Ed Brill

I'm sitting in a conference room at (nameless Swiss customer), while outside a fantastic torrential rain is coming down.  Very interesting view out the windows here, of trash bins rolling down the street etc..  This is my first time connected in a couple of days.... of course, I can't get to the IBM VPN through their network, but at least PSC's server is visible through their Internet proxy.
The weekend in the French Alps was great.  I was able to see Mont Blanc from across the valley at 2 km above sea level, visit the town of Chamonix, and have some close-up encounters with mountain goats (they block the streets in some of the towns).  It's amazing how, uh, familiar it all felt, though I've never been before.  Why?  Because every ski town and resort in the US tries to look like the Swiss/French Alps.  Well, they somewhat succeed...but nothing is quite like the original.
I have eaten more cheese in the last two days than ever in my life.  It was all good, though.  Lots of water, too, since the temperature was 33-36 degrees Celsius all weekend.
Anyway, I'm spending the day in Zurich and then off to Frankfurt, for breakfast with Volker tomorrow before returning home.  Hopefully I will write more later, if my battery holds its charge.