A NEW CAMERA

Since the inception of this blog almost 3 years ago, the camera that has taken thousands of pictures is shown above. It's an inexpensive Kodak point and shoot that has served me well. Having said that, the flash quit working some time ago, and I had to pass up a lot of photo opportunities where the light wasn't adequate. In addition to no flash, the camera insisted on taking straight lines like painted road center lines, and turning them into broken lines. There were a couple of other things that it either wouldn't do, or if it did, not very well.

So, it was off to Wally World yesterday for a new camera. Without the help of my pal Nancy, who knows more about photography than anybody I know, I picked out the smallest point and shoot that I could find. This Nikon is half the width of the old Kodak, and the flash even works! My only complaint is that I just bought a Japanese Camera that's made in you guessed it - China! I'm beginning to wonder how the American people could even survive, if all of the products from China suddenly stopped coming into the country. I better jump off my soapbox before I really get started. This is a subject for another time.

One of the reasons we didn't go directly to Quartzsite from the FMCA RV Rally in Indio, is because we wanted to come back to Lake Havasu for the balloon festival. Last year, we missed the inaugural event, and with over 60 hot air balloons registered this year, we plan on being part of the estimated 30-50,000 people who are expected to attend. The organizers expected around 10,000 people for the first time event last year, and over 23,000 folks showed up. This year, the festival has been expanded to include everything from a carnival to classic cars. It all begins tomorrow morning on the island, with the ascension of dozens of balloons over Lake Havasu.