Point and Shoot No More

So yesterday morning Riley broke my camera. Who the &*%#)$# knows how... but it wouldn't open and kept shorting out (@@ LOVELY). I went to Wolf camera to see if it would be a simple repair, and they said standard repair on that type of camera would be 4-6 weeks and cost $129. (this camera was $150 NEW!!!) I told them I would decide what to do later. I grumbled out the door and into the car, thinking, we can't afford the digital camera I want right now... but I really don't want to spend the money to get a crappy digital, but I do eventually want to GO digital... but I just bought 18 rolls of 35mm film last week... and this was *SO* not in my plan!! ARRRGHHH.

Then I had to head to Sam's to drop off the film that was retrieved from the broken camera and pick up some prints I did the day before. When I walked in, Verna, one of the clerks was at the front of the photo lab at this tabletop display with various cameras. She asked how I was doing (did I mention that the entire staff at Sam's 1 hour photo knows me & my family on a first name basis? I am in there *quite* regularly). I told her about Riley and the camera incident and she said, "Have I got the solution for YOU!" She pulled a camera out from behind the table - a Canon Rebel TI. NOT digital, mind you, but a very good little SLR camera. It was originally $260 or something and was the last one and had been MARKED DOWN TO $110!! It was a much nicer camera and CHEAPER than if I had REPAIRED the Minolta! I decided to go ahead and get it (after all, I saved $20 on the deal, right?? LOL).

When I got home, I went into the computer room where Rick was and said, "So, I did something kinda dumb..."

To which he replied, irritated, "Show me the camera you bought."

"It's on the kitchen counter..."

Rick turned around incredulously, "I WAS JOKING!!!"

But once he saw it he agreed it's a mighty cool little unit. I think I will really enjoy it!