Normally, in my waffle blogs, I tend to focus on the furry friendships that make our lives significantly muddier, hairier and happier. However, today I want to talk about a human friendship and the serendipitous way it has evolved. Essex Becky, (on the left) as she is now known by those at The Little Dog Laughed first appeared in my life virtually.
It was way back in the mists of time, possibly 2012 maybe even earlier, when I put out a hasty Facebook calendar appeal for more cat muses. I received a flurry of messages and one in particular made me laugh out loud.
Becky’s emails introduced me to her family of furry ones, starting with Bentley the Dog, a dude of a Sprocker with a fabulous shock of head hair that Becky swears blind she never highlighted. Dearest Bentley was a great one for fancy dress and shared his world with two cats, Porsche the British Blue shorthair and Enzo (as in Ferrari) the slinky black legend. Becky’s recounting of their feline antics and great photographs guaranteed them entry into the calendar. My favourite tale involved Enzo bringing home a live mouse and storing it in Becky’s boot. However, the boots then went unchecked, back into her wardrobe, thus allowing Mr Mouse the chance to feast on every other shoe in her cupboard. Turns out old Mousy had great taste with an insatiable appetite for anything designer. Not one single pair escaped a nibbling.
From that moment on we became firm NOBVOFs. That’s newest, oldest, bestest, virtual, online friends. It’s kinda niche! A modern day, middle age email-pal friendship began. I drew more of Becky’s pets to varing degrees of success and our virtual chats developed.
Eventually, after a few years, we decided to meet half way, in the flesh, at a Northampton Saints rugby match. This caused much amusement for both our families and to be fair, it is slightly left field to introduce everyone to an old friend that you have never actually met before!
Thankfully the chat was as easy and free flowing in person as it was online and the rest as they say is old buddies history.
It is a history that includes the last minute proof reading of my calendars by Becky from a sun lounger somewhere in the Mediterranean, to me being a ‘Give us a smile’ photographer for her close friend’s charity fundraising ball, to getting up at the crack of sparrows to experience the craziness of working the Little Dog stall at Crufts.
In the last few years, we’ve both shared some pretty shattering life curve balls. The ending of one phase of Becky’s life created a chance to rediscover her old self, follow her passions and try something completely new. When I asked Becky if she wanted to be the voice and face of The Little Dog’s Instagram account, she said yeah sure, when I asked Becky, would you like to collaborate on my new art book project with Dogs Trust to write and edit the stories, she said yeah sure!
I’m telling you all this as I build up to say a jolly BIG public thank you to Essex Becky for writing the stories that accompany each illustration in the Dogs Trust | A Dog’s Life gift book.
I could never have completed the project for an autumn launch without Becky’s writing skills, word play, grammar guidance, structure and copy proofing.
Three cheers for the one and only way is Essex Becky!
The good fortune element of our friendship constantly makes me smile. I marvel at the flow of happy moments and life dramas that keep kriss crossing our paths.
It’s a crazy old world but I do believe that if you fill it with animal people, well things have a way of turning out just fine xxx
Good Morning
Thank you for your email. I absolutely love everything about The Little Dog Laughed. When I go on your website I sit there smiling all the time at the lovely sayings on everything. As an animal lover you just ‘get it’.
Have sorted out pretty much my Christmas for me this year and you are definitely my first go to website now not just for Christmas.
The only negative is when I receive the items I order for people I want to keep them all for myself!
Hope you and everyone who helps you have a lovely Christmas.
Pamela thank you for such a lovely message, you’ve made my day! Best wishes, Anna Danielle