After taking 113,476 photos, Mom’s camera broke!  This camera was practically an appendage.  If it wasn’t in Mom’s hand, it was nearby, usually in her right front pocket.  Mom by no means considers herself a photographer.  Instead, she fancies herself our family’s historian, documenting good times and sad, ordinary and extraordinary days, and of course goofy Golden moments.  In fact, Mom used that camera almost every day for 4 years, with very few exceptions.

Mom’s camera was a Canon Powershot G15, purchased back in May of 2014.  Ok, I admit it, I accidentally broke her previous camera.  However, everything happens for a reason, and it was love at first sight with the Canon G15.  The compact size made it perfect to bring everywhere.  And boy did this rugged little camera go everywhere!  It reached the tops of mountains, captured romps on the beach, got soaked in summer downpours, withstood subfreezing winter hikes, and got dropped more times than she can remember.  Yet through it all it kept right on working, documenting our lives.

That is until a few weeks ago.  We were playing in the backyard and Mom was happily snapping photos of us, when all of a sudden the screen just went black.  Being an optimist, Mom fiddled with it a bit.  After all the battery was showing it was fully charged, and the other info that appears on that screen were all there.  Just no image.  Mom even snapped a few more photos, assuming that perhaps although the screen failed it could still take pictures.  However, after uploading these final shots she had the heartbreaking realization it really was broken.

Mom has a new camera now.  Like all new things, Mom needs to get use to it.  It’s bigger so no longer fits in her pocket, and she fumbles with the lens cap.  But she admits her old camera was getting worn out and the photos weren’t as crisp as they once were.  The photos with this new Canon camera are amazing, and it has wifi and other features that her old camera didn’t have.  So all in all this has the makings of yet another long and beautiful relationship.

However, in the meantime, please bear with Mom as she familiarizes herself with it.  Since the demise of her previous camera, these past few weeks Mom has been bouncing between using new photos to tell our stories, and favorite old ones.  So as we say this heartfelt goodbye to Mom’s beloved camera, here are a few Golden memories…

And in case you’re wondering, yes, Mom does admit she is overly obsessed when it comes to taking photos!!!!