a really interesting little trip

Hi all:

This morning Chris was in a strange mood. At first she had trouble getting out of bed, for she felt lazy. But once she had gotten up and given me my good morning pets, she started her morning routines, which this time did not include breakfast. Strange, for she always claims that breakfast is her favourite meal. Well, she does often take me for the Hapoo walk before breakfast, so this is what it looked like this morning. But after the morning walk she still didn't have breakfast. She did a few things and ran around, walked towards the apartment door finally and called me. I was not sure what she wanted, but she held the harness in her hand, ald so I was sure we'd go to work.

 

We left the apartment, but instead of going right through the tunnel and then up towards the street, she made me turn left and I started walking. If we go that way, we usually end up at the grocery store with mom. And this is where we went, this time just Chris and I.

 

She was pretty proud when I found the entrance and calmly walked through. She spotted a cash register and asked for assistance, which arrived very shortly after.

 

The man who was there took mom's place at Chris' right, told her what was there and helped her pick up things and choose them. She says he did a great job, once he knew what shopping was all about for Chris. He selected good fruits and vegetables, even helped Chris remember to buy some pasta, and she loved going through the store so quickly. At the cash register he packed her bag while she was paying, and we were out really fast. Chris was quite happy, I could feel that.

 

Then it was my difficult task to find the way back. At first we took the wrong route, but Chris remained calm. We returned to the entrance, and from there we set off again, and this time we found the right way, which a man confirmed to Chris. I knew the rest of the route, Chris trusts me with that. I stopped at all curbs and steps, and she said I really did a great job.

 

I think we both did a marvelous, fantastic, outstanding job, and it was quite a lot of fun. Chris says I was very alert, I even looked out for the people on the other side of the road, so nothing would happen to us. Of course, when mom or any other of the friends aren't around, I am in charge of Chris, and I have to make sure nothing happens to her. I think I am turning into a pretty decent watch dog. I watch a lot!

Cheers for the moment, Yours, very satisfied, Hapoo.

The weekend adventures

The next two days were wonderful. Shadow and Chris and I went out - the first day we went to the city. As soon as we had arrived, Chris walked into a clothes store with us - as always when we go to the city with Shadow. She says he has a great taste and she loves buying clothes with him. In the middle of her juggling and struggling with shirts and hangers we all heart a really loud, penetrant noise. But since Chris remained calm, I patiently lay at the back of the tiny cabin and waited. A lady then apeared and said something I didn't quite understand, but Chris took my leash and we all walked out, she still wearing a shirt that wasn't hers. The noise continued and grew really loud, but I calmly walked beside Chris. The noise continued as we were outside, and soon a car arrived. The folks didn't say much, just went inside and fixed what there was to fix. When everything was quiet again, Chris put on her own shirt, bought what was there and we left. We stopped in a few other shops, and finally we ended up at the same old place again where we have been so often recently, the steak place where they bring me Hapoo water first thing before taking the humans' orders. Shadow liked the place, too, and when we were finally back home, Chris was a little tired. So was I, that's for sure.

 

There was no doubt, Chris was somewhat sad all the time, I just couldn't tell why. Well Shadow did not at all interact with me, he just all the time told me not to bother him, not to ask for pets, not to say hi, not to walk in his way. I didn't quite get it, hey Shadow, I am the same old Hapoo you used to beg meat from Chris for, so I could have a nice treat. You used to talk silly to me, you gave me my name after all! Allright, if you no longer want my company, then I can just as well stay out of your way - but there's a bother for everybody but Chris: I shed a lot of my fluffy beautiful black long Hapoo hair during this time of the year, and the hair is just about everywhere.

 

The next day after Shadow had gotten up and they had had breakfast, we took the city train to the beach place. We didn't walk to the beach, but we walked around a lot, the humans had fish, and then we returned and walked a long long way home - wonderful!

At night after some disturbance, they sat beside each other and watched TV - like it used to be. But no pretending, it just wasn't like it used to be. Shadow has ceased to exercise the job he was named after. O I am filling that spot with Chris. I surely have to protect her from evil tiny yappers and suspicious looking humans. O yes, I even look out for humans now, one never knows. But calm, I only point my nose at them and show them that I am highly alert, while I do surely snort at dogs fiercely, so they stay away. After all, I have to clear the path for my most loved Chris when I am not sleeping, dozing or eating.

 

The next morning was peaceful, and before I knew it Shadow had left, naturally without looking back at me, so I stayed on my mat and did not wave him goodbye.

 

For some reason the next day Chris didn't really feel good, though she was fairly calm. I even reminded her to cross the street on the way to work.

I think I have to give up thinking about what happened between the humans that weekend, I will not figure it oout anyway. He even took things with him and left a few with Chris. I think this is too complex of a human thing for my faithful woofer brain, so I'll stick to what happened next in my next mail, cheers, the speechless Hapoo.

an unexpected encounter

[A post from a few days ago]:

Hi all woofers and humans:

It is so generous of Chris to let me type on this computer so early. She is awake, and so the PC has quickly been carried into the bedroom - after all, it is so small that even i could carry it, if only she let me!

 

Well one of the past days at work Chris was sitting not far from Daniel, the man with the almost permanent seat on weels attached to him. She says she had trouble working while he was there, because talking with him was a lot of fun. He said she should come for dinner with him at night, but she was not sure yet. The working day passed, and we really went out at one unusual time after having arrived at home. Daniel was there to pick us up. We didn't drive for long, but then Daniel left his seat and walked with the help of two additional legs that he controlled with his hands. Weird stuff humans come up with, I tell you.

Anyway, that worked, and finally we arrived at a human food place, where I got some water, too, while the humans, Chris and Daniel and two other people I didn't know, had food. They talked a lot until we simply left. A short drive, and we were back home. chris says she is glad she went for this nice change of routines.

 

The next day then after work we went out in the rain, and right after I had gone for my Hapoo walk in the deserted car parking place, Silke came up with her car, and we drove to the city. Apparently Silke was not happy with Chris' choice of restaurant, but she gave in and we went to a place I had never been to. Again the ladies talked and talked as soon as they were sitting down. They did not order any food for a really long time, but I got water, of course.

 

Finally for a first surprise, I saw mom and sister Suse. O I really wanted to sing for mom, but this time she just gave me a quick hello pet and then disappeared at the other side of the table beside Silke. they still did not order any food, but instead the door opened again and somebody else entered. I couldn't believe my nose, eyes and ears, that was Shadow! Shadow? Is there anything I missed?

 

You remember Shadow, right? He is the one and only human I know that was following Chris everywhere for a long time, Chris says almost six years, which is more than half of my life so far. Shadow was not in the mood to say hi to me, instead he disappeared oposite mom, and Suse took the place beside me and Chris.

I don't like Suse much, so I tried to get Chris to pet me. Too bad, for now they started ordering food, and when that came, there were not all that many pets left for me. So I lay down and watched. The humans talked, but I don't think Shadow made an effort to start following Chris everywhere again. He was tired, he said, and I think he was glad that Silke agreed to take the three of us home by car. Whenever we are with Silke, I can run free a little. This time it was really just a little, but enough for my needs. There was the tiny dog Gorki in mom's car, but Suse didn't let him out, so I gave in and hopped into the car. Shadow was sitting beside me - he never did that before.

I'll tell you more about Shadow later, cheers, Hapoo.

a few busy days

Hi everybody. Chris is becoming more and more spontaneous, and I have to go along, of course.

One day at work she was teaching the friend Silke English, when Silke received a phone call. After that she told Chris something about a visitor who seemed to be quite an interesting person. So Silke invited us to join them for a coffee. Chris had to do something else, but then we walked into the kitchen, Chris got herself a coffee and then joined the man at the table and talked with him. The talked in English until Silke came with another man, and then they switched back to German. They talked some more, and then Chris ran to leave work with me. She said she had to do quite a lot of things. The big boss offered us a ride home, which Ghris gratefully accepted. Back home she left my signal jacked and collar on me, and disappeared in the kitchen. It smelled like fruits from then on, so I gathered she was preparing a huge fruit salad. When the doorbell rang, it didn't take long and Silke arrived to help with the salad.

 

Then we all got into Silke's car, and we met the two men from the afternoon at a car parking place. We ended up at the steak place where we have our favourite table, and the folks already know us there. I get water without Chris having to ask for it, and they are really nice. The four humans talked, and I could tell that Chris had a good time. I think that both men liked me a lot, but they also respected Chris' no pets in harness rule. We got home quite late, and Chris just fell into bed.

 

She did not sleep for too long, looked at her watch, got up and went into the kitchen, where she spent the time finishing most of her fruit salad. Then we went outside for our morning walk, she had breakfast, and we went to work. We stayed in the back room that day, and Chris wrote something on the PC. Silke joined, and Manu, another coleague, so it was good to be back there again. At one time I barked at people, because I had missed them coming and going, and I thought I had to say something. We left work early, because Chris was so so so tired. We got home and she fell into her bed. When she finally got up she again worked on her fruit salad, got ready, and finally we were picked up by the colleague. We saw the two men at work as we were walking upstairs, and Chris said that they were really tired. At work there were so so many people, it was just incredible. We walked back and forth a little, talked to people and stood in a flock for photos. Finally somebody said that Ilka was late, so Chris took the chance to take me for a walk. O what relief, run free and enjoy freedom! chris put the harness on me, I walked her straight past the entrance, so we could go home. Unfortunately, she made me turn around, gave me pets and back we walked to the madhouse. Chris took care of me, however, we went to the back room, picked up my mat from there, Chris put it down at the usual place in the front room, and I plopped down on there to relax. She gave me pets, and soon Daniel in the permanent chair joined, and Stefan, his friend. He sat on the floor with Chris and me and gave me really relaxing pets. With that treatment I managed to gather my strength and walk back to the craziness of millions of people. Finally Ilka arrived, greeted by cheers and music. As she walked past us, she quickly scratched my head and then walked on. I found out then that it was Ilka's farewell party, and everybody had arrived, even moms with tiny tiny babies. Hans, the big boss, gave a speech first, and Chris says she didn't expect him to be so funny and cheerful and energetic. And then Ilka said something as well, and then Petra took us to collect fod. Chris  stood at a table and with various people who talked to Chris. I lay at the door right behind her, so I was out of people's way, close enough but with my back to the wall. We then changed tables, talked a little more - well at least Chris did and I got the occasional pet. Finally we left, we were not the only ones. It is amazing how mich Chris is sleeping these days, she says that way she is prevented from feeling too much stress, and her body only takes what it needs.

Allright, and Chris and I need to go back to work tomorrow, that's for sure. Yesterday we went to a room I don't recall ever having been to. We went into the tower room, where we met the two men again, who presented some human things. I slept under the table, where I really had enough space, and then Chris made sure that the men got some food. I think now things are going to slow down a little, that is really nice. Have a good weekend everybody, Yours, Hapoo.

strange forks part two

The next morning Chris got up, took what she calls a quick shower and got ready. Petra was also awake, and when they were somewhat awake, they took me out for the Hapoo walk. Then they had an extensive breakfast session, before we all got into the car again. We ended up at the same building that we had spent hours inside yesterday. However, this time, we didn't go upstairs, but we stayed downstairs, walked into a huge office and were greeted by a kind old man. The humans had to wear signal jackets like I always do, and then we walked into an area they call the central store or so. That was really impressive. There were bicycles in that store thing, and cars and crates were running around. That was really new to me, so many cars running around in that store, stock thing, I had to take care that I wasn't run over. In the supermarket we can always stay on our left and walk along shelves, but here that wasn't possible. You know, there were loads of boxes up in the air, being taken somewhere, I don't know. And in the middle of al of this there was a speedy tower, a huge thing that was racing back and forth between the selves. It had a basket that it could move, spooky!

They walked and listened to the man's explanations, I watched the invisible car and box races, until we stopped at a vehicle I had not yet seen close by. It consists of only one seat, which doesn't have a stearing weel, but many easy to push buttons, a monitor like at the tiny tiny baby laptop Chris has at home, and a paper roll to print something on. Chris didn't move the thing, but she says it was good to get the chance to look at it. Above her there was something like a fence. The man said that was to prevent heavy crates or boxes from falling on the driver's head and killing him. On Chris' right side, as she was sitting up there, there was a rather high pole, and on the ground a super size fork with only four teeth. The man explained that this could go up and down on the pole, poke into those flying crates and. thus let them speed through the aisles. They call that thing a forklift. Strange fork, really strange!

Fortunately Chris climbed down without even moving that fork car thing by one inch, and we continued our walk. Finally, there was a magic turning table, where these crates and boxes were put on. And after that table had stopped turning, the whole thing was tightly wrapßped up in a plastic blanket foil, probably so it cannot catch cold. I am happy I didn't have to sit on that table, really.

Then after lunch I had the chance to relieve my stress, for Chris and Michael took me outside. He had taken over my leash for parts of the walk, so Chris could explore things better, but I didn't quite agree. However, now that I was let off the leash, I didn't mind him. We then walked back into the boring presentations room, I slept under the table until it was time to leave and off we went for yet another long long car ride, during which I stayed in the warm car all the time - didn't need to go out anyway. When we arrived, we were at work, where Chris let me run once again. Petra was really nice and took us home.

Home sweet home, I got my food, plopped down on my bed, only got up to follow Chris into the bedroom and then slept like there was no tomorrow.

Cheers, gotta run off to work, Hapoo.

car rides and strange forks

Hi everybody:

I cannot really tell why Chris all of a sudden decided to go on a journey with me. There was no suitcase out this time, just the backpacks we go to work with. And in the morning Petra the colleague waited for us downstairs. That was when I knew something was not as usual, plus Chris had both backpacks on her shoulder. Usually it is either one or the other.

We went to work by car, and then changed into another car, where I had the back all for myself. Petra had organized for the bags to go into the other car's back, so I had enough space for myself. But it was cold and uncomfortable back there, until Chris gave me her jacket to lie down on. Usually I don't lay down on her clothes, because they aren't my place, but I think that time she did not mind, otherwise she would not have passed it on to me.

 

We got out of the car a few times. That was when Chris handed my leash over to other people, and before I knew it Petra and she had left, probably for the bathroom or so. She always returned, but I still was not very relaxed about her disappearing. After all, at least one has to watch that nothing happens to her when mom isn't there.

 

After a really long car ride we arrived at a hotel. However, I was not given much of a break. The ladies only put their bags down, and then we went somewhere by car again. Chris says they were trying to find a place to eat something, at which they weren't successful. Restaurants around a place called Dortmund seem to close around lunch time - strange, since I had always thought lunch was a human time for eating!

 

Then we arrived at a gate, through which we were not able to pass. Back into the car, drive around, try yet another gate, the same thing. Drive around one more time and then finally meet up with somebody who first gave the humans cards like Chris has at work. The man got to hold my leash while Chris and Petra gave a machine money to eat, which was registered on the card somehow - too complicated for me. We then walked upstairs, where two other people greeted us. They asked where I was, and Chris showed me to them.

 

I was put under the table, where I really lad lots of space to sleep, and the humans talked. They told the strangers how hungry they were, and a little while later they were presented with lots of food - none for me, of course, but I think I behaved well all the while, though everything was strange and new around me.

 

The humans took forever to talk, ask and explain. They were joined by another stranger for a while. Chris says he was the big boss of that place, and she had fun listening to him, as he was on the verge of bursting with words.

 

It was late in the evening when we went outside. There was not much green space outside, but one strip of grass, where I got to do my small business. I hadn't gotten any food until then, and I was to wait until much later. For now the humans got into the car with me and we went back to the vilage where the hotel was, searching for dinner food for the humans. We found a restaurant, where the chef was sent back into his kitchen to prepare Schnitzel for all thirteen humans, and I got some water. Some of us, including Chris and me, walked home, while the others took the cars. Outside the restaurant I spotted a big fat cat, and oh I so much wanted to chase that critter up a tree. Chris held the leash tight, and as much as I tried to run and dance at my end of the leash, she just calmly kept a firm grip and only released the stopper when I didn't see the cat anymore. And then I was allowed to sniff and explore. Finally, when we were at the hotel, I got my food, chrled up on my mat, which again was Chris' jacket, and slept.

 

Allright I think I will tell you about the strange forks in another email, I am afraid this one will be too long otherwise.

Cheers, Hapoo.