The Wieselers

For me, it has been a joy to watch Tom Wiesler's son, Gabe, grow. After our catch-and-release excursion, I invite Tom, Gabe, and Patty to come up to the house and I will make pizza for supper. I have just one small ulteror motive. I need Tom's great expertise with electronics to help me figure out why I can't get stereo sound from my DVD player through my Bose speakers.

It takes Tom all of 20 minutes to analyze the problem and cure the ill. No wonder he was of such value to Cray Research back in the day.

I have always admired Tom's great sense of humor. He is quick witted and dry. He makes me laugh and marvel at just how quick he really is.

I always enjoy observing the dynamics of family relationships. Tom and Patty are so much like every other long-married couple that I know - they seem to relish the disagreeing that accompanies either's story telling. None of it is mean-spirited. Neither loses their cool or gets angry with being corrected. They just seem to get to a point in a story where they agree to disagree, give up, and move on.

I am impressed with all three of their intellects. Patty has a great artistic flair and a great eye for home decoration. Their house is really a peaceful place to be and decorated very tastefully, complementing the very setting in which the house sits.

Gabe, I can tell, obstreperous youth that he is, has a keen sense of wonder and a sharp mind for figuring out how almost anything works. He is full of life and his engine is running on high rev. I find myself wishing I could reach out, put a hand on his forehead, and somehow draw some of that raw, pulsing energy in to my tired, aching body and mind.

It is obvious to me that Tom and Patty have done a really good job giving Gabe a solid foundation in his early years on which to build.

Yes, the Wieselers are just all right with me.