David PREAMBLE

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I was born in the last year of the second world war.  The world that has evolved in my lifetime has ensured that I have lived a life arguably unprecedented in world history.  Plenty, opportunity, access to wealth, healthcare, education and any amount of low hanging fruit.
Eighty years on I see it being squandered and compromised.  North America was the centerpiece following the war and the United States led the way. Today they are an empire in decline.  We historians know about empires that rise and fall, but I never thought I would be so close to a decline.  A personal take is that Canada, my country of origin, looks like it understands and may continue to prosper while my country of choice often behaves like a possum in the headlights.
Dr. Benjamin Libby, who you will read about in my family tale, was born in the first year of the American Revolutionary war. His life began with promise.  I sense that our lives are somewhat parallel.  He was born into a new idea, a new paradigm on how nations will grow, develop and prosper in every sense of the word.  The end of my life may well see the end of that experiment, the demise of the greatest assembly of ideas, principles and laws the world has known. I am suggesting that Dr. Benjamin saw the beginning of America and I am seeing the beginning of the end.  An interesting circle.
The words below will give you a glance at a pioneer colonial family over twelve generations.  It moved from Cornwall England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony  now the State of Maine ) in 1629, to the United States of America in 1776, to Canada in 1829 and to New Zealand in 1967.Mine is a colonial story. It is also a moving westward story.  I have scant bits of information, but enough to formulate a picture.  My family doesn’t divulge much so there is a degree of speculation and even an occasional guess.  I have told bits of my personal story that I have thought to be relevant to provide a snapshot of what my life has been.
I will recount some stories and experiences that have moved me, amused me, intrigued me and captivated my imagination.  I have learned some lessons and developed some skills.  My major achievement has been to be a terrific partner to Stephanie and a father to Tom.  Other than that I have done my bit.  I continue to do my bit with wit and enthusiasm.  I hope you will find some of the pages I have written to be of interest and maybe even of some value.