What a lovely week we had…this birthday week. We had two dinners…one for 22 in our New York apartment and one for 25 in the country. No help either, and, Mercy, it was fun. Two of the nicest nights of my long life. Harry was wonderful, of course…and a new pal from the first Aspen Week, David Bliss, gave one of the best talks i’ve ever heard. And i’ve heard a lot. They were two wonderful and loving nights…heaven.

A word about shape, since I am in the business. I have sloughed off a bit the last ten days of celebration and gained four pounds. But kept up the exercise stuff hard. Here are a couple of numbers to keep your spirits up: I biked a couple of hundred miles in the last ten days. My resting heart rate is a pleasing 46, if you please. And – best of all – my “recovery rate” today…and one day last week…was over 50 BPM. My maximum heart rate is down to 160…noting you can do about that…but those other numbers are cheering. That is…there are indications that I can more or less be myself for, Oh…another year or two.

Off to Phoenix to give a speach. Then to Aspen. Not too late to sign up for Aspen. And it is going to be great fun. C