My birthday is coming up on the 24th (my 62nd) and Zoe has been planning to do something extra for me. Some time ago Zoe had talked this over with Gerry (when Gerry was more lucid). Through all we have been going through with Gerry, Gerry has recognized what I've done for her in caring for her. She didn't like me much when I first started going out with Zoe, but over the last couple of years of taking care of her she has come to love me and sees me like a son. So Gerry and Zoe went in on an extra special birthday present for me. Since there was a no shipping charge special, we ordered the first part early and it will arrive Monday.

It's a Dell XPS 400 with a PentiumŪ D Processor 820 with Dual Core Technology (2.80GHz). It has 1GB memory and a 250GB hard drive. It will come with a 19" Ultrasharp flat panel display. My old 1.1 GHz Athlon, from 2001, has been getting pretty creaky and I'm starting to run across things it won't do. To say that I'm excited about this would be an understatement. But wait! There's more!

I won't be getting this until late August or early September since it won't be available until then. It's a HP Photosmart Pro B9180 ink jet printer. (There is a video review at photo-i.) It's a professional printer that will print up to 13" wide and 44" long with archival pigment inks. I had been considering the Epson but early reviews make the HP look like the machine to get. It's built like a tank, is self-calibrating, has user replacable print heads, and is supposed to be much more frugal with ink. The output appears to be better than the already excellent Epson. Prints are supposed to last over 200 years. This is the big essential piece of my photography puzzle that has been missing. It's nice to take pictures to put up on the web but photography is about prints and that is something I haven't been able to do at the level I need. This will let me do things I've been wanting to do for years. I can't thank Gerry and Zoe enough for this. And an extra special thanks to my LOML, Zoe. I love you, Zoe, and thanks for everything.