This is a story of grace, heavenly intervention and that which was meant to be;

The year of 2017 was a gruelling year because we unexpectedly and suddenly lost our beloved Patterdale Terrier Lily.

I know that Lily was ‘only’ a dog, but she was also my dear companion. I depended upon her. When she died I was utterly distraught. We all were. It was my elder son Josh and I who had held Lily at her death. My younger son Zach was not there. And did not say good bye to her. This fact is relevant to an occurrence after her death; that I wish to share with you now.

Perhaps its pain that tears down the veil between the worlds? I don’t know. All that I do know is that Lily died on the 10th of March. On the 16th of March I was texting my friend Rachel when my phone suddenly started a text conversation on its own. It just ran away with itself.
I had a strong sense of the presence of Lily: I took a snap shot of the text conversations. One of these is above. Make of it what you will. I think that she was using the phone to say good bye to Zach. The second text used the emoji of a smiling Ghost, which I had never even seen or used before. And the name Nan was typed. Lily had been named after my maternal Grandmother Lilian Frances;  It looks as if there is some communication from her too. (as well as Lily barking her own name).

I showed these texts to an expert who repairs iPhones. His comment: “Its mad; I have never seen anything like it before. It’s not usual for phones to text on their own. No, the phone does not have a fault. It is not possible”.

All that I can say is that this communication comforted me. The fact that the emoji of the ghost was smiling meant a lot. And the craziness of it, just like Lily.

Anyone reading this who has had a dog as a pet will know how heartbreaking it is to lose them. At this point I felt that I had had enough. I decided that I did not want another dog.

The problem was that I have had a dog in my life for most off my life. Without a dog I could not see the point of walking. As a writer I have a fairly solitary life. Without a dog I felt unheld and lonely. I started to spiral downwards, to become depressed and less productive. I entered into a state of numb unfunctioning grief.

One night in October I woke up suddenly. It was 2am. I felt prompted to switch on my computer. A picture of a Patterdale Terrier in a rescue centre in Wales flashed up. Feeling compelled and instantly alert I applied for her. Her name was Jazz. Then I entered into a fairly rigorous adoption process with the rescue centre.

Within 10 days I had signed the ‘adoption’ papers for Jazz and she was ours. I felt that the journey to owning her included spiritual intervention; I had entered into the speeded up realm that happens sometimes when something is meant to be. People who have passed over feel close. And humour and laughter appears.

But I felt that Jazz could have a different name. Jazz didn’t feel right for her personality. It felt too hard. I wanted a softer, metaphysical name for her. And a name that was grounded.

I could not think what to call her.

At this time I had a new client; working with her by skype in Italy I had another episode of clairvoyance, I was insistently told by spirit “ask for her middle name”. So I did. My client told me that in Italy it is not usual to have a middle name. She however had two middle names; those of her two grandmothers.

The penny dropped. I love the humour of spirit. I have already mentioned that I named Lily after my most beloved maternal grandmother.

Our new dog was given the name Flo. After my paternal grandmother Florence Amelia. A hard working and grounded woman whom I had loved.

Driving to Wales to collect her a builders van pulled deliberately in front of my path. The number plate? FLO

Whilst we always remember Lily who had such an enormous personality. Flo brings joy into our lives. Everyday. And I have the fun of making corny jokes, like going with the Flow……and more: but I will spare you these!