Hildie is quite poorly this evening.  She's been admitted to the University Hospital in Durham City and her family are with her day and night.

It's up to the rest of us to do whatever we can in these distressing and very upsetting times.

Now you may think that you can't do very much; that you're almost impotent and helpless in the face of the difficulties that Hildie and her family are confronting as I type this.

But you're not impotent and helpless.

This is what you can do.

You can concentrate very, very hard on all the wonderful and amazing things that Hildie is.  

A gentle and loving woman.  A thoughtful and loyal friend.  Someone without whom our company of truckshunters - and, indeed, this blog - would never have existed.  

A lady who takes the most enormous pleasure in the simple fact that a disparate group of people - against all the odds, and largely due to her enthusiasm and persuasiveness - manage to come together and enjoy each other's wayward company.

Think hard about how much zest Hildie has for life and for the world; about how much love and consideration she has for those around her.  Including you. 

And think hard about how important you are to her.  After all, she's shown you often enough.

If we do this - if we all concentrate our thoughts and hopes and dreams together - their power will almost make them audible.  And I can assure you that Hildie will hear them and she will smile because of them.

And we will be helping her to climb her mountain.