David Jetmore on Money
In this episode, David reflects on how his early experiences with money shaped the way he understands security, work, and self reliance. Through stories from his childhood and adult life, he considers the habits that endure long after circumstances change: the instinct to repair rather than replace, to save rather than spend, and to measure wealth not by excess but by having all your needs met. Together, we explore the meaning of âenough,â the habits formed by hardship, and the complicated relationship between success, self-worth, and the fear of going without.
âI read somewhere that when people paid off their mortgage, theyâd burn the mortgage and drive a silver dollar into the base of the banister. So I took a Morgan silver dollar, drilled a little hole in it, and drove a square-headed nail through that silver dollar into that banister post. I think when I paid off the house and had the farm here, thatâs when I felt like I had enough. I had money, a garden, woods, a river flowing through the property. I could fish, I could hunt. I thought, âYeah⊠Iâve got enough.ââ (David, 15:41)
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David Jetmore is a retired physician and one of the founding members of Richmond Neighborhood Restoration in Indiana. He has had a lifelong interest in historic preservation and has personally restored several historic Richmond properties as well as the 220-year-old farmhouse where he lives with his wife, Cheri.
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David Jetmore on Work & Purpose
In this conversation, David reflects on work and purpose across a lifetime, from childhood chores on a farm to decades as a surgeon and an active retirement. He considers what it means to feel truly useful, the satisfaction of developing skills, and the instinct to restore whatâs broken or neglected. Together, we explore the discipline of practice, the value of perseverance, and the deeper fulfillment that comes from doing something well, especially when it matters most.
âI thought, my God in heaven, this guy needs to have a tube, a tracheostomy, and I don’t think I can do that without killing him. Anyway, I got down there, found the constriction, put a tracheostomy in below that. And, you know, I’m sure it saved that guy’s life. Now, there are other ear, nose and throat doctors that could have done the same thing, but I did it. And so, I think that’s probably the epitome of work that I’ve done that was the most useful.â (David, 2: 46)
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David Jetmore is a retired physician and one of the founding members of Richmond Neighborhood Restoration in Indiana. He has had a lifelong interest in historic preservation and has personally restored several historic Richmond properties as well as the 220-year-old farmhouse where he lives with his wife, Cheri.
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David Jetmore on Education
In this third conversation, David reflects on educationânot only as schooling, but as a lifelong process shaped by opportunity, inequality, discipline, and curiosity. He considers how the playing field shifts after childhood, why some students flourish while others struggle, and what it really means to learn across a lifetime. We explore the fragility of attention, the responsibility of teachers, and the evolving wisdom that comes from experience, humility, and continued growth.
âWe may all be created equal when we exit our motherâs wombs, but then the playing field becomes incredibly uneven for the majority of people. Some people have every advantage. Others have none.â (David, 5:32)
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David Jetmore is a retired physician and one of the founding members of Richmond Neighborhood Restoration in Indiana. He has had a lifelong interest in historic preservation and has personally restored 2 historic Richmond properties as well as the 220-year-old farm house where he lives with his wife, Cheri.
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David Jetmore on Relationships
In this second conversation, David looks back on the relationships that shaped himâfrom the quiet confidence instilled by his mother to teachers, mentors, colleagues, and even the animals who helped forge his path. We explore how encouragement, trust, and shared effort create lasting bonds, and how tending relationships gives life meaning over time.
âSo, yeah, I’m grateful for those old men. Hell, they were younger than me at that time. They were probably guys in their 60s. They were gruff. But I learned something from them.â (David, 17:39)
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David Jetmore is a retired physician and one of the founding members of Richmond Neighborhood Restoration in Indiana. He has had a lifelong interest in historic preservation and has personally restored 2 historic Richmond properties as well as the 220-year-old farm house where he lives with his wife, Cheri.
Show Links:
David Jetmore on Health
In this first conversation, David reflects on a lifetime in medicine, from his early ideals as a young doctor to the realities of practicing healthcare over decades. We talk about what society misunderstands about health, what still matters most, and what technology has given us⊠and quietly taken away.
âI liked it better when the patient was looking at my face and I was looking at his. And we were reading each otherâs truths. You know, thatâs truly the art of medicine. (David, 34:08)
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David Jetmore is a retired physician and one of the founding members of Richmond Neighborhood Restoration in Indiana. He has had a lifelong interest in historic preservation and has personally restored 2 historic Richmond properties as well as the 220-year-old farm house where he lives with his wife, Cheri.
Show Links:
Dr. David Jetmore on working together to flatten the curve
Just as the second wave of coronavirus seems to be getting under way here in Spain, where I live, an alarming increase in positive cases is also taking place where I grew up in Indiana. This conversation with Wayne County Health Officer Dr. David Jetmore is an effort to get the facts out, and to let people know in a clear and concise manner how we can all pitch in against this common enemy.
Angel From Montgomery
Angel from Montgomery: cover by Kate Jetmore and Fran Cathcart, ca 1992.
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
New Yearâs Bonus
New Yearâs means music. This week we celebrate with a recording of a live concert from Czech organist Lucie ĆœĂĄkovĂĄ, on a brand new instrument by organ builder FrĂ©dĂ©ric Desmottes.
Lucie ĆœĂĄkovĂĄ youtube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCB1niZtHpuVDvzZ3UWhnpbQ
Lucie ĆœĂĄkovĂĄ on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/lucie.orgue
Frédéric Desmottes website:
www.desmottes.org/
Bonus Christmas Episode
Santa Claus comes in all shapes and sizes. This week, we visit him in an unexpected spot, and later in a more traditional setting.
Bonus: Kate, An American Making Thanksgiving in Spain
For todayâs special Thanksgiving Day episode, weâre turning the tables. Kate will be discussing the American traditions surrounding this holiday, as well as her many memories of family, food and fall â as an American among family in the US, and as an ex-pat living abroad.