We took advantage of the 50-degree weather (because compared to what it had been, 50 degrees is positively balmy) on Sunday and trekked off to the Jersey shore. We landed about an hour and 15 minutes from home in Ocean Grove, a Victorian beach town we’d visited once before. We spent time on the beach, wandered around town, visited an “apothecary cafe” where we enjoyed interesting pharmaceutical memorabilia and a good lunch, took a walk on the boardwalk, spent a little more time on the beach, and then went home.
The Ocean Grove boardwalk is really nothing more than boards you walk on – there is no commercial activity to speak of. We figured walking to one end of it and back would be nice exercise after our large lunch, so we picked a direction and headed off. It turns out the the Ocean Grove boardwalk ends at a fascinating old casino. Walking through the open structure puts you on another boardwalk in Asbury Park.
I don’t think I’ve ever been to Asbury Park before, and I have to say the experience was a little surreal. I’m used to exploring new towns from the seat of my car, but never on foot. When we set off down the boardwalk, it never occurred to me that it would lead to a famous shore town and such interesting old architecture – much of it abandoned.
The last pictures I took on this trip were as the sun was setting, and Eamonn was making sand angels on the beach. Perhaps some errant grains of sand found their way into my camera as I was brushing them off of his back? I’m not sure. All I know is that as we walked to the car, my camera started giving me “lens error” messages and refusing to close.
I’ve since gotten it to the point where the lens will open and close for regular photos, but it will not zoom at all. I have to say, a lack of zoom puts a real damper on my picture-taking enthusiasm. I found a place that will fix it and make my fabulous second-hand camera like new for about $100, but we’ve declared a necessary moratorium on all non-essential spending around here for the forseeable future, and so I can’t get it done.
I can’t even kid myself that it’s a business expense – I can theoretically still take shots for my website without the zoom. My recreational photo-taking, however, is going to take a big hit. That’s a real downer for me, as I think about the approaching spring and summer, and all of the photo ops that brings. sigh
Maybe I should see if Canon would send me one of these in exchange for a review on my blog? It’s the newest version of my current camera. It’s also Wishful Thinking!
Anyway, we did have a really nice little adventure on Sunday, and I’ve had fun editing those photos (more here). For many of them, I used Paint Shop Pro scripts I found at sheilsoft.com. I downloaded a whole pile of freebies (I’d have taken advantage of the offer of 70 scripts for $10, if not for our spending freeze) and I’ve been having fun experimenting with them.
On another topic, I’ve got two new jewelry-making books to review in the next few days, and I plan to have a giveaway for each one, so be sure to check in this week for that. Now, go enjoy your Wednesday!