Yes, it is true. Ventana is open again, after the kitchen fire destroyed it almost a year ago, and serving lunch on the patio!

I met several friends for lunch there, Sunday. The place looks marvelous. Before going on on the patio, we stopped to look at the art display for the silent auction to benefit the Big Sur Health Center. There were so many good pieces, and people had already bid $200 or more on each — silently, of course. Here is one wall of the offerings.

We went outside to sit down in gorgeous weather. Everything was perfect. Like a dummy, I set my camera on my lap. I don’t know what I was thinking. I can’t keep a napkin on my lap, never mind a camera. It slid to the concrete, and broke. For me, losing a camera is like losing a part of my soul. Thanks to the good eyes of Debbie, we found the 3 broken plastic pieces that allow the lens to lock in place. I got super glue at a local store, with the idea that I would try to fix it, if the camera wasn’t broken. So much for taking photos of the glorious food, restaurant, and the evening at the Henry Miller Library for Don Case’s houseraising fund raiser.

I saw Joyce Duffy at the HML when I first arrived. She had her camera. She would take photos. I could take photos with her camera. The evening would be saved. She was to email them today, if she could get to a computer. Alas, she did not get to a computer until tonight, and said none of the photos came out very good. If any are worth posting, I will post a few when I get them, with the story of the evening.

Now, back to the broken camera. This morning, I tried my other, telephoto lens, and it worked! The camera itself is not broken, just the lens. So I proceeded to try my idea with the super glue.

The first two pieces went on easily and well. One cannot even tell they were broken. The third piece was being difficult. I finally got it glued on, but not before I glued my fingers together, my fingers to the lens, and ultimately, caught the free-floating dog hair which permeates my place. I now have dog hair permanently glued to my fingertips. Imagine what my fingerprints must look like?

Do not try this at home.

I doubt it will work, and I can never trust the mount, again, so I ordered a new lens. The Jade Festival is less than 2 weeks away. I have to have my good lens.

So, that was my Sunday afternoon. How was yours?