I have put off writing this until the day after it's due because it makes me sad and I procrastinate. But I have thought about what I wanted to say about Claire often.

Claire was my best friend. We started school together in preprep. We were often mistaken for each other by teachers who wore glasses (I don't think we really looked alike, but maybe it's like dogs and their owners..the more time they spend with each other the more they resemble each other...) In grade five (I think) we had a hebrew teacher who didn't have much class control. (Did many?) For a joke Claire and I swapped seats, we sat next to each other. When the teacher's back was to the class we swapped back. Eventually the teacher noticed and told Ylana and Claire to go to their allocated desks which of course we were then sitting in. We argued of course being quite indignant that we should have to change desks when we were now in the right ones. Things became a little ugly when the teacher strode up to Claire's desk becoming angrier with every step and pushed her books onto the floor. Unfortunately the desks we were in were the two seater chairs with individual desks with lids that were not attached to the frame and broke rather easily. Claire's desk lid had been broken for some time and the sweeping action of the arm with much force sent not only the books but the desk lid flying across the room. Needless to say we got into lots of trouble and the class were in fits of laughter and the poor teacher didn't stay with us for too long.
 

Claire and I were in every class together until secondary school which was when we both branched out, but still spent most weekends playing pranks while babysitting each others' siblings. Phone calls - Us - Are the 4 walls there? Answer - No Us - What's keeping the roof up..boom! boom!

If we weren't at each other's house, we were continually on the phone for fifty minutes, three or four times on a Saturday night. (My parents rang on the hour every hour to check the state of the Salter household while they were out. Generally someone was killing someone else.)

We had some rip roaring girl fights, but we always made up. I think the longest we didn't speak to each other was a week. Aren't kids silly.

When I stayed at Claire's house we would go to Acland Street every Sunday morning with Anita and her Dad. He would sit in the same shop each week and catch up with old friend while we would have the freedom to explore St Kilda. These are treasured memories of two kids growing up without a care in the world.

As we grew up and spent time with other folk, developed relationships with others we still spent heaps of time on the phone. As Fred said Claire won the Baron Snyder comp. She was really chuffed at "beating" him as he was one of the people she most admired at that time.

Claire did go through some difficult times, but at the time of the freakish, ridiculous car accident Claire was enrolled in a teaching course and was of course getting great marks and loving that she had gone through the not so good times and was on top of it all. Her relationships were happy, she had made peace with her world and the people who were important to her and was looking forward to making a difference. Claire spent the weekend before the accident with Ian and I in Werribee the memories of which I cherish.

I have a wonderful picture of my Claire in my memory. Most memories are not at school, but of horse riding on the holidays, snow skiing on weekends at Buller, coming to my ballet concerts and really encouraging me and of hanging out being dags together with our siblings and sometimes with other friends.

It's been a long time. Lana Salter