If you read the same blogs as I do, you may well have read accounts of a lovely get together that happened last weekend at Tracy's house. She very kindly hosted a meeting of like minded bloggers, and it was, as ever, a treat and a privilege to spend time in the company of Tracy, Monica, Ali, Alice, Emma (special thanks for driving this country bumpkin down the the Big City), Nancy and Julie. We missed Kristina - but we all promised a repeat at some time. It was a truly magical day - huge hugs and thank yous to all of you.
At one point the conversation turned to "How long do you think you'll keep blogging for? Will you know when there's an end point?" As we pondered, someone very fairly commented that really, I have already stopped blogging, and I suppose to all intents and purposes that's true. I seem to have got out of the habit of responding to those of you kind enough to comment here, and I leave fewer and fewer comments on other blogs, neither of which are habits I'm proud of. I didn't even have a camera with me on Saturday, for goodness' sake.
But here's the rub - I still think of myself as a blogger. This space has given me so much pleasure, and brought so many friendships both real life and virtual that I would feel lost without it. It's been a place where I have recorded important parts of my life - admittedly not the grotty bits, but I doubt they'd make for interesting reading. I started Dottycookie in 2007 when I was still working and when my children were really tiny. Now they're older and my blogging time is stolen by homework and after school activities and cooking (they actually eat these days, which is a blessed relief). I think I actually spend more time making "stuff" but less time photographing it. Through this blog and the people I've "met" I found the courage to finally sell things I'd made, and while it's a small turnover, it is steady and that brings me great joy.
I think perhaps I haven't stopped blogging, just slowed down. Maybe this year I'll post more, maybe I won't but I think for me that feels fine - your blog is what you want it to be and the people who like it and connect with it are more than likely people you'll want to spend time with, whether that's online or in someone's kitchen eating salad and cake. And those people are the ones who do get to see the messy bits behind the sparkly colourful photos - just like in "real life".
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