Good News and Bad News

The bad news is that my friend Sue has developed a heavy cold, laryngitis and a temperature today.  We had to cancel our long-awaited reservation for afternoon tea at the Savoy in London this afternoon, which was disappointing for both of us.  I hope she's managed to get some rest today and will soon begin to feel better.  We will organise our Savoy tea for another time, but the important thing is for Sue to take time out and look after her health.

The good news is that I was able to get the Vauxhall checked out at a local garage today, after the exhaust emission control light came on and stayed on during my journey home yesterday.  Even better news is that there didn't seem to be anything to fix.  They think it was probably a sensor which got a jolt when I went over a huge bump in the road at 70 mph on the A12.  This may then have fed misinformation to the engine management system causing it to mis-fire and feel lumpy.  There was nothing to pay, and the warning light on the dash is now out.  Just to test the car and make sure it was now okay, I went for a drive around the country lanes a few miles from my home.  I ended up in the tiny village of Latimer (see extra photo), and got out for a walk to find a view.  It wasn't long before I could stop and admire the scenery in my blipfoto shot, looking across the fields and gentle hills towards Chenies.  I adore the countryside in the Chilterns, and would miss it terribly if/when I go and live permanently in Essex.  It will be such a hard choice between the two areas when the time comes, so I must make the most of the current situation where I can live half the week in Buckinghamshire and the other half in Essex.