What a tender, beautifully-observed piece—full of quiet intimacy, memory, and the strange poetry of everyday things. I love how it captures the way love changes us, not in grand declarations but through the soft repetition of shared meals, feet rubbed without asking, and conversations that meander from Bertrand Russell to Bass Ale to Gruyère. There’s so much affection in the mundane here, which is what makes it extraordinary.
The potato becomes more than a potato, of course—it’s care, adaptation, compromise, even defiance of your younger self’s preferences. And Joe, in all his odd charm, emerges as someone wonderfully real: opinionated, tender, full of facts, a man who smokes and rants and also remembers how you like your dinner.
You write with such warmth and texture. I felt like I was sitting in the kitchen with you both, maybe wiping my hands on a tea towel, watching the butter melt. It’s funny and romantic and quietly sad in places—but mostly, it feels deeply alive.
That was so soft, and well written. It felt like I was a fly on the wall, quietly witnessing the love and intimacy woven into the simplest moments of everyday life.
Love this — as, it turns out, I love everything you write! Glad you and the Midlands, old-liquor-swilling, foot-massaging man found each other. As an American who lived in England before (and lives a quick train ride away from England now), I’m particularly partial to your kind of couple.
Susan! Thank you so dang much! I’m glad you're glad we've found each other and I'm glad you and I did too - like-minds online in similar, distant worlds. But seriously - I feel very lucky to have you reading my things these weeks. Thank you ❤️
What a tender, beautifully-observed piece—full of quiet intimacy, memory, and the strange poetry of everyday things. I love how it captures the way love changes us, not in grand declarations but through the soft repetition of shared meals, feet rubbed without asking, and conversations that meander from Bertrand Russell to Bass Ale to Gruyère. There’s so much affection in the mundane here, which is what makes it extraordinary.
The potato becomes more than a potato, of course—it’s care, adaptation, compromise, even defiance of your younger self’s preferences. And Joe, in all his odd charm, emerges as someone wonderfully real: opinionated, tender, full of facts, a man who smokes and rants and also remembers how you like your dinner.
You write with such warmth and texture. I felt like I was sitting in the kitchen with you both, maybe wiping my hands on a tea towel, watching the butter melt. It’s funny and romantic and quietly sad in places—but mostly, it feels deeply alive.
Thank you for this. Truly.
Gee wiz, it touches me deeply to have my work thought through as you have. Thank you, so very much 🥹❤️
You’re more than welcome. I’m loving your writing so so much 💕
You’ve made me smile! ❤️
Along with making want to be a better writer, you have made me smile too 💕
🥰
😻
That was so soft, and well written. It felt like I was a fly on the wall, quietly witnessing the love and intimacy woven into the simplest moments of everyday life.
🥹 thank you for saying this. Thats just how I was hoping it’d be received ❤️
So grateful for you reading 🙏
Wonderful writing!
Thanks, Howard! 🥰❤️🥲
This made me smile but also feel sad. To have a Joe in your life sounds wonderful.
I wish it on everyone ❤️ Thank you so much for reading, Aristidis ❤️
Love this — as, it turns out, I love everything you write! Glad you and the Midlands, old-liquor-swilling, foot-massaging man found each other. As an American who lived in England before (and lives a quick train ride away from England now), I’m particularly partial to your kind of couple.
Susan! Thank you so dang much! I’m glad you're glad we've found each other and I'm glad you and I did too - like-minds online in similar, distant worlds. But seriously - I feel very lucky to have you reading my things these weeks. Thank you ❤️
^what Lonely Robot said.
🥹🥲 you guys are too sweet ❤️
Brilliant, realistic story about love in relationships
AJ, thank you ❤️ I’m glad to see your name again and so pleased you enjoyed this. It was a dear one to me.