Book excerpt: Jacks childhood and formative years on the family farm in Scotland during World War II are recounted here. This is followed by an account of Jack and Pats journey from marriage at an early age to retirement, including many poems and stories from events along the way. A keen interest in things mechanical became a passion and a driver for Jack in the fields of construction and commissioning. Various projects and locations are discussed, including working in the Middle East deserts to Alaska and the North Sea, together with the effects on family life. Pivotal moments occur almost in an unplanned way but formed a cohesive picture through time.