One Year On :-(

We have just returned from a lovely 3 weeks in South Africa, combining wildlife - lots of seals, dolphins and whales, lots of sleep, seeing old friends and attending a conference. Geoff & Angela, our friends, looked after our house while we were away. Somehow, we still expected to arrive home to have Sky bolt down the drive towards us like a tornado and hear all about his escapades and funny moments.
Today it's a year since he disappeared into thin air.
Part of us can't believe it's been that long, then sometimes it feels like we can barely remember the happy days before the nightmare began. This morning it's picture postcard outside in our lovely 6 acres of land - sunny and frosty. I just went out to feed the hens and ducks (aka the girls and boys) and it's very cold out there. Unfortunately it's exactly the weather we had a year ago so it makes today feel more poignant. Could he have succumbed to cold and hunger in those early days? Everyone says not - he's a labrador, built for very cold climates and an expert scavenger. And if he'd died, I now know (didn't back then) that the farmland and villages are patrolled enough that a dead dog would probably found - most likely by another dog.
It has still got to be the most likely scenario that he's sitting on someone's couch, having a great time, being fed bananas, mackerel, carrots and the remains of meat casseroles - all his favourite things.
If he was found with his big scar, looking all pathetic and bedraggled, and larding affection on his finder, you can just imagine that they'd think "poor, abused, cast-out dog" and we know (didn't back then) that there is a substantial minority of people who think they're doing the right thing by not trying to contact the owner - or simply can't be bothered.
In which case, maybe - just maybe - one day he'll end up at a vet's or rescue centre where his microchip gets scanned and BINGO.
I think we need to do a "one year on" advert in the Leicester Mercury this week. There is a high level of readership and if the population of our county has not seen him in the last year (we'll put in the picture with the scar) then he simply can't be around here.
Of course Captain Paranoid keeps telling me the hair could have grown over the scar if cold temperatures stimulated hair growth. There was no sign of regrowth over the previous 2 years, but who knows?
In and amongst all the emotions, the overwhelming feeling I still have is still to absolutely marvel over how amazing people have been - from friends and family, to work colleagues, complete strangers and the general public. It's been incredible. There are a lot of doggy people out there.
To use a cliche it really does restore your faith in humanity.
I could list a long list of people here that I would like to thank but that would risk accidentally missing someone important out, so I won't. But I really want to thank Tori from the bottom of my heart. She has trudged the fields, accosted strangers, sat and planned strategy over maps and cups of coffee, launched off in the car at a moment's notice, kept us sane, and has been a total stalwart. Thank you Tori for everything. I know you miss Nevis your black lab, so at times it's been hard for you but you never showed it.
To everyone else who has supported us so much in so many ways, today seems a good opportunity to say a massive THANK YOU.
And to Jon and Shelley, who are still searching for Jacob in similar circumstances to us http://missingbraccojacob.blogspot.com/ - I hope we all have a happy ending one day, and thanks for the psychotherapy! If those boys return saying what a good time they've had in California chasing bitches and smoking joints, they're going to get such a telling off........