I am starting to write what could be called my memoirs in response to the urging of some of the members of my family. I always believed an autobiography to be an ego trip and resisted all previous ideas about doing so for that reason. Nevertheless, they pointed out that details were needed to pass on to my grandchildren and to those that might follow, so I was finally convinced.
I am determined to do all the writing, so the content of the book and any observations and opinions should truly be mine. I recognize, however, that I am going to need a lot of help in many aspects of this project. I will try to be as accurate as possible and relate the salient facts as faithfully as I can. I am, however, relying on my memory, so I may have to ask my son and two daughters to help me with dates and chronology of events. Most importantly, I have not kept up with the many wondrous technological changes that we have experienced over the last few years and I will be forced to rely on them for the many things that have to be done to bring a project like this to completion. Without their help I would not even attempt this undertaking. So from the beginning I wish to acknowledge their contribution and support.
My plan is to relate the events that transpired in more or less chronological order. I say more or less because different things might have been going on simultaneously at home and at work and, for the sake of continuity, I may have to jump ahead in one and fall back later to catch up in the other.
I am now eighty seven years old and it would probably take me another eighty seven years to put on paper everything that happened. Nevertheless I will try to mention most of the salient facts in order to convey as complete a picture as possible.
