Valerie has a special place in my heart. When I went to work in New York, she and her sister lived a few blocks away in Flatbush, Brooklyn. I met up with her sister Jean first and we got on like a house on fire within minutes. I spent every weekend with them, being shown all the amazing bits of New York (Greenwich Village bars, concerts in Times Square) and having epic fun with them. When I walked out of my nannying job they took me in for 3 weeks. They also put me up next year for a holiday. Jean and Valerie came to visit me twice in Edinburgh! Once with their mum! I spent Thanksgiving with their family, which is so generous and lovely. I spent some of the best times of my life with Valerie. She was warm, witty, real, strong, intellgent and brave.