️xx
Aaah Jo, we had the most giggly girlie weekend imaginable...the boys were present but mostly uninterested in taking part which was fine by us - it passed far too quickly as always and now I'm counting days again until she returns in July... hopefully!
I am delighted you enjoyed this little wander away from my normal journal type posts - Im never sure if its a good idea or not! 🤷🏻♀️
I hope you're having a good week! xx
I like you wandering away from your wanders Susie. I am actually always intrigued by the other moments in your life that are sustained and invigorated by your walks in the hills. xx
Attentive, patient, quieting prose Susie. Your words never fail to offer my own mind immediate time-space travel; peering from your daughter’s window, the sound of my own feet walking through eerie silent streets, the curious shiver of a human encounter, and finally the warmth of your daughter’s embrace. Thank you for taking me on this sweet little trip!
I especially love that you felt that closing of distance Kimberly! While I was walking I imagined Rosie's train moving through the countryside towards me - I imagined fearful things too but mostly I just counted, steps and minutes... I am not sure I did justice to the eeriness of the station, a fiction writer would have been far more illustrative of a station that beckons stories - but as always I send a big thank you for your loveliness!
Love your writing Susie! Every simple moment takes on so much, through your beautiful descriptions of place and time.
Jeannine you're so very appreciated, thank you for always taking a moment of your precious time to read and add your thoughtful comments. I hope your week is a kind one. 💛
Thank you Susie. Same to you!
Speaking of daughters visiting, I got so behind on everything while mine was here for ten days that I have only quickly glanced at your past two posts. I decided just to move on and really plunge into this one, not knowing what the subject would be. I chose well! You are most observant -- I'm not sure I would have noticed either dealing situation, but perhaps the Capdenac one.
I once had to wait at that station because of some train dysfunction and take a bus back to Rodez. I actually have a photo somewhere similar to yours...it is an especially eerie train station, I find. And Capdenac has always intrigued me, but I've never bothered to stop.
As always, an evocative post.
Huge thanks Betty, Capdenac station is a little eerie, I completely agree, especially when it is deserted which it invariably is when my daughter arrives home... I think a fiction writer would have a field day there!
Time spent with your daughter is far more important than reading anything here, I quite understand, I was exactly the same... every second counts when we see them so infrequently.
As for visiting Capdenac, hmmm... I'd head for Capdenac le Haut by preference!
I've never been to any part of it except to drive through. It's interesting how it's divided in different parts.
Two very different parts, almost town and country!
Aren't there even three? Capdenac Port, Capdenac Gare, and Capdenac-le-Haut? Or are they subparts of a larger Capdenac?
I think the Capdenac Port is considered part of the main town… I could be wrong though!
Thanks for the mention Susie! And I love how a drive to the train-station contains so much.
A pleasure Deirdre, I love your endless ability to capture a moment in words, I was inspired - its not often I am anywhere at all where I can watch people rather than plants and animals!
You are such a good writer Susie. It's a pleasure to read you.
Jeez, stop, you're too kind and much missed Jonathan, I am looking forward to your next post!
Such compelling descriptions of what might otherwise be dismissed as just ordinary.
Leah, thank you very much for taking the time to read this piece. I think often the ordinary moments, that we overlook for that exact reason, are often the most captivating when written down. I am thrilled you felt this... 🙏🏼
Agree. And you capture them beautifully.
Bless you… 🙏🏼