Watchers watched

Another in the kitchen window series. I'm in good company. The shot of Daisy persuaded me to name the series.

I've not felt happy with any of the shots I've been taking out and about and today I realized why. There are a whole series of settings that I'd tweaked on my previous camera over the years that made the pictures on the screen more like how I see the world, or how I like to see the world. I'd quite forgotten about these setting, their menus and the results. It all came back to me today sitting on the beach, the sea/skyscapes started to look familiar again as I played with the camera's settings That's a relief! Sub-modalities restored. Hurrah!

This shot was taken before that happy moment so it's the sort of bleugh flat thing I've been irritated by. BUT there's a story or, at least, a train of thought. One of the disadvantages of my current home is that the kitchen is overlooked. Normally I HATE to be overlooked but I overlooked the overlooking for the space and convenient location when I moved into this flat. I've come to realise that there is mostly a polite convention of averting one's gaze - I don't peer (too hard) at my neighbour's going about their business and mostly they don't peer into my kitchen. I should say there are three gardens between my house and this walkway and, 'though I enjoy gazing into strangers' lighted windows from the train, I appreciate this small town courtesy of ignoring your neighbours.

Yesterday I was surprised to see this smartly dressed fellow standing on the furthest away garden wall. The day before a group of teenagers were sitting gazing into my kitchen from the same wall. When they saw my surprise they waved cheekily and I waved back. Wasn't quick-thinking enough to get the camera.

Then today half a dozen workmen were fitting windows in one of the flats opposite. At the end of the day - they broke all the rules. Strangers in town! These three stood brazenly peering into my kitchen as no-one else ever does. They got visibly more nervous and uncomfortable the longer I clicked away. By this point they just couldn't look in my direction.

Aren't we funny creatures?