22-09-2010

Prelude

Memories are among  our most cherished possessions

What we remember and how we remember events, places and trips may in the end be all we have left.

Linda and I have been fortunate enough to visit all fifty states of our great country

We also have traveled fairly extensively in and through Canada and so we have included Canada in this work of memories

 We have taken tons of pictures. We have lived in quite a few states and sometimes the memories of these places and events are painful. 

We have tried to remember fairly and honestly and even joyfully,  but we have been honest and we have included some very pain filled states and events.

Pain is a part of our memories but does not dominate what we remember.

New Mexico and Tennessee are among states where our good strong memories surprised and pleased us.

Writing this has been and I think will continue to be a joy for me and my wife!

It brings back memories that soon may be lost do to age among other considerations.

It helps us remember where we have been and what we have seen and done! Some of it is just amazing while some of it is very ordinary.

One of the serious issues for me has been remembering all the wonderful pictures even to the last detail, and then, 

 not being able to find  sometimes even a single picture.

Even though I have come to accept that there are States where my memories of pictures are very vivid,

I simply can not locate them and so my narrative must somehow do the job.

Perhaps as this progresses some of the pictures will be found and I will add them later!

It strikes me that when someone reads a description of their state and we have said things about how we were treated and our impressions of the people there, well,

the important thing is for you to consider that this is what we remember and more important, it is what we remember about how we were treated. 

We would never say that everyone was like that and I hope we find at least one good thing to say about every state. I am sure we will!

John