Book It

That book spine at the top of this page? It’s one of two first-edition books we picked up recently at an estate sale. Willy Reilly and his Dear Coleen Bawn was published in 1855. I scoured the Internet for more information on it when we got home, which is when I confirmed it’s a first-edition. I only wanted a photo prop, so it didn’t matter to me how much it was or wasn’t worth as a collectible.

The second book, from the same sale and also shown above, was a first-edition from 1906, by A Conan Doyle. The US release was bound in red; the green one I bought was the Canadian version. Not one from the author’s Sherlock Holmes series, unfortunately. I gave $2.50 apiece for them. The Sir Nigel version is probably worth about $20-30ish. The other book is a bit of a conundrum. I saw it for sale at a reputable dealer for $185, elsewhere (and in worse condition) for $75.

Certainly worth more than two-fiddy, regardless.

That emerald-green cover is almost certainly dyed with arsenic, typical for the time period. Pretty to look at: definitely a hands-off item.

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I still have a few hours of PTO (paid time off) left over from last year, and have to use it before June or forfeit it. So naturally, we planned a run through the longest remaining uninterrupted stretch of Route 66, on a three-day road trip. Made reservations for this weekend.

Then, best laid plans and all that folderol. More family drama (daughter hospitalized, grandson camped out on our sofa.)

Since we’re not doing our planned trip, and I got a fat juicy bonus from work this week, I blew most of my bonus on a camera upgrade, which will be my birthday & Christmas gift for this year. Not a new camera, because I’m too cheap for that. I ordered it used from mpb.com. The specific machine I ordered is functionally new, with a shutter count under 2000, and comes with a 6-month warranty. (The expected life for this type of camera is a shutter count north of 150K.)

I thought a long time about what I wanted to get, did a lot of reading, watched a lot of instructional and review videos, and am confident this is the right choice for my new(ish) go-to camera.

We also recently found a monopod, like new, at a garage sale for $5. We paid another $35 to get a head for it, still an excellent deal. Both the monopod and this specific camera were recommended a long time ago by Dangerspouse. I wasn’t ready when he gave me the recommendation, but I am now, and I didn’t forget.

Next project: a camera holder to sit between the seats, so all four cameras are secure and still easily accessible from the front.

G said he could build a frame from wood. He could – but we all know he won’t.

I’m leaning more toward aluminum and foldable, anyway. I looked online to see if there was something along those lines I could buy.

Found bupkes.

My idea is for something like the old-school sling-style sewing/knitting caddies (above left), only without the eye-searing florals. It needs to open wide enough to hold the case G wants from Harbor Freight, shown below. Link is here if military-grade waterproof boxes are your thing.

We won’t use the foam inserts that come with the case, which are known for disintegrating and mucking up equipment. We’ll probably get a premade kit of padded inserts covered in ripstop nylon, configurable by Velcro.

The folding-aluminum contraption will be stabilized by straps hooking to the front seat frames and to the hidden infant car-seat hooks in back, making it a four-point harness system. It should make life easier a schlub like me who does photography almost exclusively from the car window, though G said it would be a nice perk for any photographer who spends significant time on the road. Given he’s the designated camera wrangler when we’re traveling, and we’re gonna have four cameras to wrangle shortly, I can see his point.

Now we just have to get all the parts, assemble everything, and see if it works.