When I was a single mother with a school-aged daughter Tamra and a black Labrador (Jewely), I was lucky to have Charlotte Marks as my neighbor. Charlotte was an older Quaker widow who volunteered with the Red Cross after a nursing career and raising two daughters (Ellen and Carole). She helped me in so many ways.
She took my dog into her home while Tamra was in school and I was at work. She was returned so she could greet Tamra when she returned home after school. Charlotte watched as Tamra unlocked the back door to a happy canine reception. Many homemade cookies and dinners later, she was always available when the unexpected challenges arose. I miss her. I don’t know how I could have managed without her.