GS Frit, home, new lens

Joy sometimes comes unexpected and in small packages. This was certainly the case around noon time, when, feeling very shaky on my feet as a result of the Lyme-fighting Doxycycline I started taking last night, I managed to go outside to check the mail and discovered a package at the back door. Inside the box was a new, well, refurbished, replacement lens for the 55-200mm Nikkor telephoto that I'd purchased almost exactly a year ago and was now going south. I had some misgivings about going the refurbished route, but the price was terrific on what was, after all, the "new and improved" model of a lens that stays on the camera most of the time, particularly when I'm outside documenting the natural world. It was touted as being smaller, lighter, faster, able to focus closer, and, perhaps most important, sharper than its predecessor, which I always thought was pretty darn good in all those departments. When a Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly conveniently stopped by for a visit, I was able to take the telephoto zoom on a quick test drive. On every count, I'd call it a winner. Now, I hope it also comes through in the durability category. We have 90 days to make sure.