This was a tough lesson to learn, and I thought it was worth sharing. I’ve been wanting to expand my lens options, and the f/2.8 trinity is still just too far out of reach for me. New lenses are also typically too pricey for my budget. This leaves me to scour used listings, and occasionally I brave the world of Craigslist. This is the tale of just such a listing I followed through on.

As evidenced by my blog, Sinéad and I didn’t get out much in 2020. March 17th arrived, and everything we hoped for that year came to a halt or end. A promotion I had been waiting for was approved but was subject to an indefinite wage freeze (which is still in place at the time of writing despite a 2nd promotion). Our search for our first house was put on pause, and later made to feel completely impossible as people from all parts of the country raced to wipe-out the “affordable” housing market in New Hampshire. Sinéad lost her job as the company she was working for had to lay-off nearly all their employees in an attempt to not close completely. Hopes, plans, dreams, all were subject to the unrelenting wrath of the pandemic.

This has been a long over due post, but also one that has been long in the making. Life pulls us in so many directions and keeping up with a hobby can be both fun/easy and difficult/tedious. A lot more goes into the development process for photos than most might realize. Being on adventures and taking the shots is fun, exciting, and is over in an instant. Editing and developing those images can be time consuming, and it’s not always easy to get into the zone for editing. 2020 has offered me plenty of time to start catching up on my backlog and I’ve been doing just that.

Those fortunate enough to participate were additionally blessed with some beautiful weather the morning of Memorial Day in the state’s capital. Those who organized the Memorial Day Parade in Concord did a magnificent job! In a world of over-the-top planning, the parade and remembrance ceremony were respectfully done and maintained proper focus on the true purpose of the day.

The sun had long set and the pavement reflected head lights with the rain that was beading across the windshield. We were nearing our destination and a sudden thick fog was all the more confirmation to that. Fatigue had easily settled in with the help of the long drive after wrapping up the work week. My companion was deep into resting her eyes in the seat next to me. My wife’s deep breathing was a gentle reminder that I was not the only one feeling the effects of the long day. Cautiously I forged on through the dense blanket of fog.