Bookmarks gone, can't make new ones in iceweasel

[Hendrik Boom <hendrik@topoi.pooq.com>]

I just did a general update ( u U g g in aptitude) on my Debian lenny 
system, and now iceweasel (3.0.6) doesn't recognize my bookmarks.  The 
bookmarks.html file is still there.  I copied it just in case sonething 
would happen to it; I have no problem browsing that file and seeing that 
my bookmarks are all there, but it's hard to use as a web page (being 
ergonomic only as a menu tree), and the bookmarks menu definitely shows 
no bookmarks.

Also, I can't make any new bookmarks.  When I try, noting happens, except 
for some messages on the error console:

 Error: uncaught exception: [Exception... "Component returned failure 
code: 0x80004005 (NS_ERROR_FAILURE) 
[nsINavHistoryService.executeQueries]"  nsresult: "0x80004005 
(NS_ERROR_FAILURE)"  location: "JS frame :: chrome://browser/content/
places/menu.xml :: set_place :: line 805"  data: no]

Error: uncaught exception: [Exception... "Component returned failure 
code: 0x80004005 (NS_ERROR_FAILURE) 
[nsINavBookmarksService.getBookmarkIdsForURI]"  nsresult: "0x80004005 
(NS_ERROR_FAILURE)"  location: "JS frame :: file:///usr/lib/iceweasel/
xulrunner/modules/utils.js :: PU_getMostRecentBookmarkForURI :: line 
884"  data: no]


So something has gone wrong.  Anyone know what?

It looks as if I'll have to find another browser for the time being.  
Something like this happens every year or two with iceweasel, but usually 
it just means I just get to start over putting bookmarks into an empty 
bookmarks list.

Is there a usable Debian .deb for chrome yet?  SO far I've only seen an 
Ubuntu one.

-- hendrik