Another letter to Shadow

Dear Shadow:
Today is what you humans call your birthday.
Strange - not too long ago I spied on you and found out it was Chris'
birthday. You were planning to walk me in the morning, so Chris could
sleep late. Sorry, I thought I should give her my own present by barking
until she was awake earlier than the alarm clock. So she got up and
walked me <heehee>
But thanks so much, as a reward I was taken to the beach and taken into
the terrible moving water <rrrrrrr>

So I hope your birthday is fun. You and Chris talked for quite a while,
right? And she told you what your present was! Is it something to eat?
May I, please please, share?

But here's on a more serious note:

Do you remember when and where we first met? A few weeks after I had
settled in with Chris, she took me for a train ride in the evening, and
we arrived at a train station. Next thing I knew was she being hugged
and kissed by another stranger I had never seen. But that wasn't all,
her sister took us with her, and I met my friend for the very first
time, her dog. But back then we didn't run too much.

The three of us went into a hotel and walked through the large city the
following days. And once you and I were both trying to make Chris avoid
a pole and smacked her right into it. Hahaha, and you blame yourself for
it, just go ahead!

You are also to blame for the various stays of mine in kennels. Chris
wants to see you somewhere far away, so she never takes me, but puts me
in the kennel instead. Okay I won't complain, the kennel is fine, but I
wonder how travelling with Chris would be!

Once, however, and thank you so much for that, you and Chris left me in
the corridor late one evening with two huge packets of fresh minced
beaf. You realized that heavenly fortune after I had finished one
packet. You could've stayed away longer, the secound would have been
equally delicious!

You never like it that I have to be tied outside certain stores, and my
barking makes you nervous. I thank you for that, so I do! And I
lovetravelling to pick you up, becase that means fun and running around.
I hate dropping you off, because that means Chris is sad and will go
play with her computer forever.

But happy birthday anyway and many licks, Hapoo.