Am I being taken for a ride???

It's all to do with my defunct Canon camera lens.Having dropped the lens into the shop at Stoke on Trent yesterday I didn't expect to hear anything more until next week. This morning this dropped into my yahoo mail box from H Lehmann Ltd. Camera repairs

Hi
see Adobe pdf file attached
Phil

What????  I ask you is that anyway to respond to a client? So I opened the pdf file and got quite a shock.

Repair Details,
Replace Zoom assembly;
Repair switches contacts and connector;
Repair focusing unit
Adjustment: Bayonet connection
Reassemble and test fully- £1.00
 
Total,                   £254.00
VAT 20%:               50.80

Total                    £304.80

Gulp!!! Not sure it's worth the repair considering the lens only cost me £260. 

Also there was nothing to say why these repairs were necessary. As far as I was aware the switches, contacts and connector was fine. So I'm asking myself, am I being either fobbed off or taken for an idiot? Anyway he will not be doing the job, in fact we are going back to the shop on Monday to ask some questions and collect the lens!!!! In the meantime I successfully bid on another brand new lens on ebay for considerably less price then the repair quoted. This should be arriving within the next 10 days.


Today was the ECP&DA work party. On the agenda, replace the fence running along our mooring. This meant my bird feeders had to be relocated and, as a temporary measure, the TV aerial pole has done very nicely thank you. Just hope my birdies aren't put off by the new location. Oh and another bonus for us.....we can use the wood as fuel for our stove.
                                                                                                        

Wildlife 3

At Valetta

Wild cats again

And dogs seen along the Suez Canal

Ahhhhh how cute. I expect it would bite ones hand if approached!!!

Granny Buttons still on the canal.

Does anyone remember Andrew Denny and his boat Granny Buttons? I expect many of you had read his blog at one time or another. Since late 2012 he had apparently given up on the blogging circuit. I was beginning to believe that he was no longer on the waterways so I was pleasantly surprised at spying the boat Granny Buttons at Willington. It was while we were on the way to Midland Chandlers at Mercy Marina for more blue loo, and looking to see how busy the visitor moorings were, that I caught a glimpse. Yesterday I read Nevs blog (nb Percy) who mentioned that Andrew was on his way to Willington so I suppose I half expected to see his boat. It's such a shame he no longer blogs as his writing was always very amusing and informative. So Andrew if you read this, any chance of blogging again?

Next lot of foreign wildlife.

Strange woodlice type creature about 6" long attached to the rocks by the shore

And a basking crab at the same place

Very similar to a ring necked dove

?

Sparrows?

Seen wandering alone at Petra

And also at Petra this very playful kitten

All systems go.

Well the radiator is on!. Took all day as Ian encountered a few hiccups along the way, one being the way the pipes had been fitted by the boat builder. There was a valve that couldn't be removed so he turned the pipe 90 deg, attached a stub pipe and put a new piece onto that. Off course all this took time especially as another trip to Screwfix was in order. So eventually, after FS was getting colder and colder and I was starting to resemble a block of ice, at 4.45pm the heating finally went back on. Thank goodness for that!!!

Almost finished. Just the wood to be replaced.

Ta da!

 And another batch of piccies.

Three legged wild cat

Pied wagtail by the hotel swimming pool

Cockroach

UAE sparrows

Freezing bathroom so toooooo cold for a shower! Brrrrr

Snow.........nearly forgot what it looked like. We had some overnight, only a smattering mind but enough to make everything look pretty.

And the first blue tit arrived on the feeders. So they haven't abandoned me after all

  It's still booming cold on board so we have put the diesel heater on as well. Not acclimatised yet to these cold temperatures. Ian has abandoned the idea of changing the radiator in the bathroom for today. He wants to get all the prep work done first so he's capped off the pipes and removed the towel rail radiator. Yesterday he went to Screwfix and got a single rad but slightly bigger in width. This means all the fittings will have to be changed.....hence the reason for draining the water. In the meantime we're not spending to long in the bathroom. Even the loo seat is like ice.....quite a shock as you go to sit down!!!

Standing upside down

Been leaking for a while judging by the rust.

Just a tad wider and not going to be so easy to fix the pipes.

 Now back end of December last year I mentioned the problem I had with my 70-300mm zoom lens. The decision was made for me to leave the Canon behind and take the Panasonic on the cruise. Our son Colin said he would take the lens to a repair shop in Milton Keynes to see if anything could be done. It wasn't until we returned January 30th that he gave me the bad news. The lens was lose. Very lose. In fact at full zoom it wobbled about like a jelly. Unfortunately there was nothing this particular camera shop could do. This morning we looked on line and found a Canon repair place in Stoke on Trent. I gave them a quick bell, told them the situation and they are almost sure that the lens could be  tightened. All I need to do is get it there. They suggested I post the camera and lens to them but, as Ian pointed out, with Stoke only being about 50 miles from here it would cost more in postal fees then in petrol. We have decided to travel to Stoke on Thursday and with Midland Chandlers being on route it's a good opportunity to get some more 'blue loo'. I will be leaving lens and camera with them but they have assured me no repair will be started without consulting with me first. Here's hoping it's not to expensive!

Next batch of wildlife coming up.

Bee eaters?

 Quaker Parrot

Doesn't look a bit like our grey squirrel

Tree creeper

Possible Crossbill?

Orange trees. They were everywhere in Malaga but no one was allowed to pick them.

Didnt come off scott free in the January freeze.

Having winterized the boat when we left end of December we fully expected to arrive back to FS with everything being ship shape and in order. At first glance all appeared okay. It wasnt until later last night, and whilst doing the necessary ablutions ready for going to bed, that I realised my feet were getting wet. A steady stream of water was making it's way from the radiator toward the base of the loo! A quick look from Ian at one of the rungs confirmed that a small hole had appeared. This must have been oozing water for some time judging by the rust surrounding it. The freezing conditions while we were away must have been very sever 'cos there was antifreeze in it. First thing to try was wrapping tape around the hole to see if we could leave replacing the radiator until warmer times. Wasn't to be though, so this morning Ian took himself off to Screwfix to purchase another radiator plus fittings. He now has to drain the heating system which will mean the fire has to go out. What a time not to have heating, what with minus temperatures again forecast for tonight. Tomorrow morning the deed will be done and luckily by having a small electric fan heater to hand we might not get quite so cold.

Time for the next lot of wildlife photos.

Very similar to our sparrows

And some flora

Lone Acacia tree