When is it gonna be my turn?

[Suzi]

Absolutely. I'm glad you're going to calm it down lovely xxx

[Stella180]

Thought as the weather was good and the ground is a bit drier I’d take the dog for a wander around the local woods. Originally didn’t see many people but as I got a bit closer to the countryside centre people started coming from nowhere. Not loads but enough for my anxiety to spike. All these years anxiety has told me people are bad, stay away and now it is confirmed my fight or flight system has been preparing me for the Covid 19 pandemic. Talia was really excitable and full of energy but 30 mins later she’s a bit calmer. She’s definitely lost a bit of weight cos I’d been just hooking the lead to her collar recently but as she was a bit excited I got the harness out and had to tighten it up quite a bit. Suppose I better start making my way back. Hopefully the snuggle pups energy is all used up by the time we get home and I can have a chill out too.

[Jaquaia]

She's doing brilliantly with you. Send that video to my mum on whatsapp, she'll love it.

Knew we'd made the right decision

[Suzi]

Well done lovely.

[Paula]

So proud of you

[Stella180]

For walking the dog? Nothing to be proud of. It’s Talia you should be proud of. We covered 2.25 miles which is the furthest she’s ever gone with me and even on the field near my house she was still running around off the lead. The first week I got her she was knackered after about a third of that distance. It was really nice to see her enjoying herself off the lead and playing fetch with her ball and chasing butterflies.

However I am absolute shattered and we stopped half way to just sit and enjoy the surroundings. Been chatting a lot about where I grew up the past couple of days and realised just how much I miss heading out to the middle of nowhere with just nature for company. I’m fortunate enough to have the woods around me and although it’s not the same as country lanes farms and canals I’m still pretty lucky to have nice surrounding even is I do live on a council estate.

[Suzi]

Well done Talia! That's amazing!!!
I miss living 10 mins away from the New Forest at times....

[Stella180]

I literally live in the middle of Perry Wood. It’s a lot smaller than the New Forest lol but it’s better than nothing and a little further across the estate is the Worcester Woods and Countryside Centre with a couple of trails to follow and normally attracts a lot more people. A couple of miles down the road we have Warndon Woods too. Kinda spoilt for woodland walks around here.

[Paula]

For walking the dog? Nothing to be proud of.

Of course there is!

[Stella180]

Feel free to explain Paula. It’s something I do every day, ok it’s mostly a 10-15 min wander not an hour long trek but still nothing to be proud of.