I think it was my dog Moby that first met Bailey on their twitter feeds rather than Karen and I striking up a friendship. You may be wondering to yourself whether the man writing this should be receiving some care and support if he is to be allowed out in the community because Dogs, Staffies or Tzus, DO NOT have Twitter accounts and tens of thousands of followers between them all. Do they? Well this is where anyone who has read the TzuKingdom books knows the truth of the matter. Within the Kingdom that Karen created alongside her creative partner, Gill, it's only certain humans that are enchanted enough to be truly special allies for those with fur. Karen was most certainly one of these enchanted humans, her quick wit, razor-sharp intellect and amazing talent and imagination belied a little her inner self. Karen was the loveliest, kindest, most supportive friend, who would always find time for you if you needed her no matter how busy or, in recent months, how poorly she actually was. As I think we all know, Karen was fiercely independent, an advocate for having many more strong, able women in public life, making the differences their communities needed because, well... someone has to right? Karen touched many people's lives and I am so grateful that I was one of them and myself and everybody are going to miss her terribly while we remain without her with us. But, Karen had this knack you see, it was a knack of instinctively bringing people together that she seemed to know would like each other, had strengths that other people might need in areas where others struggled and vice versa. But also, most importantly, that the group of people would create lasting friendships where no one is forgotten, where people are so supportive and there for all of the big life moments, be they happy, or like now, sad. It's a place populated by people I am proud to call my friends and whom, without Karen, I would not know. It's where if we have a difficult day ahead, we know someone will tell us to be 'brave like lions' and that we are friends through thick and thin and it's right and proper to, 'believe in the kingdom'. This bringing together of people really sums who Karen was as a human being; whimsical, with a yearning for children to have the joy, fun, laughter and excitement of simpler times and the childhoods that us marginally older types had the benefit of experiencing. Karen had an amazingly vivid imagination for sure, but was also a clever, ambitious, supportive, caring person, who's over-riding belief was that the world which we all inhabit could do with being a little nicer, a little kinder and a little bit more of a gentler place. This belief informed.her work as a Liberal Democrat Councillor and her passion when discussing politics was palpable. I think it must be a comfort to Karen's family, loved ones and friends that her sterling efforts over many years improved the lives of the people in her community that she served. At times these effects were probably quite small, that is the nature of local politics and local government, but at other times had massive effects working to amend, change, or remove from considerstion, large developments and changes to parks and gardens that would have had long-term implications for the community that Karen felt so passionately about. I, like so many others, will miss Karen. Taken too soon, at too young an age and leaving a void within her family's lives and her friends lives that will not easily be filled, if at all; but, it will be a void that we will and must get used to being there. When you think about it, Karen packed her life full of more than many other people get done in 80 years, let alone 51!! She would expect the experiences to be wrung out of every single thing each of us can take part in throughout the rest of our lifetimes, she would expect parties, social events, shows, conferences, business events, fabulous, gorgeous shoes and foreign trips. I for one, in the future, when I embark on a new part of life, go for a new job, or gain a promotion, meet new people, go to places I never have before, among all the other wonders life can bring, I'm going to make sure I drink in every, genuine, real experience, feeling and emotion that I can. This is the way I feel, from speaking withher, that Karen looked at life you see, almost like a bottomless Afternoon Tea, all those wonderful things to have and experience...It would be rude not to wouldn't it? My Deepest Condolences to Karen's much-loved family, Linda, Claire, Mr. Claire and Freddie, best friends, Vikki and Annabelle, soul-sister and co-creator of the best fictional kingdom since those in Lord of the Rings, Gill, every person and their beautiful fur-person, in the TzuKingdom Twitter Chat Rooms and the huge number of other people Karen called friends. We all know she will be hugely missed, but we have had the good fortune (as, Karen would no doubt admit, she also had with all of us) of being the people closest to her at various points and times in her life and some obviously throughout her life.... ......What. An. Absolute. Privilege. Thank you for being my friend Karen. You were and I'm sure still remain, wherever you are now with Bailey and all of your family forefurs, an incomparable, absolute, class act. I will miss you and remember you with smiles, kindest and love to others and laughter, always. Rest in Power my darling. Love, Daniel and Moby Keech xx