This is part of a new series of blogs entitled Words for Friends, in which I will try to acknowledge some people in my life for whom words of thanks are not nearly enough.
These living epitaphs to my true and lovely friends are published in a random order as fancy takes me.
#9 Clare
Clare is quite simply a rock and my best friend. She is someone I trust and turn to when life becomes tough or we have reason to celebrate.
She is the mother of my son Nathan’s best friend and we have both marveled at how their friendship has remained close, even though they have been geographically separated by 200 miles for the past two years.
When I went through depression, suicidal thoughts and marital problems a year ago, Clare was always there for me.
An abiding memory is of last 31st December with Gill, Clare and I, our four youngest kids and three friends sharing a New Year’s Eve meal.
Then the mutual parental chuckle after reprimanding two of our teenage children for secretly sharing a bottle of champagne together!
Clare and I share much more than parenting: our love of large open spaces, gardening, green issues, social justice, adventure, beer, food and the wilds of Scotland!
We can – and often do – sit and chat for hours about how we can put right all the world’s ills. Before laughing at how serious we become.
Thank you Clare for being a very special person in my life and being such a wonderful friend.
No Time to Think 