The Old Man of Ilkley

I left home early this morning but I only got 50 yards down the road to the station before the rising sun escaped from a distant layer of cloud and bathed the town in the most beautiful light. After three days of rain and very grey skies it was the most wonderful tonic. A kind of magical one too, for ten minutes later, instead of sitting on a train going into Shipley, I was walking on the moor! I'm not quite sure how that happened!!

A few times in my blip life I've headed out towards the Cow and Calf rocks with the intention of capturing the Old Man of Ilkley but he's always proved elusive. I've known he exists, but he's never appeared to me when I've sought him out. I've never been in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. Until today. He took me by surprise. I was scrambling down some rocks when I looked up and caught sight of him, quite unexpectedly, posing for me in the bright late September morning sunshine. It felt like the most wonderful gift.

I was going to be late into the office, but the moment I came off the moor on to the road a work colleague drove by and, somewhat surprised to see me, stopped and gave me a lift in. Things like that happen when there is magic in the air. And the day has continued along a good vein. It's proved to be a productive one. I'm making good progress at the moment, and it's not too often I've felt able to say that this year!