Orientation

I've felt a little odd today, almost as if I'm not quite residing in my own body, disconnected in some way. A lot of that is to do with being sick but part of it is down to all the lovely words you've written on my journal. Thank you so very much. What else can I say? To feel so much love and respect is an extraordinary thing. It's been hard to accept that you've been referring to me and not someone else. It's a feeling that's very hard to describe.

I have to admit that I felt a little twinge of panic this morning. It was a grey day with rain forecast. The energy levels were so low that even an easy walk on the moor seemed out of the question. Where was my blip going to come from? I've not worried about that in a very long while. I think I might have been feeling the weight of expectation! But something always pops up. Life simply throws up photo opportunities every single day. I've learned to trust that ... and so I did.

I had to pop into Ilkley this morning to get a few things and, of course, I ended up being spoiled for choice for pictures. These three young travellers are from Thailand. They had come out on the train to Ilkley to see a bit of the countryside. They were trying to work out how to get to the start of the Dales Way but I actually directed them up on to the moor. I told them they'd get a much better feel for the landscape from up high. I hope I did the right thing. After lunch the weather rapidly deteriorated to high winds and torrential rain. I'm feeling a bit bad now! I hope they didn't get too wet.

One of the girls, Katrin, kindly indulged me in a portrait session but it was impossible to stop her presenting V-signs. It seemed to be an expression of her exuberant personality but after doing a bit of research I suspect it's more of a cultural thing. She put a smile on my face. Indeed. you've all put a smile on my face today, despite feeling like crap!