From Russ

 Everything is still great. Amazingly few bumps along the way. We posted some pictures earlier today. Jack and I went on a seaplane from Lake Union in downtown Seattle and flew all over Seattle. We just finished up in Napa. Went to a winery and the Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield, CA. Now is Oakland beginning three days in San Francisco. Then off to Monterey and Yosemite, and a few days of rest on the coast before meeting Linda Lipson in San Diego.

   David Weiss' wedding was terrific. Lovely vineyard setting,great band and food, and most importantly, a radiant bride and groom. We were with most of of Rochester friends for dinner the night before, and for those of you interested, we will be back in Rochester on October 24th for almost a week for doctor appointments, and then again on November 3rd and 4th. Hope to see many of you then. We will be in NYC around October 20th for a few days, and again on November 5-10. 

  We are "wintering" in Fort Myers. We have a place for December and January, and may stay longer, or travel for a month or two in February and March. Hope to see many of you down there. We have a place with three extra bedrooms.

   This is our tenth week, and it's not the least bit "old" yet. We do miss our kids, so we are swinging by Indianapolis and NYC  a little earlier than planned, but we still have places to see. We still enjoy living in hotels, and really don't miss having a home base in the slightest. Of course we looked forward to seeing many of our friends for a few days, and hope to see many more in October, but at the moment, we are absolutely doing what we most want to do.

   My health is as good as it's been in recent years. Hopefully all my doctors will confirm that in October. My doctors have been terrific; especially Doctor Ching and Dr. Kouides and their staffs. I've had to interact regularly with them while traveling, and they have made it so much easier by being so accommodating. And of course Trisha has been amazing, since even in relatively good health I'm a pain in the ass, and she cares for me like Florence Nightingale. I hope I am never called upon to care for her like this; I'll try, but can't possibly live up to the standard she has set. The bar is just too high.

    We both despair over the election. Unfortunately, I'm doom and gloom about the outcome. Read Dick Armey in today's USA TODAY. He says the bubba effect will doom Obama. The bubba effect is racism keeping people from voting for a black person. He of course says the Republicans won't push that agenda and how sorry he is to see people refusing to vote  for someone because of race, but that's just so much bullshit. I think it will end up a relative landslide, and that perhaps the second worst ticket in recent memory(nothing will ever,ever be worse than Bush/Cheney;nothing ever) will win handily. I so hope I'm wrong, with my head once again up my ..., but I think not.

   Would love to hear from some of you. Post on the blog or email privately. Be well.  Russ