2016 was an extreme year for me and my family. Some of the lowest lows were experienced with multiple deaths in the family, and declining health from others. In amongst all of that, there was Nobby. You see, I used to have a lamb, and I'd put him in my car, and we'd go out for walks. We met some lovely people, I have such fond memories of that time. It will forever make me sad that Nobby and I had our adventures cut short.
It had been a childhood dream of mine, ever since I first halter trained Suckie when I was ten or eleven, to take a sheep for a walk like that. The trouble was that Nobby was so special, so perfectly suited to take almost anything in his stride, that it was difficult to find another lamb to go on walks with. Then COVID happened, and I got anxious about crowds, and more bad health and deaths in the family kept me busy. Titch and Spot, both, I thought could maybe be suited to these walks, but I wasn't ready, and they weren't as suitable for the job as I'd hoped they'd be.
This year, along came Billy. He was perfect, I felt as brave to face the world with a lamb on a lead as I'd ever be, and I had a bit more freedom with my time.
For our practise run, I chose this small, quiet trail. Billy had to get used to travelling in the dog crate, and being somewhere completely unfamiliar with strange sounds and smells. I picked this place because I was nervous still about meeting people with him, but this was perhaps too quiet. It would have been good to come across a dog or a pram or some other strange things for him. We still had a nice time on the trail, though, and Billy was a superstar. He even walked over a bridge twice!
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