***HAPPY HOLIDAYS***

TO:  ALL OUR ESRA FRIENDS – and other “GOOD PEOPLE/ANIMALS”

FROM:  MAX -  and Nancy & Charlie Noren and the  rest of my new “Pack”

Charlie, Nancy, Lori, Tom, Nick, Troy, LeAnn and Alex,
MAX, MURPHY BROWN – Clare – and OZZIE

Yonkey Pines Christmas Tree Farm – Nov. 2004

Hi! I'm Max (that "good looking" black and white English Springer Spaniel lower left above - right in front of Charlie, the alpha of the "Noren Pack", at least Nancy lets him think he is ---). Although I'm about 4 ½ years old, I've only been MAX since early October. Let me explain!

In early October, I must have gotten lost; anyway, some nice lady - I think her name was Jill - found me on a running track in Blue Springs, MO. She called me Max, took me her vet for shots and grooming. Well, she couldn't find my owner and couldn't keep me herself, so I went to the Independence, MO Animal Control. They in turn contacted some ESRA folk and, after some more shots and a procedure called neuter (I've started to figure out what that really was), Doug picked me up and took me to my foster home with Doug and Diane Hawkins.

They're really great people and let me share their home with Springers, Mollie (15) and Sam (5) and an Australian Shepard. They even called me Max - and Diane said nice things about me on the ERSA web-site. Then one evening Tom, that's Charlie's Son, showed up to talk with Diane and look me over (I assume). Next thing I knew, Tom, his son Nick, and Charlie showed up at Diane's, put me in the back seat of Charlie's old pick-up and took me to Tom's house in Overland Park, Kansas. What a time that was!! That's when I got to meet Tom's wife, Lori, and daughter, Clare - and also their 2 yr. old female Choc. Lab, Murphy Brown. (Got to play with her in her back yard and started to figure out what that neuter business was all about) Anyway, the next day Charlie and I got in the old Pickup and drove to my new home in Lincoln, NE. All the time everyone called me Max, so I guess that's what my name is going to be from here on ------

About my new home: Nancy's great, I just had to soften her up with the "Springer Wiggle" and now she let's me sleep in the bedroom on my new "doggie bed". The back yard has 4 big trees, lots of flowers and bushes, a 6 ft. wooden fence with 30 + posts and 2 gates, and a bird bath. Don't worry, I've marked them all.

The birds aren't too bad, but I sure do hate those squirrels. One of these days, I'll catch one --- then look out!!!

I kinda get the "run of the house" . They put my crate in the basement in Charlie's office - so I've got to meet many of his clients, and listen to Charlie tell them my story and about the great people (volunteers) connected with the ESRA organization. He even told about me in the annual Noren Christmas letter.

Well, the foods good (I've gained 4 or 5 pounds), my new Vet gave me a couple of guardia shots and a clean bill of health, Charlie got me licensed with the Animal Control people, and just the other day I got "groomed" for Christmas. I get to ride in the PU, go for walks with Charlie and Nancy, and, once I even when hunting. The whole family (including Murphy Brown) was at MY house for a few days at Thanksgiving time - that's when we had the picture taken. We had a great time. I can hardly wait till the whole "pack" is here again for Christmas.

I just hope and pray that all the good people connected with ESRA can be with "family" during the holiday season and that other Springers, like myself, get to find their "forever home" so that they too, can spend some time with their whole "family" in 2005.