Wherein we find...

Well, this is me. Sorry to start with a picture of me but I figured I better get the worst over early!

What can we tell from this picture? Well first, with teeth that crooked this is no Californian. Must be a Brit. God Bless the National Health Service.

Second, with hair like that this is no sartorial gent. Yep, I'm a computer programmer geek.

This is, in my humble opinion, the best picture of me ever taken. I was caught off guard by my daughter with a disposable camera bought for a school field trip.

A natural photographer just like her mother. Which brings me to the most important person in my life. Alison.

Here's all three of us on board a New England Whale Watching boat.

The occasion was the 50th Wedding anniversary of my parents.

To make things fair for the whole family we visited Boston to see the New England Fall Colors as it was midway between us here in California and them in Great Britain.

Of course, our boys weren't far away either.

That's Michael and Andrew, again in New England.

Everything good that I can say about my kids, and that's a lot, is due to their mother's influence.

Any shortcomings are entirely due to me - thus far I appear relatively blameless.

Its a mystery to me of course why Alison puts up with me. Any good points that she sees must be entirely due in turn to my parents.

Just as I can't say enough to do justice to Alison and the kids, I'm also probably not as good as I should be at saying enough good things about my parents, more importantly, to my parents.

I love you Mum and Dad.

My Mum and Dad on their 50th Wedding Anniversary in Plymouth, New England.

50 years. I guess that's a good starting point for things to say. Thank you for the example you have provided me: a stable family life, a life lived happily, contented, productive, positive. For showing me how this is achieved through self reliance, loyalty, hard work, pride in oneself, fairness, honesty, responsibility. Love.

All that I am, all that I have, is due to you guys and the start you gave me in life, the values you equipped me with. I love you and thank you.

Of course, they only explain why I started out so well.

My continued good fortune can only be attributed to Alison.

The beginning of our journey towards being a Golden Sunset Couple.

I love you so much Alison that it doesn't seem 40 years ago, I swear it was just yesterday.

To be multiply blessed in life like this is I think proof of the existence of God. To receive three time the gift of life in the form of our wonderful kids is proof of the existence of Miracles.Well, a man would say that! Actually its a testament to the strength and fortitude of women and more particularly Alison!

And finally, if not proof then at least a strong argument that somebody out there loves us or why else were dogs put on this planet. Of course the counter-argument is that we are also provided with sisters.