The park bench pal who I helped to survive lockdown - Fiona Duff

You know how you have a friend that you ‘saw through’ lock down.

Well, I don’t think that I was top of anyone’s chart, although to be honest it might have been nice.

With a husband and daughter at home, a son and his girlfriend at the end of our garden and her sisters and family appearing at all times we had an extended bubble that was actually quite fun.

Add a puppy chosen at beginning of 2022 and it wasn’t far off Little House On The Prairie. Without checked patterned dresses obviously.

Yes, you can bond over difficulties with your dogs

Anyway, there were those that I was aware that didn’t have this immediate group.

One friend I had met up regularly with our dogs at a canine-friendly establishment in the centre of town over several year was such a person.

We worked in a similar field, so there would be a bit of bitching about whoever had recently annoyed us then a few recommendations on what we were watching on streaming platforms – I cannot commend his recommendation of the Kominsky Method more – and finally, as the wine hit perhaps, a list of people to be lined up against the wall should the revolution come.

For the past couple of years that has calmed down to a walk with a flask of coffee, occasionally a bottle of wine on a park bench like so many others, and just a general, unspoken need to be of support to each other. There perhaps wasn’t anything else we could do.

However, it cemented a friendship where we now talk about problems with our parents – we are of an age where they now need the care that they gave us. Or oddly to some, difficulties with our dogs.

But it makes me warm to know that I feel needed, especially as any advice given to my children is described as "weird” and I feel rather redundant as a parent.

See you on the park bench mate. You know who you are.