Bill and Melinda Gates (Foundation Photo)

These two new Times of London stories about Melinda Gates read at times as if penned by Barbara Walters. One reporter can barely get past the second paragraph before writing about Gates revealing that her husband “often weeps at the stories of suffering” they encounter in their philanthropic work.

But mixed in with the saccharine prose are some actual insights into the lives of “Bill & Melinda” following the Microsoft chairman’s shift to full-time foundation work this summer. Some of the best nuggets:

She and Bill hold six-monthly strategy meetings to decide goals, plan family trips and list things they want the children to learn. She even produces a written report.

She says they see each other more now, travel together, and last night were both helping with their children’s homework. “Bill is a night owl. He thinks best at night. He reads deeply on all these foundation topics and he’ll get very engaged in a book and keep going until he’s done, even if that’s 2am.”

The couple thrash out differences on foundation priorities (more nuances, she says, than major issues) taking long walks near their home on the shores of Lake Washington, outside Seattle.

Although her children use public parks and eat in local burger restaurants, mostly unhassled by chilled-out, down-to-earth Seattle folks, the Gateses still like to escape the public gaze. “We have the space at home. We could stay there all weekend if we wanted and not go out and be bothered.”

When I ask if she has, despite her obvious disapproval of flash and flaunt, any personal extravagances, she squirms, then says finally, “We do have a very nice house.”

I’ve spoken with Melinda Gates once during my time covering the Microsoft beat. She sat next to me several years ago after I drove out to Hood Canal looking for blog material at the opening of a hotel redeveloped by Microsoft's Jeff Raikes, now the foundation’s chief executive.

Bill Gates was with her. As they sat down, I was surprised by how she introduced herself — making it seem almost as if they were some random couple at a neighborhood block party.

“I’m Melinda,” she said, “and this is my husband, Bill.”