Ray with Clare
I took this little series of photos when Clare came on one of her visits to us. We lost her in May this year - that's the kindest vocabulary I can use.
I have, and will have, of course, my sorrowful moments, but I recently gave myself a 'talking-to' to try hard to prioritize memories of the joyful and happy times.
This visit was in January 2015 and Clare, in her usual spirit, undertook the challenge of the long journey down from Glasgow to us in the south of England by train, bringing with her one of her former foster dogs, Flo whose owners were on holiday and had asked Clare to dogsit for them.
We all had a lovely few days together. We still had our Cairn terrier, Jinks, and it was funny: not always the friendliest of dogs, he however welcomed Flo who, in return, treated him with great disdain. I remember them sitting on opposite ends of the sofa, backs to each other.
Clare fostered around 20 rescue dogs and found new owners for them. This was in addition to her regular university admin work, her silversmithing in 'rose madder' and, last but not least, living in a 2nd floor tenement flat, house-training dogs using a communal garden down several stairs.
I'll always remember Clare's pro-active attitude to life despite her own personal challenges.
Ray with Clare
I took this little series of photos when Clare came on one of her visits to us. We lost her in May this year - that's the kindest vocabulary I can use.
I have, and will have, of course, my sorrowful moments, but I recently gave myself a 'talking-to' to try hard to prioritize memories of the joyful and happy times.
This visit was in January 2015 and Clare, in her usual spirit, undertook the challenge of the long journey down from Glasgow to us in the south of England by train, bringing with her one of her former foster dogs, Flo whose owners were on holiday and had asked Clare to dogsit for them.
We all had a lovely few days together. We still had our Cairn terrier, Jinks, and it was funny: not always the friendliest of dogs, he however welcomed Flo who, in return, treated him with great disdain. I remember them sitting on opposite ends of the sofa, backs to each other.
Clare fostered around 20 rescue dogs and found new owners for them. This was in addition to her regular university admin work, her silversmithing in 'rose madder' and, last but not least, living in a 2nd floor tenement flat, house-training dogs using a communal garden down several stairs.
I'll always remember Clare's pro-active attitude to life despite her own personal challenges.