I usually post the day’s photo a day on the day following the taking of the image. This allows for the image to be taken anytime on the previous day as well as time for considering it and writing up the blog. So the image I am showing now below would normally be tomorrow’s photo of the day and indeed it is but posted today as I have time and am fed up (you will see why).
So it’s the big day: the [(6)] exhibition (link) has its private viewing this evening. 44 people are coming and I’m due to meet lots of tutors and students I not previously met along with others interested in photography. Bags were packed yesterday and I made sure the 100 postcards I had printed were packed so I could put them in the room to accompany the exhibition images.
We left home at 10am and planned to stop about halfway into the 200 mile journey – I’d even found a nice little diner for lunch. So this was today agenda.
But things didn’t turn out that way 😦
We were on the outside lane of the A12 just past Stratford when the car’s hand controlled accelerator broke. I coasted the car to the nearside hard shoulder and phoned Mobilio Life (Mercedes breakdown service) only to hear a recorded message saying that “they were not taking calls at the moment”. Now forgive me for getting very very angry but I thought the reasons for a breakdown service is to help when you break down!
I phoned the police because of our rather precarious position and also the RAC. The police were really great and helped get us off the A12 and onto a side road in Hackney. This involved a police van behind us with “blues and twos” and two police motorcyclists clearing traffic lights to allow me to keep going. The driving was achieved by me depressing the foot accelerator with a wheelchair armguard.
We thanked the police who then left us and waited for the RAC. When the mechanic arrived he soon found the problem and effected a repair. The fault was a cable that connected the hand control to the foot accelerator had broken. So by now, it was about 1pm and Karen and I decided to call it a day and go home. We could have continued our journey arriving at 6pm ish but didn’t feel up to it after this.
So that’s why today’s photo of the day is off the back of the RAC mechanic in my car’s footwell, and why its de-saturated. Roll on tomorrow and let’s hope its better than today. However it does mean that I will listen to the feedback from the exhibition with mixed feelings.
anomiepete 
So sorry to hear this Pete – what a complete pain for you, and so frustrating.
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Not half Eileen. Why couldn’t it happen when I’m just pottering about! 😦 (still I can’t wait to hear more about Dar)
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I am really sorry about it Pete, I imagine the frustration… So I send you a big hug from Chicago if it can help…
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Thanks Stephanie, I need it!
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Such rotten luck Pete and I was so disappointed not to see you. The prints looked good in the room and just at the right height to meet your carefully thought out intentions. I’m still in Sheffield at the moment and stopping off in Milton Keynes overnight so won’t be writing my blog post yet. Will let you know when it’s done.
It was a definite success!!
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Thanks Catherine. The photos the others have shared shows the PV in a good light – lots of people and interest.
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Oh Pete!!!! I’m so sorry you missed it too 🙂 I’m hoping to get up to Sheffield in the next few weeks and have my own personal private view, or actually not private but you know what I mean. maybe fate will conspire so that I happen to be there when you are still 🙂
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Such is life Anne. I’m picking myself up now but the last 24 hours have been very black.
I now plan to go up on the 18th and meet Rob there on the 19th – so at least I will get to see it.
Are you still trying to find a suitable progressive path?
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Hi Pete, The car trouble was so unfortunate, but who knows, maybe some good will come out of it in the end in some unanticipated way, I really hope so!
I’m still working on working out what I want to do so that I can then work out how to do it. I’m slowly getting my head straight, its as though I have to sort out all the little things I didn’t understand from the last x years before I can see clearly enough. I think some of my landscape work was involved with finding a way forwards for myself….all those blind alleys 🙂
Anyway I still have another piece of the jigsaw to come before I have all the info I need to decide – which is the landscape assessment feedback. But currently I plan to deliberately not do anything unless I feel strongly one way or another!
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I don’t know if this is any use for you Pete, it was in my twitter feed a few days OK http://new.a-n.co.uk/news/single/shape-launches-artist-network/4
Anyway…
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Thanks for that Anne, it looks interesting.
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Pete – I’ve been away for a few days since the PV last week, so haven’t had the opportunity to say ‘sorry not to see you there’. I hope you’ve now had chance to get over the frustrations & that you get up to see the exhibition later in the week. The work looks good and, FYI, my wife and I spent some time with Clive, in ‘your room’, have having a private view and discussion. All the best, Stan.
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Thanks Stan. I am indeed over the disappointment and aim to get up the BSA on Saturday. It will be nothing like the PV but still worthwhile.
I hope the viewing generated interest and thought.
It’s interesting to me that I achieved much higher marks for Paralysis than for Landscape and Ramps – the latter being viewed as too obvious and not personal enough. I aim to try and address this with my MA – which is only 6 weeks away.
All the best (loved the portraits)
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I was sorry to read you didn’t make it up there. I was hoping to be there too, but “got a better offer” as you’ve seen on my blog! I asked Keith to pass on my regards but he may not have seen you to do so. There’s a small chance I might make it up there Saturday too so perhaps I’ll get to meet you after all! I need some inspiration to kick start my studies so an exhibition tour from you would be perfect!
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ha ha tough choices Rachel!
So far I know Gareth, Rob, me and Stan are going to be there on Saturday at about 11am. Not the same as the PV but it would be good to see you.
all the best
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