Phoenix

Last month one of my neighbours got a five month old dachshund. I went with her to pick him up. His previous owner only had him for two months but her young son was too boisterous with the tiny dog so she decided to rehome him. His name is Peanut and he is adorable.

I agreed to babysit him this week whilst my neighbour is at work and her daughter is away. I probably wouldn’t have agreed to look after him previously. She lives in the next block and the neighbour that was evicted lived above her. when I first went into to see the dog today he was barking and growling at me as he hadn’t seen me in a while. After 10 minutes and belly scratches (his belly not mine!) we were best buddies.

I was beginning to let my guard down a little since he moved out. My first mistake. I’d spent a couple of hours with peanut and was just getting ready to come home at 8pm. There was a knock on the front door and Peanut started barking madly. I walked up the hallway and checked through the spy hole to see my evicted neighbour standing outside. My whole body froze. Then I started to panic. Knowing how he scales the balcony’s I fled to the lounge to secure the open window and balcony door. My neighbour has a ring doorbell and cameras covering front and back. I sent her a sweary text to say he was outside and knocking on her door. She monitored the cameras until he left, and so could confirm I was ok to make my way back to my own flat.

How do I convince my Alters of safety when the risk is still there? How do I calm my nervous system when I’m still on guard. It’s put my neighbour on edge too. I feel like I’m back to being on alert even though he has moved out.

In good news though my 4g router arrived this afternoon and seems to be doing a good job. My internet hasn’t dropped once and the speed is better. Result.

I’m off to finish my bottle of cider and catch up on the piano practice I haven’t achieved today.

I’ll try to take my ears and nervous system of high alert!