Bo
In September I lost this little lady to cancer, she was my best friend, and my entire world, and her passing has left a huge hole in my life that’s been very difficult to deal with.
She came into my life on the first of May 2016, when me, and my ex partner took her home from the adoption centre. She was young, but fully grown, perhaps in her first year or two, but nothing was known about her previous life. They had named her Amy, but she was a Bo, and that was what I named her.
This was one of the earliest photos I have of her on film, taken on my old AE1, she had a lot more pink in her skin when she was younger, her eyes were always beautiful and vibrant.
It wasn’t until my relationship ended that we started to spent more time in the outdoors, something that we both enjoyed. Bo had obviously had a sheltered first couple of years before I got her, but she was so inquisitive, she was always wanting to look over walls and over cliffs, she had to no fear of heights and was so completely comfortable traversing edges, she was at home sitting on a peak and just watching the world go by. She was the perfect companion, the best girl.
My life at this point started to become increasingly secluded, spending my weekends going hiking, and on photo trips with Bo at my side, but I was happy. Covid was around the corner, and that cemented our routine - me and her. I was promoted in my work, it was a stressful role, and by the end of each day I had had enough of human beings and wanted some peace, Bo made good company.
In her way she was like me, she wasn’t very social, she distrusted other dogs, and was always very defensive, so we avoided other dogs, much like their human companions..
Over the years we went on plenty of adventures, lots of hiking, and trips to Scotland, Wales, and the Lake District. We had our first wild camping trip in the Lakes, at Grisedale Tarn, below. she had her own sleeping bag, and loved every minute of it, and it was a joy to share the experience with her.
A few years ago I even started a Youtube channel sharing our hiking trips together, short-lived as this was, because I naturally enjoy taking photos more than recording video, and its difficult carrying equipment for both.
For now I can’t bare to watch back at them because of how sad it makes me, but I'm glad they exist to look back on in the future.
In 2023 We completed the Cumbria Way, a 74 mile hike through the Lake District, the footage of which is waiting to be put together one day. We were also working out way through all 214 Wainwrights in the Lake District, we made it to 75 together ♥︎
Me and Bo had many happy years together, I took millions of photos, and videos of her but in the end its never enough, like time, you always wished you had more. When she passed she was by my estimation around 11 and a half years old, we had been together a decade, yet she will still as fit and youthful of a dog half her age. I thought we had more time, I wished we did.
It eventually crept up with no real indications right till the end, she had a scan and a mass the size of a tennis ball was found on her spleen, when they operated to remove the spleen, they discovered it had spread into her liver past the point of no return. To continue down that path would mean a painful, unpleasant slow death for her, the kindest thing for her well-being was to carry on her sleep while she was under, it was the hardest decision I have ever had to make, and it meant I wouldn’t get to see her again while she was alive, it absolutely broke my heart.
I love you, and miss you with all my heart my little lemon. You are the best girl I could have ever asked for, and you will be in my heart until the end of time
I love you ♥︎♥︎
