332.
It's just so typical of the luck that we've been having recently! I am usually very careful with money (did I hear someone say tightfisted?), and tend not to spend more than I have. There is a very good reason for this - I am self-employed, and often have to fight tooth and nail to get money out of my clients (many of whom seem to think that I will be able to wait to be paid for work I have done for them - I'd like to see them trying that one on with the checkout assistant at the supermarket, or the garage...) Anyway, the point is that I try not to put money out until I've received money in. This, in large part, explains why I waited so long to get my new camera. I first thought about it back in September, but waited six-months until March - because that is when I got paid five of the six months that I was owed by my 'best' (and I use that word very reluctantly) client. I had sufficient funds to pay for the camera, and still have enough left over to ensure that the wolves wouldn't be scratching at our door. All is well, then sh*t happens. The car broke down, and involved us in a fairly substantial expense that we hadn't budgeted for. Still, we're not exactly poor (yet), so while it was an expense we could do without, it wasn't a complete tragedy. All we need to do to get through to payday is give up our glamourous lifestyle of caviar and champagne and stick instead to plain bread and tap water, then we will manage. I suppose I shouldn't really be bidding for lenses on Ebay (I'll just sell some of Liam's old PS1 games - but don't tell him!). Well, to top it all, today the tumble dryer finally decided that it had had enough of life and refused to work. Personally, I don't know why we need a tumble dryer when it's warm(ish) and sunny(ish) outside, but then I am willing to admit that I am no expert on the intricacies of laundering clothes. If having clean clothes to wear each day is contingent upon having a functioning tumble dryer, then a functioning tumble dryer we must have. Now we are just waiting for it to be delivered. I hope (and expect) that the new one will last as long as the one that just died, which I think is about the same age as me (21)! (BTW, Gavin... I love this lens... are you sure you don't want to just give it to me? - it's nearly Linda's birthday!)