Thanks for the comments - I decided last night to set up the Nikon with its seldom-used 180mm and go to the local market this morning. Needless to say, I gave it a pass. Can't seem to turn the theoretical into the practical - possibly because of the rare times shots there have come up with anything other than frustration. Masochism, for me, is of the past!
That said, I do feel kinda knackered these days, perhaps a mixture of age/reality?
I watched an interesting documentary on depression last night on the BBC; it was about a certain Mr Campbell, Tony Balir's ex- PR guru. Poor guy seems to have suffered from it all his life. I'm pretty sure I have nothing like that - more likely too acute a sense of reality?
:-)