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I made an exciting discovery this week when looking through an old photo album of my Mum's which had been retrieved from a relation's attic. I came upon a picture that Mum had taken in 1936 of a German Shepherd. I'd had a dream of her shortly after she passed in 2001

where she showed herself petting such a dog. At the time I had no idea why she would show me that dog in particular as she'd never mentioned ever having one. I was aware that there were several dogs - they called them 'yard dogs' - living at her aunt and uncle's lovely home in Ireland where she lived, and I also knew that Mum liked to go off into the neighbouring bogs taking a yard dog with her. I can now assume that this one was a particular favourite of hers. How lovely to still be finding out things about my Mum - directly from her in the spirit world!

This is the extract from the book where she appears to me with the German Shepherd:

"In a dream I was staying in an unknown house and for some reason went out at night to look around the town. I returned to the house and as I entered I very clearly heard Mum’s voice as if she were petting an animal. Her voice was coming from upstairs so I went up the first flight of stairs and, turning round to a half-landing, I saw the whole of Mum clearly and she was stroking a German Shepherd."