Suzy: Problem solver

Suzy is known for her generosity and kindness, as well as for her problem-solving skills. Just one of many examples....Five years ago, I confided to Suzy that I had a serious problem. I was about to downsize, moving from a large house with a substantial garden, to a smaller house with only a patio. The only snag was a lovable, seven-year-old yellow Labrador called Buffy. Buffy had belonged to my ex-husband, who refused to take her with him when he jumped ship. For three years, I had cared for her (though I'm a people-lover rather than a dog-lover ) and walked with her to and from Grantchester, wielding the towel and the floating toy as she flung herself into the river again and again. Now I was done. I hadn't wanted a dog. I hadn't time for a dog. Most of all, I hadn't space for a dog. There were two other families who were fond of Buffy, and had hosted her on occasion, but neither were in a position to give her a permanent home. What could I do?

Suzy solved the problem. She rang her old friends Jyl and Theo, whose beloved Lab had recently died, and gave Buffy a glowing recommendation. She picked Buffy and me up, along with a bootful of doggie accessories, and drove us all the way to Gloucestershire. I flinched when I saw Jyl and Theo's immaculate bungalow with its pale carpet throughout, but Jyl and Theo were staunch, as Suzy knew they would be. They let Buffy explore. Then, when the dog settled down (on the pale carpet!) in front of the fire, they knelt either side of her and whispered in her ears. Buffy was ecstatic.

On this trip, I had the pleasure of seeing the idyllic village where Suzy grew up. We stayed in the stately home that formed the centre of the village, and delighted in its grounds, as Suzy had for much of her life. It became clear that, though she'd left there as a child, Suzy was still known fondly by many local people.That didn't surprise me.

Since then, Suzy has continued to pass on news, and the occasional photo, of Buffy, who gets (like me) older and plumper. According to Suzy, Buffy was a joy and a treasured companion to Jyl and Theo, and even more to Jyl, after Theo passed away. Suzy went to a great deal of effort to help me, and in so doing she made at least three people and a lovely yellow Labrador very happy. Typical of Suzy, isn't it, to make things better by bringing people together?

Michelle Spring