Russell loved the Yosemite Valley (as seen in May, 2005, from the Tunnel Overlook. Barry took this amazing picture.)

Yosemite, May, 2005, after a very wet winter

Ping Pong with Russell

Have you ever seen Russell play ping pong? He could probably have made it his career had he so chosen! We spent a great deal of time playing -- I was the hapless little sister who tried and tried to even score a point. I cannot remember if he ever gave away points. What I do remember is how he would hit the ball then spin 360 degrees with a variety of sound effects --- and be ready to hit my return to him! He would get me laughing so hard that my stomach muscles would ache! Russell could put some kind of mystery spin on the ball so that it could just touch the edge of the table, where the white paint is, then "guh -- zing" right off the edge at some strange 90 degree angle. Other times he might just seem to tap the ball over the net right into the center of the playing area, but the ball would jump to the left or the right OR right back toward him! I have to admit instead of being frustrating it was hilarious! He was a real one-man show when it came to ping pong. (I also have to admit that I only seemed and still seem to think it was only funny when Russell creamed me like that. I don't like to play with other people who are so much better than me - ha!)