solution: Windows Live Mail Error ID: 0x800CCC79
Thanks for the quick response,
As with most things (for those wise enough to PATIENTLY examine...) the answer was simple. Unknown to me (due to multiple email accounts stacked in side bar) at the bottom of the stack I stumbled upon of all things...
I added one extra character to a email address - Live Mail 'caught' the error - email wasn't sent but it repeatedly keeps trying - and repeatedly tells me there a problem. I can't 'find'/see the email anywhere so i can't delete it - so every time i open email I get the same error message...