Knott Gus - 5 years

Today is the 5th anniversary of Gus coming to live with us in Arnside. Our morning walk was a double celebration as it was also our 400th ascent of the Knott together this year. That makes 120,000 feet of ascent, more than 4 Everests from sea level (if Everest went straight up from the sea, that is).

I have told the story of Gus's arrival before. I have also previously tried to express how much he means to Wifie and me, and the joy he has brought us. I honestly don't know how I would have managed this last year without his peaceful and undemanding company, and without the morning walk with him to the top of Arnside Knott. I was determined that throughout the time when I felt weakest, I would keep going with the daily Knott walks. I knew it was critical to maintain an exercise regime that would help me in the recovery phase. But without Gus and his enthusiasm in the morning, I might just have been tempted to roll over in bed and go back to sleep.

He's been with me almost every minute of every hour and every day, the only time we were parted for more than an hour was during hospital appointments. He's been essential to my psychological well-being, keeping me cheerful and giving me responsibility and focus on something other than myself. 

This morning I was hoping for a sunrise, but it didn't happen. I wanted to pose him next to the Trig Point, but his old separation anxiety asserted itself and every time I got in position, he started slinking back to me. So here he is posed on the top of the hill looking out towards Ingleborough with me teetering over the steep shilloe slope.  The light was awful, the ISO is enormous, the photo isn't very sharp, but it had to be taken then and not on another sneaky walk up the hill later when the sun was out of cloud. It will do.