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2014: Successfully Found A Way
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AACA | |
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Friday May 16. We got a visit from doctor B about 2 PM and his assistant. He
sat at a table and explained everything. He was relaxed and friendly and not
in a hurry. He provided us a portfolio of the entire procedure, along with
X-ray photos and a small tri-fold card to put in our passports.
Anthony had his black AACA shirt on. He asked if we liked antique cars
and I pulled up photos of our cars and he showed us a website of his friend in
America who has a 180. I kissed Dr. Bertagnoli - both sides of as is
custom and thank him for giving Anthony a life. He seemed very touched. I
told him that maybe one day we will be back to ballroom dancing! I also told
him that I also Cowboy Dance but Anthony never liked that. He got tickled at
that!
That night we had supper of Pizza and Coca Cola. Anthony talked
to Dirk on the handy. I told him Dirk wouldn't be satisfied until speaking
to his friend. We then watched two episodes of 24 - Jack Baur and then
schlafen! | |
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Wild & Wonderful |
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Saturday May 17. Our last full day a Klinik Bogen. We put a pin in the map
to show our home location. He is the first from Wild & Wonderful West
Virginia! The special driver is going to pick us up tomorrow at 11:00 A.M
and transport us to Hotel Theresientor (Theresa's Gate) in Straubing. Dirk
called. He will pick us up there on Tuesday May 20th to transport us back
to the Klinic for a follow up and then we will travel to his home in
Rosenheim. We watched an episode of 24 and Grimm on my laptop, then bed.
Sunday, May 18. At 8:15 A.M, heard "Country Roads" for the first time
since our arrival last Sunday. Sunshine, blue skies, puffy white clouds.
Our transport driver works closely with the hospital was very efficient and
got us to the hotel Theresiantor in Straubing in record time.
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Hotel Theresiantor |
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Once we
checked into the Hotel we walked a little around the Theresianplatza. Many stores were
closed. We ate at a restaurant next to the hotel. An excited waitress asked
Anthony if he was a patient of Doctor B's. We said yes - and she told us
that Moscow Channel One had been doing interviews in Bogen and at the Klinik and in Straubing and
at our hotel. Actually, performing some interviews in the very chair Anthony
had sat in for
dinner. We went back to our room and watched the three stooges on YouTube
and then bed.
Monday, May 19. Had a very nice breakfast buffet
on the first floor restaurant. Then walked to a bank ATM and did a little
shopping. Got a few cute things for Eva & Rae and Dirk and Gretel. It was a
very warm day.
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Crossing the Donau |
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Tuesday, May 20. I had everything ready by our door. I told Anthony Dirk
would be here early at 9:05 A.M, there he was. On our way to Bavaria we took a small ferry across the Danube (Donau)
to save time and stopped at Burghausen for ice cream, (where we stopped our
our way in 2006 on our way to Father Manfred's Land Rally). Oh I forgot, we
got to Bogen Klinick at 9:45 A.M for Anthony's follow-up which went very
well.
Wednesday, May 21. We all visited Dirks mechanic.
Another stop was close to home. A farmer and his wife having BEAUTIFUL
gardens with roses ready to bloom, arbors, trellises, little sayings
through the walkways and such. We then went home to rest for the 6 P.M
meeting of the "Car Club" - I asked its name - Dirk said "The Longhorn
Car Club." A lively time by all. |
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Roses & The Flea Market |
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Tuesday, May 22. Anthony
was tired and went to lay down. He got Star Trek Into Darkness to play on my
laptop and fell asleep.
Monday May 26. After breakfast, it was
decided to go to downtown Rosenheim. Gretel took us through the beautiful
town park with a gigantic rose garden - a plaque with Dirk's name and others
who helped finance it. Many mothers with strollers and some people
exercising - being sporty. Dirk took us to the Catholic church. We both love this place - the history the
miracles, stories and just overall beauty.
Later we drove to the
"Flea Market" where we bought the ten Beer steins on another visit. Anthony
bought a Russian officer's hat for the 15 Euros. It needs cleaned, but really
cool. Anthony had to go lay down at 6 P.M. - he was experiencing allot of
pain. Today only marks two weeks since his surgery. |
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Dirndl & Leiderhosen | | |
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Friday May 30. At 1:00 P.M we drove to an auto museum. The museum was well
laid out, very clean, very informative. It had many chance for Anthony to
rest also. It had a lovely cafe, were we had coffee and fruitcake. We saw a
large room full of miniature trains with cities, farms, bridges, etc. "J"
would be in heaven and "B" would be too. There were also set ups of what a
living room, kitchen, storefronts were like circa 1950's. I
really loved everything. On the way
home, I took more pictures of churches and landscapes in Rosenheim.
Sunday, June1. After breakfast, we set out in Baby Blue for a local vintage
car / tractor show. It was a very nice time - traditional music
was playing over the loudspeakers. We drove to another village in my traditional Bavarian
dirndl and leiderhosen.
Monday June 2. After breakfast, I helped Dirk's grandson with his English presentation.
Anthony watched as Dirk's old time, parade, beer truck had its
engine taken apart. | |
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WeiBwurst &
Cubra-libre |
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Tuesday, June 3. Today makes 21 years since Grandma Bea went home to the
Lord. Dirk rides off on Gretel's Vespa to pick up something - which turned
out to be "white sausages" and fresh Bavarian pretzels. They were all in on
the joke on Anthony! I filmed too. During our first day in Straubing,
Anthony had ordered the white sausage at the restaurant. He wouldn't eat it at all, which he had also
told our friends. (WeiBwurst, pronounced Wiese wurst, with a large pretzel,
sweet mustard and beer. Must be eaten before 12 noon by tradition).
Tuesday June 5. We went to visit Dierter. I gave him gifts from America. Of
course, since I could not drink beer, he thought I should have a Cuba-libre
(Rum & Coke). Before I knew it, he had brought me a third one. I did good
holding it together throughout. When his daughter came by - I gave her
a little gift and called her by her name. She got very overclempt, hugging
and kissing me.
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An American From Tacoma |
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Friday June 6. We left to go to Bogen for Anthony's
doctor's appointment. We arrived and ran into our transport driver
who took us to Staubing. Our friend found us - arranged for Anthony's X-ray.
We met another American lady from Tacoma Washington who was waiting for
her X-ray too. She had three new discs put in her mid-back by Doctor B on
May 27th. She was doing great!
I then ran into Anthony's nurse. I
grabbed her - hugging her - thanking her for taking such good care of
Anthony. We saw doctor B's associate doctor. She went over everything,
checked his reflexes and said he'd had "good nursing care" while he was
recovering. When finished, we said our goodbyes - I hugged & thanked her -
she seemed appreciative of that. We then went to the special church where
we'd prayed & lit candles the day of Anthony's surgery. |
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Pentecost &
Glas | |
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His physical
therapist talked to us at the hospital & told us of the special weekend
in Bogen of Pentecost. (About the special pilgrimage made for 100 miles to
this church.
On our way back we went to the "Go-Go Museum". The car company named "Glas"
which was sold to BMW. The whole town practically works there - over 18,000
employees. Dirk had me drive home - 2 hours - so he could map the route for
an upcoming car event. | |
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Father Manfred |
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We arrived home and went to next door to the
Longhorn. As we sat there, Gretel got two phone calls from Meggenhofen
letting her know that Father Manfred Brandl had passed away last night from
Altzheimers. That news hit me like a brick. Our dear friend from our 1st two
trips to Europe - 2005 Mille Miglia and 2006 Megganhofen became so special
to both of us.
What a gentle and so very intelligent man. He was small like
Uncle Buddy but oh how he loved people! (and vintage cars), his nickname was
the Maserati Priest. In 2006, we were given a special place of honor during
the car rally - the only people who got to stay in his
own home - not associated with the Parish. We're both moved by the loss. |
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Deutche AlpenstrBee |
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June 8. We left in Baby Blue - all four of us. It was a car event in Bad
Folz called 3 US Car Treffen. Quite a few American cars were there -
lots of fun for the kiddies. We ate at "The Jailhouse" Restaurant,
similar to the Hard Rock Cafe. Dirk said allot of Americans lived her
through the 1950's - after WWII.
We later held our breadth and
prayed on a very small narrow road. We were also on the "Deutche
AlpenstrBee" (The German Alpine Road), where I was able to snap a
picture of a tank speed limit. Amazing.
We also stopped at an
immaculately kept graveyard. It was an "Allies" graveyard. It is all
impeccably maintained by private German citizens. I signed the book. I found a U.S
Serviceman killed on November 25, my birthday. These places - were
battlefields or places that changed our world forever. I thanked him for
sharing these places with us. |
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You Are My Sunshine |
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We got
home about 6:00 P.M. We went to bed about 9:30 PM, but we finished
Longmire season 2. I then got an email concerning Jeremiah and a high
fever. I wrote back and said it sounded like strep and to get him to the
ER. By 3 AM I found out that it was. I kept picturing our little man
singing to me "You Are My Sunshine" with his little angel voice. God
will take care of him - of this I am sure.
Monday June 9.
Everything is hung outdoors to dry in the sun... the way Mom always did.
Been getting packed up and thinking how bittersweet it will be to go
home. Dirk and Gretel's hospitality is beyond going the second mile!
They are 2 in a million that have looked out for us so completely.
Valerie's Journal End.
A month after we arrived back in
America, we are informed the Political World was unhinged and my
German surgery was the cause. So, I downloaded News Articles which
fell near my German surgical timeline which illustrated a great deal
had indeed occurred.
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Next : New Beginnings
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