making a short story long.

OK...so you may have noticed that I haven't been posting photos on my blog for a while. Some people have asked...and wondered...and inquired...saying they miss my photos. I miss them, too, I have to admit. I love taking pictures. I love my camera. I love sharing with you what I see through the lens. But...I ran into a problem a while back.

my beloved...

You may remember that I had computer trouble a few months ago...the computer died.And when the computer went, it took my photos WITH it. I have some saved to Flickr and Shutterfly...but not ALL of them. And...since I didn't listen to my husband when he said (multiple times, I will add), "Stop putting all these pictures on the computer...load them onto your external hard-drive that you HAD TO HAVE...and that way, if anything happens to the computer, you've still got your stuff."

Dangit.

Can you guess who didn't listen to her husband?

So the computer died and we rushed out and got a new one because I was in the midst of taking three online college courses. (I'm sure you remember this...I cried about it every other second.) Anyway...we got a new computer that we really couldn't afford. But with school, I couldn't afford NOT to...you know? So we got the computer...but couldn't afford to pay to have my photos retrieved at that time. So there they sit...on the dead computer...waiting patiently to be rescued!

As far as this computer...and taking photos...and storing and loading and editing...I don't have any software on this new computer yet to do the uploading and editing. And I have been too lazy to DO anything about that. Or maybe too busy. Or lazy. Or don't want to figure out loading it and setting it up and choosing defaults...blah blah blah. I have a love/hate relationship with computers.

So...the computer dies...no editing software...no time...no inspiration...and this equals no photos. But it's only temporary...

In the meantime, I'm getting ready for my trip to Belgium. I think I've mentioned that a time or two, oui? (Practicing my French for the trip...je ne parlez francais, un petit peu...je mal a la tete...ou...ferme ta bouche!...a sampling of what I DO know...courtesy of 9th grade. Bad.)

Anyway...so I'm going to Belgium. And you can't go to Belgium and NOT take photos. Right? That would be insane. Especially for someone like me who LOVES to take photos. It would be a lifelong regret...I know it. So all this time I'm knowing that I have to take my camera...and I have to take pictures...but I'm worried, because my camera is heavy...and bulky...and awesome and wonderful...but not conducive to travel. But, still, I'm planning on taking it...and I'm planning on taking photos..many photos...copious amounts of photos...it's what I do. (When I'm not paralyzed by the thought of loading software to my computer, anyway)

Wow...I am really making a very simple story extremely complicated. It's also what I do. Stay with me...I'm going somewhere with this. Really! I am!

Many years ago my husband bought a guitar amp. A large, bulky, old, crusty, wonderful (in his eyes) guitar amp. When I met him, I met the guitar amp. It was a package deal. Well...a few months back he decided it was time to let the amp go. It was time to sell it. Trade it in for a newer model. (Hmmm...I better be careful! If a man can trade in his beloved amp for a newer model..who's to say...um...nah...!!) In all seriousness, he's been getting a bit more serious with his music and felt he needed something easier to transport.

So he put the amp on eBay...and eventually, it sold. And because it was so old and crusty...it was actually awesome and vintage. Handmade. With a signature. From England. Super cool. Even I was intrigued.

In no time at all...the amp sold. He was blessed to make a bit of money by selling it. And he was blessed to be able to get a new amp...just the one he wanted...as well as a few other musical items he'd been wanting. And...come to find out...there was a little extra left over...and because my husband is the sweetest ever, he wanted to share the extra with me and the boys!! He gave each of us a budget...to buy whatever we wanted.

The boys each chose to get brand new yummy baseball gloves. You should have seen them when they arrived in the mail. Almost as good as Christmas!

As for me? I didn't really KNOW what I wanted to spend my money on. I could think of lots of things that I wanted. But I felt like I needed to really spend the money wisely...make it count. I didn't want to just piddle it away. So I just waited.

And then it came to me...Monday morning. A camera. I want to buy a new camera. I know, I know...I have a camera. And a really nice camera. But I didn't have a small, easy to carry and travel with camera.

Mr. Adventure

A few weeks earlier I was able to check out my brother and sister in laws little camera...the Nikon s8000. And I was instantly impressed. Don't let the size fool ya! Ashton Kutcher is telling the truth... It has got some power for a little thing! Amazing zoom. Amazing clarity. And...it's small. And light. And perfect for a certain someones trip to Belgium!

Yes. That was it. I wanted a new camera.

So I called Chris and told him that I had decided what I wanted to spend my money on. And he was totally on board and said he'd get it ordered later that night! And he did...it should be here in a few days. I am so excited! This little gem is going to enable me to take amazing photos of my trip...and I'll hardly even know I'm carrying it! And it'll be great to take to baseball tournaments, too! (In case you didn't know...we attend a few of those now and then.) It's going to be a great travel camera. And I know I'm going to love it!

Don't get me wrong...I will always love my Canon. She is my beloved...another gift from my husband for my birthday a few years ago. He's such an encourager of my hobbies and interests...always has been. The Canon is perfect for stills...for the everyday shots I take for creative purposes. And even for family portrait type stuff. She will not be cast aside. And honestly...she's a bit of a homebody anyway...she's not big on travelling and she packs way too much when she does. Going somewhere with her is like going somewhere with a baby...too much stuff! So I think she's secretly glad that little Mr. Nikon came along...now she can stay home guilt-free while he goes out and does the adventurous stuff!