Finnifer Walken, Walking down the street
Prettiest boy I ever did meet. I used to sing him this made up song all the time, and he loved it. He knew it was his song, and that it meant we loved him.
As we continue to settle the dust that is our new life, we all have found our struggles. Bryan, struggles with an overwhelming need to start a band. The kids, trying to find their way socially and decide who they are in the Civilian world. Me, struggling to figure out how I make friends at 37 years old in a tiny town. Finn has struggled the most I think. He was an inside dog for his whole life, but when we moved here, he became an outside dog. He sheds POUNDS of fur constantly so having him inside meant, our house was a constant mess of dog fur. We had him all settled with a heated dog bed in the garage, all the treats and good food, but he enjoys wandering. This became a concern as we and our neighbors found him countless times running on the highway. We would get calls at night that he was down the street at neighbors and have to go pick him up. It was a dangerous situation not only for Finn but for others driving the road. We purchased expensive collars that had a geo fence, but it didn't work properly and when the battery ran out it would just shock him constantly. We purchased a tie out lead, which he hated, and sometimes even kept him in the garage to be let out only supervised. I know this wasn't him living his best life, but he cant LIVE his best life if he was dead, and we wanted to keep him safe.
On Sunday, January 16th, I lazily just let him out of the garage in the morning, expecting he would stay close to the house. But he left at 0830 that morning and has not returned. Neighbors spotted him this day on one of the nearby roads but no one has seen him since. It makes me wonder if maybe he brought Ginger back with him so he could have an outside buddy and then we rehomed her. I wonder if he felt that he wasn't loved enough, or his attempts to make his situation better for him we did not understand so he made the choice to leave. Or maybe its not that deep and he went off to wander with the intention to return, but something happened to stop him. Either way, it breaks my heart to not have him home.
I drive slow down these roads now inspecting the sides of roads and woods to see if I can find him. But he is gone. I hope and pray someone has him that just doesn't have social media, because I fear he would not survive these cold temperatures on his own. I feel guilty for not staying with him that morning to keep him on the property.
Wherever you are Finnly, We miss and love you, and we have always loved you and we want you to come home.
My Finnifer Walken, walking down the street.
Prettiest boy I ever did meet. Love you buddy.
