Well my dear boy, the days are waning and the shadows are lengthening on my second year without you. You know Birga turned twelve about a month ago...she alone ( besides me ) remembers what it was like when Daddy was away and it was just us three...Dayna and her " Thunder Puppies". As hard as things were for me at times, I'd live it all again to have you back. Thank you for never letting it show if things were hard for you. Thank you for the joyful noise you made to greet each morning, for your patience with your sister. Thank you for making sure whatever else might be troubling me, I slept each night with no fear of intrusion.
I know how happy you must have been to greet your Grandmother when she joined you in Glory, but I bet you were surprised to see little Miss Sadie coming. I fought as hard as I could to keep her here...just as I did with you. Kindly give her a kiss on her pointy little kisser for me ( if you can get her to be still a second).
And thanks for sending us Amos, we adore him, as you knew we would. He is like you...the very essence of happy, masculine "Dogness". But that place in our hearts that belongs to you, still belongs to you alone. You know how your Dad hates to see me cry...I catch him crying for you himself when how he thinks I don't see.
The old kitty is holding his own. Would you please use any pull you've got up there to help Momma be sure she's doing the right thing by him.
I love you, as ever, with every beat of my heart. My fingers remember so well the velvet of your ears, the butteriness of your retrieving-dog muzzle, the roughness of the fur above your tail...where you so loved to be scratched. My sweetest dreams ring with your triumphant bay,and the pounding of your tail.
My " Thunder Pup " you remain, for as long as I live and then...
Mom
