Dear Mark,

           Been a while hasn’t it? How’s Chicago treating you? You’re probably ER Chief by now, while I’m still shuttling around Portland as an on-call doctor for three different peds wards. Carol and the twins are good – I wanted to say thanks for looking after them for me, Carol said you were there at the birth and that I kinda owe you one for saving her and Kate. Maybe when you come out here one summer I’ll buy you a beer! I thought about visiting Chicago (the mother-in-law wants to see her “favourite grandchildren” – I resisted pointing out they were her ONLY grandchildren), but my work schedule is stopping me from making many trips anywhere right now, plus getting two one year olds on a plane is not a fun experience. So how’s about it? Bring Rachel, we have loads of room here (property prices outside the city are nothing!), and Elizabeth is welcome as well. I hear you two are getting on like the proverbial house. Is that wedding bells I hear??

           Anyway, I have to run, I’m scribbling this on some notepaper between treating a kid that ate bleach and a bulimic teenager. Talk to you soon!

Doug