Our beloved Max (aka Mackie) passed away Wednesday just a few weeks shy of his 15th birthday.
Max, born circa December 1993, was adopted from the Morris Animal Refuge (Philadelphia), and came to his new home on June 10, 1994. He quickly charmed the neighborhood children, served capably as a doggie ambassador, and performed the requisite chasing-of-cats.
Max enjoyed camping expeditions and travelled extensively, visiting his uncle Billies in California and Colorado in addition to various Mid-Atlantic destinations. Sojourns were also enjoyed with his great-uncle Russ in Bethlehem. He had a certain way with ladies, enticing some to feed him strawberries with whipped cream, and others to provide him with paw massages.
In 1998, Max adopted a mommy and soon thereafter, enjoyed the arrival of his first baby brother. Max's first facial expression, upon hearing the infant's cry, was to look at mommy and daddy and "say", "Can't you make it stop?" But Max soon came to love and protect Kurt, and in 2003 his next little brother, Erich, was born. The boys now outnumbered the girl, by 4 to 1.
Max moved with his family to his retirement home in Collingswood, complete with a large porch from which to bark at the passing scene, woof at the neighbor dog Maddie, and stare down his friend's (Chris & Liz) cats. Later in life, Max continued to enjoy camping (photo from Assateague, October 2007) and - always wanting to keep things interesting - even staged a jailbreak in February, 2008. (Photo and story, February 2008 section of blog). His last bit of mischief was to stealthily steal, and devour, a loaf of French bread in October.
Max will forever be in our hearts.
Rainbow Bridge
By the edge of a wood at the foot of a hill
Is a lush green meadow, where time stands still
Where the friends of man and woman do run
When their time on earth is over and done
For here between this world and the next
Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest
On this golden land they wait and play
Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day
No more do they suffer in pain or in sadness
For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness
Their limbs are restored, their health renewed
Their bodies have healed with strength imbued
They romp through the grass without even a care
Until one day they stop and sniff the air
All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back
Then all of a sudden one breaks from the pack
For just at that instant their eyes have met
Together again, both person and pet
So they run to each other, these friends from long past
The time of their parting is over at last
The sadness they felt while they were apart
Has turned into joy once more in each heart
They embrace with a love that will last forever
And then side by side they cross over together
--author unknown
