The Sunday Blues.....

Oh how we wish you were right there Jacob, looking guilty having found our bed, and making Bracco eyes at us as a stand against getting off.

What I wouldn't give to see you curled up there now.

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Is it me or do the weeks seem to be roaring by ?

Before we know it it'll be March, and that's just 9 month's to Christmas.

A scary thought I have to say, but true all the same.

Today we spent most of the day putting up more posters, and flyers through doors in the Thaxted, Broxted, and surrounding areas. A kind lady called Grace feels he is around that area, and not ones to doubt, we duly scoured the area again today, and made sure we felt it was covered.

We also made sure that having put down a fresh scent yesterday, we also drove around the areas we walked, just in case these fresh enticements would bring Jacob out somewhere where we could see him.

As many times as we drove by, and parked high on the hill at the back of Newport (our 'vista') to view the mass of fields beyond us, we saw nothing more than a few deer in the far distance, and two baby hares playing not far in front of the car.

I think we've started to become accepted by the wildlife out there now, we're hardly noticed !

I think word is out there are two sad, and somewhat lonely folk, who spend their entire waking hours driving round in their 4x4 taking in the view !

If only it were true.

We came back home at 5.30pm tonight, having stopped at our local Tesco to fill up on essentials (Old Mother Hubbard has nothing on me) that would at least let us have toast and soup for a few more days at least.

Driving home, we had a call from a lady in Harlow, who was totally upset by Jacob's going awol, and who offered us her help if and when it was needed. It really lifted our spirits, as this lady is not known to us, and out of the blue was calling us up offering a helping hand to find our missing dog.

It's always a sad time for us both when we make the decision to end the search for the day.

I don't know why, but as it gets dark and we put the car headlights on, it's like we admit defeat for yet another day, and possibly subject our lovely boy to yet another night under the stars, in the cold, the wet, sans duvet and no log fire to singe his bum on.

It's just so bloody heartbreaking. Why can't he just come home ?

Just to add to the sadness we both feel for Jacob, Jo told us the sad news of the Beagle that was reported as being Jacob last weekend, the dog Sarah and Stewart went to try to locate for us near Southend, lost her battle to survive the elements today.

This poor girl had been living rough around a 'Sally' Army farm for weeks, and although the Police and the RSPCA both knew of her being seen daily in this farmland, they chose to do nothing to capture her, and offer her a new life if she was not anyone elses.

Noone had reported her missing.

Sadly having been caught today, she was found not only to have had puppies in the past 4 months, but also to have a very badly dislocated hip.

She was in much pain, and the vets feared the anaesthesia for any op was not an option.

I do believe that as she was noone's pet, unloved and alone, that may have made the decision to end her life, and not prolong her agony of the injury that little bit easier.

She was sadly put to sleep, a dog that was missing from someones home, had perhaps served her purpose as a breed dog, and who was not missed by those she once trusted.

To me that is just heartbreaking. I am not naive enough to know this dog isn't one of many who fall by the wayside, for whatever the reason, but knowing of her plight made the news she was now gone all the harder to bear.

I rest in comfort only knowing that Jacob is much loved, and much wanted back home by all that love him.

RIP Mrs Beagle, let's hope what goes around, comes around to the one time owners who knowingly left you to fend for yourself.

With the sad news in of Mrs Beagle, it kind of set our minds racing.

Jon and I both have no idea as to what's happened to Jacob, that is one thing we discussed today on our driving round. We went through every conceivable scenario imaginable, and couldn't decide between us which we thought was most likely the possible answer to his whereabouts. Some we didn't even want to discuss, others were not even mentioned even though we both thought the same thing.

More than anything we just want answers, but when will they come ?

It's probably very wrong to compare the agony between lost dog, and lost child, (but I won't apologise as Jacob is our child, so please do forgive the comparison) but today I found myself thinking of Madeline Mccan's parents, and that lingering despair they must live with, day in, day out, that not knowing where their Daughter is. The sheer fact she could be happily nestling in oblivious, with people she now calls Mummy and Daddy. Those poor Mccan's.

How do they carry on ? My heart goes out to them.

I truly hope it's soon we can have that phone call we long for for bringing Jacob home, and finally this huge tidal wave of emotion we find ourselves riding on will be absolutely well and truly be over.