Technology is vastly over rated!

When everything is going smoothly technology is a wonderful aid to modern living, but of course, when everthing is going smoothly you wonder why and more importantly, how long for. Take today for example. Got up -nothing new there- sun was shining -novelty value, off the scale for October in Birmingham. After breccy I said to the other half (OH), 'Suns out, so I'm going to take some piccys for the articles I'm writing'.
'Okay, but don't be too long coz I need to hang the washing out and you'll be in the way.'
'Shouldn't take long.' I said sprightly. (You can almost hear the patter of gremlin feet as they begin to queue just off camera, can't you.)
Struggled manfully with large cardboard storage crates -one of figures the other with terrrain- down from the loft; got the camera, tripod, spare batteries, carpet tiles for base and so on and managed to get it all into the garden. Knackered out so had a cup of tea, (supplied by considerate OH).
Laid out tiles, placed lines of trees in the background to obscure the garden fence and trellis, put a couple of other terrain bits across joins in tiles and put the figures on the table. Set up the tripod, locked down camera, took picture. Obligatory click from camera; one in the bag. Took another couple from other angles just cos I could. Things are going swimmingly. Moved figures out of shot, (see, I can be technical if I want), carefully organised next layout. Pressed button. Silence. the back of the camera was  dark. Now the lens was still open, the camera was pointed the right way, no thumb in shot etc., nothing but still dark. Not a sausage, bugger all. Technical hitch, thinks I. Unlocks camera, changes batteries so that the six megalomanical pixies are fed, tries again. Same response. Cussed a bit, fiddled a lot and tried again. Success...for another two pictures, then darkness once more. This went on for about an hour; a couple of piccys than lockout. Came to the logical conclusion that the camera, being of oriental manufacture, was not built for use in the English sunshine; obviously, the pixies are squinting too much to paint accurately.
OH came back from visit to neighbours and had a quick gripe about the mechanics of washing; hours of sunshine left to dry said washing equals more expense of using tumble dryer and the fact I said I wouldn't be that long etc. Had a quick strop myself before stuttering into silence under one of her best withering glares.
So now I have approx ten pictures that may be okay, I don't know coz I still cant' get into the ruddy camera to check.