this ain't no charlie brown christmas tree

i realize that my posts have been super short and not very interesting lately.  i'm sorry - i've been so farking busy these days, and i have so much to share!  ugh, THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH TIME!  I NEED MORE TIME!

bah.

and yesterday was my 1,100th post - i didn't even get to crow about it because i didn't realize it until it was too late.

anyway, we actually got around to picking out and decorating a christmas tree.  it's really nice - the big window in our living room that faces the street is perfect for it.  oh man, how i love this house.

the bean got a little silly as usual, taking the concept of "stockings" quite literally.

my beautiful but grumpy teen begrudgingly did her duty, hanging ornaments and then topping the tree with the star - but refused to look at the camera no matter how nicely i asked.

her sister was more than cheerful enough for all of us, happily examining each ornament before finding a spot for it on the tree.

so, wanna take a guess as to which of these might be mine (hint: it's NOT the JoBros one, thankyouverymuch)?

and an old friend came out to play.

but these were among the last of the photos i got to take with my "good" camera - because i managed to destroy my lens somehow.  first, it wouldn't adjust for zooming in/out anymore.  like, it was stuck.  and then when i took it off, there was a loose piece rattling around in there.  i'm thinking that isn't a very good thing.

and look at the front of it!  it looks like part of it melted off or something.  also not a good sign.

but the hub called me out to the garage (or, more appropriately, his man-cave), where he pointed to a box on the worktable.  "i won that at work, and i meant to take it back and get the cash for it, but i waited too long and now they won't accept it.  you want it?"

um, yes.

it takes digital video and still pictures - not the same as my good camera, but it sure did come in, uh, handy.  hardy har har.

santa, please bring me a new lens.  preferably the 35mm f/1.8 lens i've been salivating over for months.

please?