Walking and Talking

Thank goodness that during Lockdown Three, you are allowed to meet one other person from another household for a socially distanced local walk and, equally important, a talk. It's all very well exercising, which I do enjoy alone but there is something so enriching about meeting with a friend while you do it.

Not only are you getting fresh air, essential exercise and escaping the four walls of your home but by meeting a friend, you are becoming human again. It's such a release to have a good old chat with someone you know, that by the end of your alloted hour, you feel envigorated, uplifted and ready to face the day. It has in fact been the highlight of my day to walk and talk with a friend, family member or neighbour.

In Lockdown One, we had good weather in the UK, plus it was all a bit of a novelty but back then, we weren't allowed to walk with a friend. It is a lifeline to be able to now - especially, with the bitterly cold weather and uncertainty of lockdown freedom. Walking and talking is good for your mental health and brings something different to your day - most importantly, laughter and seeing someone you cherish's face in 3D, rather than only on a screen.

I have loved walking in the woods nearby, through the recent snow and muddy puddles, in my wellies or walking boots. The other day, I remarked that everything I trod on reminded me of a type of dessert - the gnarly, churned mud with a sprinkling of snow was a chocolate log, the ice that cracked underfoot into slush, was creme brule and the thick, gooey mud was chocolate mousse. My friend and I were both starving by the end of our circuit, which was a good incentive to go back home for a cup of coffee and a biscuit.

* Please note that the picture above was the nearest I could get to 'social distancing'. Most pictures in the image library were of people close together - roll on when we can all be like that again.