The Pabst Mansion...

Built in 1890 in the Flemish Renaissance Revival Style, it was the home of Captain Frederick Pabst (1836-1904), founder of the Pabst Brewing Company. It was the first of many mansions built along Wisconsin Ave. (Wisconsin Ave. still being the main East/West Street of downtown Milwaukee) by the wealthy in the late 1800's, and is the only one that still remains. All the others were torn down in the 1950's for "progress", and Tom remembers playing inside a few of them as they were being taken down--not to mention his shooting out of some panes of glass with a slingshot--but says that even as a boy he thought what a waste it was to take the mansions down, as the craftsmanship was superb!
I felt the need to photograph something solid and lasting today as an antidote to the roller coaster ride we've been on this past week and a half. Tom has been diagnosed with leukemia--such a shock as he's never been sick a day in his life, had never had surgery, never been in the hospital--and will start chemotherapy next week Tuesday. It's not a cure, it's merely to try and keep it from worsening. He'll need three injections each day for 7 days, then will be off for 3 weeks, then it will be repeated for as long as it can hold it at bay. Through this past week and a half, as scared as we've both been, he's still managed to keep his sense of humor. My heart is breaking...... Prayers would be appreciated!