AA, ECU, LR, PS and QC at Xmas!

Free time has been scarce over this Christmas period, so a gallery of images taken around the village probably a week ago, have yet to be sorted and displayed. Having time together with both my daughters was great, and afforded the opportunity to take some shots of my elder daughter’s neighbourly birds, as I waited for the arrival of the AA man!
Why was I waiting for this visit?
– On the journey over to Grantchester, my car’s display was trying to get a message to me via an orange engine symbol warning light on the dashboard. I also detected a misfire. The AA man arrived in a skid, that gave me cause for concern over his abilities as a driver, but his lack of acumen in this department was not reflected in his diagnostic ability, fortunately!
He checked that his initial diagnosis was backed up, by thoroughly checking that the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) was sending the right signals, and that the fault lay with the Coil Pack. It was not taking the signal that produced the spark for Cylinder Two, and guess what? It was a chunky, sealed unit, that from bitter experience I knew was going to be costing me a three-figure sum; but not on Christmas Day. Nor on the day after, nor the day after that! I have now purchased four new spark plugs and this coil pack, and so my car has certainly had its fair share of Christmas presents – far more than I have spent on others or myself over the same period! It is also due a service, so it is in for a Happy New Year too!

I am currently awaiting confirmation of a trip to Paris to help an Italian, Paris-based fashion photographer with Lightroom and Photoshop workflow, and retouching for close on a week. Eurostar’s mishaps caused a postponement of this venture from the inter-regnum twixt Christmas and the New Year.

My using both iChat and Skype over the last few days has helped several photographers remotely, from as far as the South of France and as near as north and south London, and somehow allowed me the time to send in an initial submission to Quality Control (QC) at Picture Library, Alamy – I learnt this had been accepted just yesterday, so when I can spare the time I shall be getting some of my work up there, for sale.

Stop Press – News – The Paris Training Trip is booked, but my mobile number will still reach me.