Life is always an adventure when I’m at the wheel. And by adventure I mean that we might drive off a cliff or get stuck in a parking lot for an hour or so but we’ll make it through.
Friday was a good example. My plan was to be up and out of the house in time to meet Mr. Byrd for lunch in downtown Houston, which is 30 minutes away. Let’s just say that we left the house at 12:15 and still had to run to the bank before heading downtown. I scratched the lunch plans and just kept on driving to my first stop, a camera shop.
In my head I had run through this scenario a thousand times because I had all three kids with me. If you have never taken children into a store filled with very expensive things, let me just give you a clue of what the staff’s face will do when you walk in the door. It will kinda like watching a horror movie in extra slow motion. One salesman will be the one that screams at the top of their lungs and starts weeping, the other one will run and hide while the last one will be the mastermind that is plotting the revenge. So when I pulled into the parking lot I was already frazzled after just running this very common scenario through my mind again.
When I pulled into the world’s tinniest parking lot I realized that I was at a weird angle that might block other cars from pulling in so I tried to straighten it up. After a stern talk with the girls about sticking next to me and not touching, we headed into the store and found the sales person that the least intimidated but the three little girls following me.
In no time he had me hooked up with the new lens that I had come to buy. The money for the new lens has been saved and sitting in my drawer for awhile but I just hadn’t made time to go pick it up. But today I finally went and got the Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
for my camera.
It’s not the most expensive lens you can buy, actually I think it’s the cheapest but I’ve just wanted it and was so excited to go pick it up. The guy that helped me at the store, The Camera Co-op, was great and the girls were amazing. Of course I had forgotten my wallet in the van and of course Princess Newbie decided she was mad and was going to throw a fit right on the door step but that’s all the usual flow of public outings.
So then it came time to leave the store. ha. Good plan. Somehow when I had straightened up the van earlier while parking I had gotten wedged between the building and a telephone pole without noticing. I could have gotten out but ten seconds before I put the van into reverse to work my way out someone came zooming into the parking lot and parked right in my only path out. I tried to do a thousand point turn to back out but just couldn’t do it so we sat there and waited for the other driver to come out and move their car. I didn’t want to take all the kids back in the store to find the driver and the store was packed!
So we just sat there and waited, and waited. Eventually there were people parked on both sides of me and with a telephone pole right behind me there was nothing left to do but wait. Oh and sit there and text pictures of the pole to Mr. Byrd and post my predicament to facebook. Finally one of the cars left and I realized that it was now or never.
It took me about 10 times to pull forward, back up, adjust and do it all over again before I was able to squeak by the pole and into the street. FREEDOM!
We made it out alive!
We hung around the area long enough to pick Mr. Byrd up and we all drove home together.
Then I decided to play with my new lens for a few minutes before cooking dinner.
They aren’t the best pictures and I still need a lot of practice to learn how to use it.
But I tried.
And finally I got these not so great shots of Princess Girly Girl and the cat. Photo wise they are a hot mess but the cat’s expression is just priceless.
Our cat is so full of herself and I think she’s bipolar that needs daily cat treats to regulate. But more on that another day. Now it’s time to go wedge myself into bed and hopefully not be able to get out in the morning.
Do you own a 50mm lens? Any great tips or tricks you want to share?
Learn more about it here;
You will LOVE your 50 mm! I use mine almost exclusively for my photo shoots, and you’ll have so much fun shooting stuff with your Christmas tree lights in the background!