I've chosen to talk about five topics dealing with longstanding pedological or paleoenvironmental problems involving tephrostratigraphy. I'll begin with the oldest tephras and work 'stratigraphically upwards' to the youngest. Along the way I'll mention or show a few of the people I've worked with, or who were involved historically in the research areas. I've allowed around five or six minutes for each topic (but I'd be grateful if you didn't set your stopwatches!). As promised, the second part of the talk will begin when we reach the year 1952. Among a range of personal observations relating to the birth of the society and to Norman Taylor, I will attempt to explain how I came to be giving this lecture today.