Finally....

....we've bought one of these! And what a lovely piece of kit it is - not too weighty or bulky, very rich feature set, and best of all Jessops matched the best Internet price. As if we didn't take thousands of photos already, with this beast there'll be a sharp upturn in volume (and hopefully quality too).

I've been watching this market segment carefully for over a year now, waiting for the affordable dSLRs to come into reach. We'll keep a hold of the Ixus for movies and pocketability - it still takes lovely photos. It also seems that it's not worth selling the film SLR, as they're going on eBay for around the £40 mark. So we are now a 3 camera family :)

In other news, my visa application has been both sent off and acknowledged - that puts us on the home straight. Just have to pass a medical examination, then wait to see if they send us a request for any additional info. We're still cutting it fine for our intended departure date, but if everything goes to plan we're on course.

Had a great holiday in France last week, enjoying lots of sunshine, wine and cheese. Also found myself doing more excercise than I normally would on a holiday (or while at work for that matter!) - played lots of badminton, and some frisbee and beach volleyball, and spent an afternoon cycling. I actually felt in better shape at the end of the holiday, despite all the alcohol and big meals.

It's all go for the engagement parties this weekend - restaurant is booked up for our family lunch, and the bar for our party in the evening is all set. Should be a great weekend!