Bob Hay advised me to study mathematics and Mr Gardiner suggested Physics. I thought that these would require too much effort so I enrolled in Electrical Engineering at the University of Aberdeen. Angela went to the Teachers Training College in Aberdeen.
After graduation in 1965 I worked for a year at Ferranti but part way through the year I realized that the Socialist Paradise of Harold Wilson had no appeal for me and I asked Angela if she would like to see the world. We were married in July of 1966 and set sail for Canada at the end of August arriving in Montreal on Labour Day weekend in the middle of a railway strike. We were met in Montreal by my cousin George [and Margaret] and in Toronto by John Tarrel.
In the spring of '67 I was offered a job in R&D with Nortel which required a move to Ottawa and we have lived in the Ottawa area for the past 35 years. Angela continued to teach while I worked in technology. Along the way I acquired an MSc from Carleton University in 1971 and our daughter Mhairi was born a few hours after my final exam. Two years on Iain was born and our family was complete.
Always restless as an employee, I started out on my own as a professional engineer in 1974 and in 1979 with a partner started the company which was to be my career from then to the present. We are now about 120 strong and our products and capabilities are known in Law enforcement and Intelligence circles throughout the Western world.
Angela meanwhile raised two kids and after they left home, returned to university to earn a BA followed by a Masters degree in Art History and Anthropology. Angela is an accomplished artist and photographer. She works mainly in acrylics and our home is full of beautiful creations. As for our kids, Mhairi has a PhD in molecular biology and lives in Guelph, Ontario while Iain has an engineering degree in Geomatics and lives in Calgary, Alberta.
As for recreation, I play soccer twice a week in the summer, sail on the river and every other year I go for long canoe trips in the Northwest Territories where we fly in and fly out by float plane. This is an area of Canada with NO people and my son Iain says that it reminds him of Scotland as there are no trees and lots of muskeg. In the winter, we participate in Scottish Country dancing and Angela runs our group.
Now that I am nearing retirement the big question is WHAT TO DO WHEN I GROW UP?