you are remarkable

It's strange loving someone without a place to put that love -

Ow! What the hell are you using, bloody vinegar?

Can we talk about The New Pinny?

It shows up in E2, I’m thinking Edward and Betty must have sent her things to Darrowby when she decided to stay in E1. So she probably bought/sewed it in Sunderland. The print is lovely, poppy flowers and leaves, but in muted colours. It goes perfectly with her state of mind, she’s vulnerable, worried, trying to get everything back on track and reconnect with Siegfried. But her heart is bleeding.

The poppy is a symbol of peace, healing, sleep and even death because of its sedative effect. But it also represents fruitfulness and fertility. And the poppy also represents love and is often used in romantic gestures.

But most of all the poppy is the symbol of Remembrance Day (11th of November, also called Poppy Day), when the casualties of WW1 and every war after that are honoured and remembered.

To me all this adds up with the story and Audrey’s emotions. She needs to help Siegfried and herself (and also Tristan) to calm down and heal. She and Siegfried need to find their trust in each other again. Under underlying all this, there is the great force of love, a powerful help but also something that scares her because she doesn’t know where it’s heading.

While visitors to the practice were principally there to see the real James Herriot, and were often overcome with excitement to meet him - which always bemused Dad - they were also delighted if Donald Sinclair (better known to them as Siegfried) made an appearance. This of course tickled us as, since we had grown up in and around the practice, Donald and his younger brother Brian (on whom Tristan was based) were like family.

They were a constant presence in our lives, Donald was Jim's godfather and we always referred to him and his wife as "Uncle Donald and Auntie Audrey."

@wgbh, I think it's time for That Talk. Thoughts need to be heard. Questions need to be answered.