Doctor Kildare or Ben Casey, MD?

First , a great big welcome goes out to the new subscriber in MOSCOW CITY, MOSCOW!!! Yes, that is Russia for those of us still trying to recover from the Cold War. Not sure who you are, but welcome. Leave a comment! Better yet, email some good vodka over this way!

Second, guten label Bitte abfahren ein Durchgabe to my new friend in Huckeswagen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Forgive me for not including an umlaut where it is needed. I'm not up on that punctuation level in German. I've only reunited with my German-ness during the last six months when I found out my grandfather, Michael Brannigan was really Michael Grohman. Regardless, feel free to send some of those
wiener schnitzels this way to go with the Russian vodka. Yum.

Third, in an earlier blog I mentioned how much I'd LOVE traveling back in time. How fascinating it would be to share a bottle of wine with Thomas Jefferson; hear Patrick Henry's speech; or read information from a liberty tree. EXCEPT my life would have been cut short without the current medical treatments we all enjoy in the here and now. No antibiotics. NO AIR CONDITIONING! No venti skim mocha lattes either. EEEE-gads. Once you consider some issues like that, time travel loses its shine.
Ready to rush to your rescue: the perennial mentor, Dr. Gillespie with my heart-throb, Dr. Kildare

Now, lets fast forward to the 60s and the dashing Princeton hair cut of Doctor Kildare with that sharp looking minty fresh green doctor smock-shirt. In 8th grade, Kathy Bucci always preferred the medical gymnastics of Ben Casey, MD with his smokin' hot perma 5 o'clock shadow and chiseled looks. It is easily said that I broke the commandment of coveting something because Kathy had the BEN CASEY doctor shirt, with his name stitched on the left side. Some kids had it all. I wanted it badly, but not enough to walk around Pittsburgh with "Dr. B. Casey, MD" stitched over my heart. I wanted a Dr. Kildare shirt. No Ben Casey for me. Thank god that phase of my life is well into the past. Safe to say we've moved on from those two drama queens as well. No more lame story lines leaving us on an emotional precipice wondering if Yvette Mimeau will kiss either of them or what will happen to this week's guest star Zsa Zsa Gabor's appendix.

Last, today we benefit from so very much more. One fine example took place on Valentine's Day. Two dear friends from Pittsburgh, Little Jackie Pflueger and his bride, Dora, arrived on their stop along their Winter 2009 Tour of the Eastern Seaboard. Little Jackie and his bride received their nicknames from none other than Mary Louise, my mom, who thinks she is the oldest living creature in the universe. Meanwhile,Little Jackie is WELL over 6' 3", so he is any thing but little, especially if you compare him to my midget mother. His bride, Dora, has been at his side a while, so her bridal gown is definitely in the cleaners rather than ready for the chapel. They've been married nearly 47 years.

Left: Dora, the bride and my favorite explorer
Right: Little Jackie, himself
After a lovely dinner with my friends, Robbi, Wendy, her family from Pittsburgh: Pat and VIcky, the parental units and nephew Logan, we all traipsed over to the Dairy Godmother (http://www.thedairygodmother.com/) for fantabulous custard. Sounds good, right?

Jiggety-jog later and we all returned home. Jack states he is tired after our long day which included the incredible salon exhibit of George Catlin's studies of American Indians at the Renwick (http://www.si.edu/visit/whatsnew/RENWK.ASP). [It is leaving soon and really shouldn't be missed!]

Shortly after going to bed, he called for Dora. Immediately following that, Dora called for me. Chest pains. Weakness. Elephants sitting places they don't belong. In a split second we were calling 9-11 for an ambulance. Within an instant, the Alexandria Fire Department's First Response team arrived. Truck and ambulance. Red/blue flashing lights stirring up some of the most wonderful neighbors on the planet. Thank God the medics were there so quickly because shortly after they were tending to him, he was in a state of increased distress. Drugs were administered while they feverishly worked to stabilize him.

Emergency Room treatment is always expedited for anyone traveling by ambulance and especially for someone with chest pains. A few sleepless nights and an installed pacemaker/defibrillator later he seems as if he is on the road to recovery. Thank you, God for sparing him and giving us the gift of his sharp humor and soft loving ways.

What a Valentine's Day!!!! Talk about giving you a heart to love. This one worked out for us. Jackie and Dora are preparing for their glorious return to Sixburgh and taking their extra special ticking souvenirs with them. I hope they have it in their heart to return some day. This one is from the bottom of my mine: I love you all.

And so it goes. Scoop