Saturday 27 October 2012

This Blogging Life

Two weeks ago I decided to take a blogging break; not for any particular reason, just to see what it would feel like to go without my drug of choice for a few days. It occurred to me that after nearly four years of it, I must surely have said everything worth saying and if I’m beginning to bore myself, how much more must I be boring you. It’s not easy to come up with new ideas; writing a purely diary type of blog doesn’t suit me and following weekly me-mes is something I do occasionally, when I am lazy or particularly inspired by the prompt,  but it does rather feel like being a Pavlovian dog. You yank my chain and I bark. Maybe not. 

So, give up altogether? Let’s see, what would I miss? Rather a lot actually. I would miss this forum; being a woman of many words, opinionated and frequently judgmental, which other outlet could I find?  Deborah of Temptation of Words has decided to write for herself only, cutting out comment; there have been bloggers who have found that the very success they have has become oppressive and they’ve stopped, only to start another blog under another name later on. Others have decided to change tack, change the nature of their posts; I too have played with the idea that that might be the way to go on. Suze of  Subliminal Coffee calls blogging a ‘conflicted forum’; she is right; for those of us for whom this is more than a daily gush, who value the comradeship, the exchange of opinions, the friendliness and connection we have and the way we cause each other to open our eyes to the myriad of ways we act and react in our daily lives as well as interact with each other, this place is a world alive with conflict. You wouldn’t believe the number of times I have had to revise my opinion on some matter or other, just because one of you has shown me, in simple words, by simply recording and therefore explaining an ordinary event in an ordinary life, how ignorance creates prejudice. 

I have had advice, commiseration, information, and many a congratulatory pat on the back, all by way of this free and easy medium. With some of you I share emails behind the scenes, which gently remind us that we are not alone in times of trouble or confusion. A skyped conversation is as close as I’ll ever get to one or two of you; I am grateful for this possibility, it’s better than no contact. The joy of receiving a postcard from distant lands is a great pleasure every time - here are just a few of the ones I have received. A far greater pile serves as bookmarks or provides a colourful backdrop on my kitchen pinboard.

When Benno’s death broke my heart Georgia Little Pea pestered her typist to send me a whole envelope full of Senhor Do Bonfim ribbons to make me feel better. And the terrifically talented Elizabeth Rose of  Penspaper Studio sent me a beautiful card, which I have already displayed with pride and gratitude in a previous post.

And then there are the real life visits. When I first saw Susan of Prufrock’s Dilemma bound over the footbridge across the river which leads from the car park to the meadow below the castle at Valley’s End I couldn’t believe my luck. There she was, large as life and twice as jolly and bright.

Susan

Susan and I  found an instant rapport. We talked as if we’d met a dozen times before. All the same, to be certain that this rapport would last for longer than the first ten minutes, we made a date to meet up in the village pub for a meal that very evening.  After all, you never know with these internet acquaintances, do you? People had warned me not to be too trusting. What fools people are! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: we, who write about ourselves in this forum for any length of time, give away an awful lot about ourselves, whether we know it or not.

Susan and her company came to luncheon and an afternoon at our house later on during the week and Beloved and I took all three of them to our hearts as I hope they did with us.

Next came Pondside, the lady who lives by the ponds on beautiful Vancouver Island. She is exactly as I thought she would be, sweet and friendly, calm and utterly capable. It was one of my local bloggers who brought her, the shepherdess at  Snailbeach, who lives just down the road from us in one of the valleys. The two of them found a pair of admirers in Valley’s End very quickly, even before I could take them home for a piece of cake and a cup of tea. Our meeting ended all too soon, I would have loved to spend many hours in their company.
Snailbeach Shepherdess and Pondside

Last, but by no means least, I met Perpetua, a lady who is Perpetually In Transit, at the house of a non-blogger, Julia, who nevertheless reads blogs. (Should that be allowed?) Julia and her husband had provided scrumptious home baking along with coffee and a comfortable sofa, which left Perpetua and me to chew the fat. Beloved came too, but he found it hard to get a word in edgeways. We were lucky to catch Perpetua between travels, she and her husband were soon going off to the frozen north, leaving us to bask in the relatively milder climate of the Welsh marches. As we said goodbye, I asked Perpetua if  her opinion of me formed solely on the basis of blogging came anywhere near the reality of me. “Oh yes,” she said, “definitely. Oh yes.” She left it at that. I am still wondering. 

Perpetua

There’s no doubt at all in my mind, we most certainly give ourselves away in blogland.

Two weeks ago I took a blogging break; last week’s blogging break was involuntary, the dreaded AFib came back for a spell. I am still tired but better now; it’s time to blog again.






61 comments:

  1. I'm glad you're feeling a bit better - but you'll have to pay attention to that tiredness.
    Meeting you, walking around your beautiful village, sharing the visit with SBS and your husband was a high point of my trip. We do give ourselves away in blogging and you were exactly as I'd imagined - only prettier.

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  2. I'm so sorry the AFib came back, Friko. It must be so hard on you. I hope you're completely recovered now.
    I'm glad you haven't decided to abandon blogging completely (you haven't, have you?) because I would miss you (selfish of me, I know).
    K

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  3. I feel quite sure that if I couldn't see you, but only heard your voice, I would know you. I shudder to think of what I might have revealed, all unknowing.

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  4. When six of us women bloggers had a weekend retreat earlier this month, it was so interesting to discover that everyone was the same as I imagined, only more so! We do indeed give up a great deal of information about ourselves in our blogs, sometimes without knowing it. It is simply lovely to have such virtual friends, and even better to meet some of them. Your name came up several times during the weekend, BTW (all good). :-)

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  5. So pleased you are back! Of the numerous blogs I personally follow, yours would be one that would leave a hole in my day should you not post. Your writing has opened new lanes of thinking & learning & your images of England have only strengthened my wish to visit one day.

    Continue to be well & write only at your own convenience. We will be here waiting!

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  6. Blogging can stimulate my gray matter(both writing & reading) & let loose on some feelings & sensations that I have denied myself. And other cool stuff too ;o. The frequency of my blogging collisions have lessened, but the force has not.

    I am glad you are feeling better, & I hope it continues as such.

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  7. Blogging is self indulgent, self publication. Accept it as such. Comments are often made to encourage site visits by the commenter.
    I like this wee self indulgence. I could kill the comment element but would lose an element of blogging. Krista has a half way house she allows comment but only replies by e-mail. KRISTA

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  8. het is fijn dat je er weer bent.

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  9. What a great post! Blogging has opened up a whole world of friends for me that I wouldn't even know existed. There is so much to learn, explore, inspire, I love it, but occasionally do have to take a break.

    May you continue to feel better.

    FlowerLady Lorraine

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  10. I'm sorry you've been unwell again and it's good to see you back.

    I reckon that the best part of my blog is the comment section.

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  11. I love what you write.
    I have been blogging for a little over 4 years.
    Started, calling it my journal, mainly for children and grandchildren.
    Have never met anyone personally but enjoy comments of many who like to read
    my sharing.
    Have thought of writing under another name as there is a lot I would like to
    share and not want children and grandchildren to read those thoughts. But guess
    I will just keep going like I am.
    Love writing and always a thought to share...

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  12. Frico,
    Benno’s death shocked you but you need to continue to live, you have to take care of your heart. I hope you're feeling better now.
    you're right, all bloggers talk about their lives, problems, losses, of love and affection.
    keep your blog please, I'm always interested to read it!

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  13. sorry to hear the ailment resurged. I have yet to meet any bloggers. came near once but we didn't have time to make a detour. This last week I have been far too busy to read or post, sort of a break but not by design. the next couple of months are going to be extremely busy for me but I do enjoy the connections I have made, the friends, at least I think of you all as friends, even if I might be around a little less for now.

    this is my fourth year to blog. I can't believe it's been that long. I think my posts were more interesting the first couple of years, but I continue nonetheless. I write for future generations of my bloodline, assuming of course that I will have some beyond my children and grandchildren. That's kind of what started me blogging, having a record of life, specifically, my life. When I look back over the genealogical records, mostly all I know about my predecessors is their names and dates of birth and death. It would be nice to know more about the people themselves. so I write and intend to get it printed out and bound up to hand down. because, you know, I'm so fascinating!

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  14. If I could write as well, and what I mean by that is also as naturally I would do a whole lot more of it. Don't stop, Friko. And furthermore, I'm not surprised Perpetua said what she did - you are the real deal. The genuine aricle. Some of us hide behind turns of phrase and obsessive editing, while you are simply you. Well, perhaps the 'simply' isn't really appropriate, but you know what I mean. And forget all that crap I said about not commenting.

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  15. oh and ps. The Mindbody Connection - have you read it?

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  16. Dear Friko, I'm gladdened by the news that you've examined the world of blogging and your place in it as well as the friendships that have come with the revelations within the blogs and decided that you will share your stories with us longer. Thank you. Peace.

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  17. ugh i am glad you are feeling better...an i think it is good that we periodically look at why we are doing things and assess if it is healthy for us, or....glad you are still here though...

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  18. I am glad you are not giving up blogging.
    Lovely to see a pic of dear Pondside.

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  19. I read this with some envy. Being an anon blogger, I don't suppose I'll ever meet other bloggers like you have. Of course, I could do a reveal but it's proving to be difficult. I've accidentally given myself a paranoia and it's one of the things that most bugs me about blogging these days. I never thought I'd want to write about something other than Georgia (and my other dogs) when I started. Now how can I write about my life on a dog blog with a brown bag over my head? I can feel the dog bloggers turning off, it isn't what they signed up for LOL. But there's nothing I can or want to do about it. I'm toying with the idea of closing or cutting down comments too though I will miss the dialogue that I still have with some favourite (dare I call them) friends.

    I'm going to check out the blogs you mentioned. You've really started me thinking with this post! Have a good Sunday, Friko. And p.s. it was nice to see the fitas on your table. I hope your wishes are on their way X

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  20. I have never met another blogger probably because all of them live abroad but I would love to meet some of them if not all. I assume I know them well enough and have formed an opinion about them that I am comfortable with and I think they must all be very unique characters and that definitely includes you. I always thought that I was kind of an odd woman out but now I am not so sure anymore. I think we are all odd people but fine samples of the variety of society. I hope that you do not stop bloffing because you are excellent at it and it would be a loss.

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  21. I am sorry to hear about the Afib, but I was downright delighted to see a post from you!! You have met quite a few bloggers--wow! Got me thinking about how people who have never met me would picture me from my blog. The people who know me have always said that I write like I talk and they can imagine me giggling and smiling or imagine my serious look and can hear my voice as they read my posts. But they already know me. I'm not sure if people I have met online would be like I picture them to be. Fun to ponder.

    I hope you are back. I'm interested in anything you have to say, m'lady!! ;)

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  22. I can relate about sometimes searching hard for a blog topic, but something always does come up. I do love my bloggy friends and how charming you have met several in person. I think it makes our own circle of friends much larger and more diverse, so hurray for blogging. Plus in a way it makes the world smaller since I can think, oh, I have a friend in Wales, or a friend who has a donkey, or ....

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  23. I'm sorry to hear about the Afib, but I'm pleased and delighted to find you here now! I'm traveling and have been nearly undone by this and that in blogland. It's all recorded over at my place, but I especially commend my "shedding daylight" to you. I put a name to a painting in a contest initiated by a painter/blogger, and won, and got one of his paintings and other lovelies sent to me. There are photos so you can see the painting. Plus, my title is alive and well in a Pennsylvania art gallery - what an excitement!

    I'm at my aunt's house in Kansas City, and tomorrow begin great travels - to meet a pair of blogging photographers in Topeka, to tour a prairie with a blogger's cousin, to meet a long time blog friend in Oklahoma. All of these are first meetings, and I'm looking forward to them with great anticipation.

    Besides all this, it's cold-ish and lovely. It's true autumn weather and I keep walking outdoors to shiver - with delight. I wish I could bottle some of this gorgeousness and take it home with me, but I suspect it will be summer again by the time I get there. No matter - blogging goes with every sort of weather.

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  24. Ausser mir habe ich noch keinen anderen 'blogger' persönlich kennengelernt. Die letzten Jahren haben in der Tat viel verändert, das 'bloggen' gehört wohl zu den Hauptursachen.

    Immer noch im Dialog mit der Stadt, dem Leben hier, ist es sogar zur "zweiten Arbeit" geworden.

    Ich wünsche dir einen wunderbaren Sonntag.

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  25. At first I thought you were playing a trick on us - haven't we seen the first part of your opening paragraph before?

    I don't understand these bloggers who quit one blog then start another one that's virtually the same. Why the switch, what's the point.... wait a minute....

    I've said before and will say again, the only reason to blog is that it gives pleasure. When it stops doing that I will stop. I hope blogging continues to bring you pleasure.

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  26. Seems like you have been going through some sort of blogging soul search for some time now. I'm like you in that regard, but I find that I just enjoy it for many reasons, not the least of which it gives me a place to post my photos. I fancy myself a photographer, but these days, who isn't? But still and all, I enjoy it and the blogging friends who stop by and say hello and the friends I get to visit make it all worthwhile. I have very much enjoyed getting to know you Friko and am at least one person who is very happy you have decided to keep at it.

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  27. When Pondside and I talked before she left on her trip, your name came up as someone she hoped to visit with. I'm so glad that you met and enjoyed each others' company. Each of us blogs for different reasons, although I think, in the end, it usually boils down to a desire to connect with other like-minded people.

    I am sorry the AFib swooped in upon you once again. Here's hoping it will fly off to some distant hill and lodge there, under a rock, and never bother you again.

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  28. I am glad you are back, I tried to take a break from blogging as it is starting to interfere with other things in my life - I actually have a post written on it, but not published yet, but I feel like I'm missing something in my life. Blogging fulfills this need. Best Wishes.

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  29. I,also,think I have said it all and should maybe pack it in. However, I have met such interesting and kind people on this journey in The Land of Blog. I can't imagine losing those connections. I want to know their stories and also share mine with those I have learned to care about.

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  30. Friko, I do hope that you are already feeling better and soon will be feeling even better.

    Perhaps you do know by now how much I do admire your writing and the thoughts that you express. If you hadn't blogged, and if I had not read your posts, I'd would be a poorer person. I think that we humans recognize fellow spirits when we open our vision.

    In the years since I began blogging, I have connected with many folks all over the world, and have been fortunate (like you) to meet some of my blogging friends in person. Each of the these meetings has been a delight, and I've never been surprised by person in person.

    And so yet again, let me state that I do look forward to eventually having the pleasure of sitting down for a long chat with you, or...even better, taking a leisurely stroll and talking along the way.

    xo

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  31. Friko, just today I wrote in an email to a friend that blogging and email add so much to my emotional and intellectual life I wouldn't know what I'd do without them. Happily, I don't have to find out.

    Please don't go anywhere. Or rather, please don't deprive us of Friko's world where you have any say in the matter.

    ps
    I love that picture of Susan. The image in the photo as well as the image of her making her way over the footbridge. How many wonderful and satisfying conversations you must have had, face to face.

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  32. I feel much the same as you about blogging. I started to blog as a way to keep myself busy when I retired, but it has grown to be so much more for me. I. too, have learned so much from my blogging friends and was one of the group of six who met at Vashon Island earlier this month. We came together like long-time friends and plan to do it again next year. I hope you continue to feel better and if I'm ever in the neighborhood...

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  33. I'm glad you're still with us, Friko. We're all real out here.

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  34. ich hoffe, es geht dir wieder gut, ich melde mich bald, habe diese woche zwei konzerte, in ludwigshafen und heute in kassel, deshalb bin ich etwas müde, wenn ich zu Hause ankomme... ich kann mir gar nicht vorstellen, dass du aufhören würdest, dein blog zu führen. ich finde, so aus dem gefühl heraus, dass das schreiben (auch hier) einfach zu deinem leben gehört. nur, so finde ich, solltest du dich nicht so unter druck setzen. manchmal macht man einfach spontan eine pause, weil es eben andere dinge gibt, die einen mehr beschäftigen und plötzlich kommt der moment, an dem man den drang verspürt, etwas aufzuschreiben und gerade dann sollte man die worte festhalten... als ich mein letztes gedicht geschrieben habe, ist mir bewusst geworden, dass man sich von allen möglichen dingen befreit, wenn man schreibt. ich denke auch, und du weisst das schon, dass ich die gelegenheit, mit anderen interessanten leuten zu kommunizieren und sie kennenzulernen (du hast ja selbst vielfach diese erfahrung gemacht), für ein grosses glück halte und bevor ich zu schreiben anfing, wusste ich nicht, wie reell diese beziehungen wirklich sind. die oberflächlichen oder nicht so guten bekanntschaften verschwinden mehr oder weniger spontan. schreibe doch einfach, wenn es dir danach ist, liebe friko! ich wünsche dir einen wunderbaren sonntag und alles gute! bis bald! renée

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  35. So why not take a blog break Friko? A quote I read once says "If you have nothing to say, say nothing." Often blogging is like that don't you think? I enjoyed this blog of your today - Dave

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  36. Dear Friko, that sentence in the first paragraph of your post "I must surely have said everything worth saying and if I’m beginning to bore myself, how much more must I be boring you." made me wonder; were you fishing for compliments here? You don't seem to be the type, but surely you do see from the many, many comments each and every one of your posts gets that your blog is anything but boring to your readers?

    Anyway, this was a lovely ode to your blogging friends, and made me think about those friendships I have been able to develop thanks to my blog. My blog has nowehere near as large a following as yours, which is possibly why I never feel under pressure to write; I just write when and what about I want. Every now and then, the offline part of my life takes precedence (as it should), but the online part is always there and gives me much pleasure. I hope the same is true for you, too.

    Not knowing what AFib is, I am nonetheless glad to read you are feeling better.

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  37. So many comments and I don't have anything original to add. I'd miss you if ever you deserted blogland. Hope you continue well.

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  38. What a beautiful post, Friko. I hope you feel better soon, real soon.

    Your posts are always so stimulating and informative; I have learnt so much from them and basked in the shade of your lovely garden during many a musing. While reading this post, I was dreading to finally arrive at the part where you'd announce the end of your blogging, but I am just so relieved that I'm wrong, which by the way, is not always the case!

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  39. I so enjoy your blog and would miss you terribly if you disappeared. So glad you are sticking around. A friend from the southwest, New Mexico....
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  40. My goodness Friko! I have been wrapped up in my grief, and im still in the midst of the storm. BUT, I would hate to come back here and find you gone, how strange that this is one of the places i look to for consistancy and familiarity.
    Of course, nobody should feel they have to blog, that would be ludicrous, however Im so glad you have decided to carry on, no matter how you decide to do it.
    Thank you for leaving your kind message on my blog, it does make all the difference you know.

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  41. Blogging? Its a constant eXploration and eXperiment ... and interesting connection to like minded mentals.

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  42. You should never worry your head about boring me, only think twice if you're boring yourself. I think it's good to take a break from blogging from time to time. When I do that, people don't miss me a bit, and I come back with a different perspective.

    It's amazing that you've met so many bloggers in person. Wow. That's a testament to your clear writing voice and the value of what you write about.

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  43. Well, imagine my surprise when I came to visit Friko’s World yesterday! So now I’m back, having battened down the yard furniture in preparation for predicted high winds, to enjoy this post all over again. I’m very much in favor of taking blog breaks, as I think you know—though best if they are voluntary vs. aFib-related, so very glad to hear you are through the worst of that. I love your photographs of Pondside and Snailbeach Shepherdess peaking from behind Joe Weale and Billy Cantie. (It is not lost on me that I know about these two fellows because of our visit there with you.) And I feel I can just about hear the inflection of Perpetua’s voice as she answered you: “Definitely. Oh yes.” I say “Yes,” too. You said at one point (though this quotation is probably not exact), “I feel as if I’ve known you all my life.” I feel the same. We all three savor the memories of our visits with you and Beloved—and that we all had a chance to meet sweet Benno is beyond price. There’s no question that meeting “in person” makes the reality multi-dimensional in a way a blog can’t quite achieve, yet I’m ever mindful that, had we not “met” in cyberspace, that meeting would likely never have occurred. Most of all, we look forward to visiting with you again when we are next in England.

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  44. Hi Friko - you've said it all ... that's the way I feel and I sincerely hope this year I'll meet a few bloggers in this land of ours - you too perhaps (probably) as I start getting out and seeing relatives and friends I haven't seen for ages since my mother's illness ...

    Blogging is interesting .. those that get into it and get involved seem to have a wonderful time and meet some very like-minded people, but all with varied interests .. it's a fascinating world - I've learnt so much in the nearly six years since my mother became ill, and nearly four years since I started blogging ... my horizons have broadened considerably ... amazing world.

    Cheers for now - I've hunkered down and finally drawn the curtains on the day!! I do hope you start to feel completely better ... look after yourselves ... Hilary

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  45. A break is good - for the right reasons. I hope you continue to feel better. I cannot imagine your posts would ever be boring - too much life and energy in them.

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  46. I do hope you are doing better, Friko, imagining it takes awhile to get your bounce back. I also hope you keep on blogging and thank you for your take on this thing we do across cyberspace or whatever it is we do it across.

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  47. I'd be sad to "lose" you and your writing, Friko. You always make me think - and smile - whether I agree or not... You've been busy meeting people, that's for sure. Take Care of yourself.

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  48. pure pleasure reading you again, friend. Be well



    Aloha from Honolulu
    Comfort Spiral

    > < } } ( ° >

    > < } } (°>

    ><}}(°>

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  49. as a bloke in a largely woman-centred blogland i do sometimes feel a bit outnumbered, but there are one or two of my readers, both past and present, that i now know on facebook or have exchanged emails with and one or two that, money allowing, i would love to meet one day

    Personally i think that blogs and the internet etc are the modern equivalent of talking over the fence to your neighbour - you don't know who lives next door to you, and dont have much choice in it either - but sometimes you can still become friends. The only difference is that blogland is the fence through which we connect

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  50. I am still tired but better now; it’s time to blog again.
    Thank God!

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  51. A short break from any routine is a good thing, especially if you're not feeling well, but I do hope you won't give up your blogging for good.

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  52. Ah sure we'd miss you too much if you disappeared yourself.
    I know you too Friko. We should organize a bloggers' conference. Or something...
    XO
    WWW

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  53. And I still say, Oh, yes, definitely", Friko. :-) I so much enjoyed meeting you and your Beloved, though as you say, the poor man barely had chance to open his mouth. In my admittedly limited experience, meeting a fellow blogger is like picking up and continuing a conversation started elsewhere, with no sense of having to get to know the person from scratch. I'm already looking forward to the next time....

    I'm so sorry you haven't been well. I know from a friend's experience how horrid AFib can be and am glad you are starting to feel better. As for taking a blogging break, I regularly find myself doing that involuntarily when life simply gets in the way, or sometimes because I really have nothing to say, or if I have, it won't let itself be said. Blog always because you want to and never because you feel you must. Blogging should be a pleasure, not a chore, and reading your posts is certainly always the former and never the latter.

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  54. It would never come into my mind to stop blogging not even for two days ! It has become my hobby and I have always something to write. I participate in a few memes and stated that my general knowledge has improved in many fields. I also love to be in contact with women all over the world. So far I have met a couple from Canada, an Australian lady who especially took the Eurostar from London to Brussels to meet me, a blogfriend from South Africa and one in the South of France. With her I am in daily contact, have been there already twice and she was twice in Waterloo too. My life became far more intersting since I am blogging ! I have to go out and visit things I would have never done without a reason, just to find some inspirations. It's just so satisfying when your posts are appreciated and you learn so many things you would never learn without blogging ! I also learned wherever we live in the world women are all the same !

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  55. Welcome back.. I'm glad you're feeling better.

    I have had the pleasure of meeting a couple of blog folk over the past few years and have been very happy to find that they were exactly as I'd expected. Before blogging, I spent some time on IRC (Internet Relay Chat) playing trivia and getting to know a few fun people from all over the world. I've met several of them now - one as recently as last month. All were wonderful. That includes my Frank. :)

    The internet has just become another place to gather socially. When that place collides with real life, it's nothing short of a wee bit of magic. I'm glad you felt positively about all of your connections. It says much about the person you are.

    Keep on feeling better. I'm happy to see you posting.

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  56. I've been away from Blogland myself because of our move. I have found myself thinking about blogging since I haven't had time to read or write anything for several weeks. I wondered if I could or should just stop blogging. In reality, I know I could not. I would miss wonderful insights into the lives of others. I would miss the refreshing views of others. I would become too insular. Like Hilary, I'm also glad you have positive feeling for all the connections the world of blogging has provided for you. These connections mean so much to all of us who blog.

    I loved reading about all the fellow bloggers you have met. These women all seem to be amazing women.

    Finally, I'm so sorry to hear that the dreaded AFib has struck again. Having had a time of calmness with the heart recently, I've almost been lulled into thinking I was done with that business. I wonder if you have those same feelings when the ticker is ticking as it is supposed to tick. Take care of yourself, Friko. I'm sending healing thoughts your way.

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  57. I'm so glad you are back, and that I am back to see you back! I'm also relieved to read you are feeling better. I have sincerest hopes that you and I, too, will someday meet :)

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  58. I am pleased to see you back again and hope the dreaded AF is totally behind you. I have met quite a number of bloggers (including, very fortunately, you) and I have found them all to be very much as I expected. You are right that we reveal ourselves, how could we not? I suppose I choose to meet those with whom I feel some connection and I have never been disappointed. It feels rather like being back in touch with a friend you have not seen for a while, as opposed to making a new friend. I saw that Deborah had disabled comments and I am sorry for it. Firstly because I like to be able to comment from time to time and secondly because there are often some really interesting replies to interesting blogs!

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  59. Dear "Friko, You mention our visit to you but how welcoming you were to all of us.Someone you had never met on-line or in reality. A non-blogger even!Your generosity was very kind. And I very much appreciated your openness. It made me feel at ease. It helps on our path to more understanding of ourselves and others and to feel less alone. I am sad to hear that you lost adorable Benno but plaesed you now have another good friend in Millie. The words you write so warmly convey your joy. Benno would be happy for you now. The autumn is looking so beuatiful this year. I hope you are enjoying many lovely days together down there in Clun.Best wishes from London, Jackie.

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  60. Enjoyed your account of meeting other bloggers. I've met only one other blogger in person -- was enjoyable, but necessarily limited in time -- wasn't anyone with whom I had extensive comment or email exchanges though we continue to have periodic contact.

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Comments are good, I like to know what you think of my posts. I know you'll keep it civil.