Amuse Bouche

Some general STUFF

Just some general questions and advice if anyone has any words of wisdom....

First: I have a Canon 40D camera and a new ipod classic.  I have read on the old www that it is possible with the 5th generation ipod to transfer pictures (via an adapter) DIRECTLY from the camera to the ipod without having to stop off at the laptop and itunes.  Has anyone done this?  Does it work? 
I don't want to take my laptop with us and I will need to empty my data card every couple of days so i can take more pictures.  I was looking at storage devise like the Sanho Hyperdrive, but why drop another $300 if ipod will do the work.

Second:  We will be renting a car.  Likely it will have a CD player not a cassette so my usual means to listen to the ipod in a car not my own will not work.  here in the states I have tried the unit that plugs into the ipod and uses a radio station tuner to listen.  Here in Boston that NEVER works since every frequency is full.  I don't even know if the device will work in the U.K. 
Does anyone have any suggestions on using the ipod in a car?  Particularly in Europe.

Third:  We heard a mouse.  We baited the electronic trap.  We awoke Saturday morning to find a mouse running in circles in the sink, around and around and around.  Husband went to find a glove to remove the critter and...wait for it...he ran down the disposal shute. Ewwwwww! No!!!!  We didn't turn it on.
husband hovered over the hole with a set of tongs at the ready. Foolish thing ran right between and CLIP, husband snagged him.  He has been in the mouse relocation program and currently resides behind the garage with the litter of skulls.

Fourth:
If, IF, I brave bringing my laptop along with me, how easy will it be to get WiFi connections in Northeast, northwest, southwest england and far western Wales?  We are not talking London here, we are talking rather countrified, remote locations. Is it worth lugging this beast around?

Fifth:
Carry-ons International flights.  Can we bring noshies?  I know we can't bring liquid, but would they dump our sandwiches in the trash if we brought them through in our carry-ons?

Sixth: Want to help us with kitchen decorating advice?  Here we are, fire away!

Thanks in advance for all of your wisdom!

It's about time

I have decided that this shall be the year I get a camera.  Sure, I have a lovely Olympus D-550 which is great to toss in my bag and takes pretty good pics, but I was an SLR girl from way, way back, Junior high school to be exact.  I was in the photography club at my school and I still have my 25 year old Minolta body and a few lenses kicking about in a closet as proof. 

But I have decided that this shall be the year I finally buy a Digital SLR.  I've got a kitty building and here is where I turn to you dear readers for a bit of input.
Does anyone have any firsthand experience or thoughts about Cannon vs. Nikon?  Is the Rebel what I want, should I really have my heart set on a Nikon or perhaps will a Cannon sing the siren song? 

How many megapixels is enough without being too much..6, 8, 10, 13, 16? 

So, so many choices.....help a girl out, would you?

I'm off to read Philip Greenspun's advice now.

And thank you lurkers for making yourselves known!   I just love to place a name to the IP address, such a geek happy thing.