Eventually, we went back to FNAC in Clermont-Ferrand with a view to exchanging it. We showed it to the salesperson, who agreed the fault and referred us to their after-sales people. The shop itself is as all high-tech shops - glitzy, bright and full of all manner of tempting stuff. After-sales is down two floors, out of the building and into a much less prepossessing building. Gone was the glitz; gone was the bright, airy, attractiveness. We were in the complaints department and we knew it.
For all that, the lady who dealt with us was courteous and efficient. When shown the fault, she immediately went off to locate a replacement. Interestingly, the plan was to replace the camera only. Although I had brought back everything, including the original batteries, as I received it nine days previously, she was only going to replace the unit. She even removed the wrist strap from the sick camera. I was baffled by that. I would have expected, as has happened before, a replacement boxed product. Still, that's the way they do it and it is strictly only that one unit that needs replacing.
They didn't have one.
She ended up giving us a credit note to use back in the main shop, within three months.
We went back to the shop and spent more time looking at cameras, specifications and so on, and finally settled for a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 in a fetching shade of chocolate. It is the one that is advertised with the Golden Gate Bridge and the sphinx - but that's not why I bought it. In fact I didn't know that until I got it home and went off in search for the manual en anglais!
I am not going to make any claims for this one - I don't want to be let down again. Tempting providence is one thing, but joking with fate is another thing altogether. I may be a lot of things but, unlike Boy George (with whom I share a birthday but nothing else), I am not a Karma comedian!We have had a fabulous few days for weather again - our journey to Clermont-Ferrand was in the Mazda with the top down - and my youngest sister and her husband are coming this weekend, so I'm hoping the fine weather will continue. It makes such a difference for people on a break (no, not like Ross and Rachel were on a break, but on a bit of a holiday) if the weather is warm and dry. Sadly, a number of attractions tend to reduce their opening after the end of August, so their options may be slightly reduced, but I'm sure they will have a good rest, if nothing else. We do try to live our lives in the slow lane and try to make sure that our visitors have as relaxing a time as they can.
You may recall that, back in February, Clare hurt her thigh after using a fencepost to stop against when skiing rather briskly. That has never fully recovered, and it has, since then, looked like a chunk of muscle has escaped from its confines. She has been reluctant to see a doctor about it because of the language - my doctor surprised me this week by saying the first two English words I have heard him utter; my BP reading 14/8, which didn't help me because I was not familiar with the scale. Anyway, because it is advisable to nominate a GP as your médecin traitant, she was finally persuaded to see my doctor's wife who, as well as being a GP, speaks a little English. She had a quick consult whilst she was there and they spoke about her thigh. The doctor feels that it is probably just a deeply and heavily bruised muscle and that it should, in time, clear up. However, to be on the safe side, the doctor has ordered an MRI scan, and we are now waiting for the appointment.
For those who care, the reason it is advisable to nominate a médecin traitant is this; any medical costs incurred, including any specialist consultancies, treatment etc. will be reimbursed by CPAM (the state health insurance) at a reduced rate, unless such costs arise from your médecin traitant or through a referral by your médecin traitant.
Meanwhile, 310Km north of here, Tania has completed the purchase of her apartment! I am looking forward to seeing it once she has moved in and completed the decoration. She is also looking, longer term, at replacing the kitchen. The people from whom she bought it are extremely nice and are helping her to set up the electricity, telephone etc. accounts. We hope she will be happy there.
Wendy and Phil arrived on Saturday afternoon and it was such a nice evening that we broke out the barbecue. Both of them are very keen (and very good) photographers, and I took it as an opportunity to put my new camera through its paces.
This first photograph was taken on its sunset setting, and I have to say that I thought it did a good job.
The next photograph, taken at 9:30pm was a 60 second exposure, kind of supported on the balustrade, although not totally steady. Click on the image to enlarge it and you will see the extent to which the stars appear to move in 60 seconds.
The large, bright object at centre, close to the bottom of the picture is the planet Jupiter.I know this, not because I know anything about things celestial, but because I run on my laptop the latest version of Starry Night Digital Download software from Imaginova (www.starrynight.com). Its default display is the current sky from our location and altitude and it identifies everything as well as giving notice of significant events. Tomorrow night we should be able to see Io transitting Jupiter. That is unlikely as, although we could see quite clearly through my little astronomical telescope the ball of Jupiter and her four moons, and even (just) make out Jupiter's bands, we are unlikely to be able to discern the disc of Io.
Having rehearsed the event through Starry Night's viewer, however, it looks as though we should just be able to pick up Io's shadow as it passes over Jupiter's upper atmosphere. There are, though, two reasons we may not see it, one natural and one, well, normal I suppose.
Natural? It may be cloudy. Normal? The event starts at a half past midnight and goes on for three hours. The possibility of my going on for three hours after a half past midnight is about as strong as that of Hobie sharing the visual experience with me!
That's about it for this week.
Have a good week.
À la prochaine
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment