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| Pool Smash: Cy, nine, and Jackson, 14, in Sonoma Valley |
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| Do my bunions look big in this? |
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| Unwindulaxing |
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| Friends Lesley and Curtis visited in their red bus |
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| Tallulah, 12, trying out the red bus |
*Harley, 15, stayed at home with the dog sitter and texted us "I'm off to breakfast. Then the movies. Then I'm going home to take a break." Never enough unwindulaxing in that boy's life. Apple. Tree.
*We were back for Sat night and headed out to Oakland restaurant's latest restaurant, the Tribune Tavern, comfort food (potted rabbit, beer and cheddar fondue) in an old newspaper building. The memories of my 15 years in London working in newspapers flooded back...the drinking, the drinking the...
*We were there with friends Kenny'n'Mike. What do think about jewelry on men? I used to put it in the same category as ponytails. Maybe the key is chunky - I do like this on our friend Kenny. (He's Italian so can also pull off white jackets and baby blue suede shoes)
*Finally, I re-entered the world of daily newspapers. (I've done loads of local stuff but a friend teases me that only poor students read it...) My first article for the San Francisco Chronicle -everything you ever wanted to know about wallpaper. Yay!
Someone just called to ask my advice about blogging. I told them that apparently the specific blogs get the most readers - the ones that do only fashion or only kids or only travel. As opposed to mine which is all over the show.
Case in point: this random post...is anyone still reading?
(By the way I took off the captcha code and am receiving hundreds of spammers...I will have to delete this post as it used to refer to a dance that sailors used to do. Has anyone got a solution?)
I love your posts so much Jody, always a fan of things that are all over the show. Congrats on your newspaper article--that's great! I think old school people (not just poor) read them, or at least that's what I tell myself, lol.
ReplyDeletexo Mary Jo
p.s. Tallulah looks so pretty!
Get rid of anonymous comments and away the spammers go
ReplyDeleteGot TONS at my show
and did that
Poof gone from my mat
Hmmm I guess I am the exception to the rule
As I'm just a rhyming fool
About whatever comes to mind
And still get 100's weekly commenting to my behind
That would be fun to do too
Colliding over the pool at my zoo
I like your blog being all over the shop, that's what life is like really. I've read that about blogs being theme specific being more popular, but I get bored of just fashion or just decor or just kids. I couldn't write a blog around solely those themes because I'd get bored with it myself and then it would come across as insincere. Case in point, when I blog about kitchens my stats soar. But there's only so much I feel compelled to write about kitchens.
ReplyDeleteLove the chest bump. I remember clearly doing jumps off a slippery trampoline into the deep end of a friends pool at about that age. Her mum used to supervise though - from the upstairs balcony with a glass of wine in her hand encouraging us to jump higher. Well done on the wallpaper article, must feel nice to have a run on the board. xx
I am like you - all over the place in my blog and it makes it more fun! You are so awesome and your blog so grand! Off to read you article! Well done!
ReplyDeleteHad to come back! Great article! I learned a lot and want lockable wallpaper, too!
ReplyDeleteI like the posts that are all over the place the best. But I've also heard about having specific catagories make a successful blog.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think there is no way around the captcha thing. It really sucks, I took it off and then put it back on because of the spam comments. Or you can moderate the comments first and then publish them as they land in your email box.
Congratulations to you!
ReplyDeleteI'm still cracking up about Harly and his comments.
And yes, I do believe you are right....a specific niche..I'm in the same boat as you...hotel, but kids. and then some food. It's me though...so I'll keep it.
One way around the spammers is to not allow anonymous comments.
Your kids' pool play sounds like so much fun. Nice to be close enough to go back for the next weekend. Happy to hear you've been in the SF Chronicle - I've always considered it the most enjoyable newspaper anywhere. You would be a perfect fit.
ReplyDeleteMy blog is a mixed bag too, I love reading blogs about different topics.
ReplyDeleteWay to go with the newspaper article! :) You're a great writer.
Your posts are a blast. Thanks for pointing to your other post, crazy thoughts and great writing there. Love it.
ReplyDeleteAs far as spammers go, well ... the less popular a post, the less spammers. It's a mixed blessing so who cares if you want to be niche or all over the place, goodness there whatever you want to do. ;) I don't know if it's a true fix or it's my good imagination, but I let the spammers publish and check them off as spam maybe a couple times a day and now it seems the spam all go automatically into the spam folder without publishing.
Unwindulaxing is the best!
The pool play sounded great. This place looks amazing!! Big congrats to you on the newspaper, that is awesome. I hope your having a great week so far! x
ReplyDeleteI like your blog being all over the place too. Bits and bobs here and there. Just like life, just like real people.
ReplyDeleteLove the kids' activities, the pub restaurant, the 'unwindulaxing', so yeah, keep up the good work. Who cares about stats, anyway? :)
Congratulations on the article, you are such a good writer. Love your blog too, it might not be specific but that's what I like in it. Also you crack me up completely.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the article Jody! Always enjoy visiting you here:) Looks like a great getaway. We vacationed there years ago and are trying to get back. Regarding the injuries .. why does that always happen when there are kids around (or even some adults). When the kids were little, I could see this coming. It was almost in slow motion! Enjoy your day! xxL
ReplyDeleteStill reading! Congrats on your story and on finding some sort of charm in country living. It's all how we decide to look at it, right? Your kids seems to have learned that beautifully! Kudos.
ReplyDeleteI read all the way to the end!My Grandmother use to work in that newspaper building in OAKLAND!She was a head of her time.........a food and wine reporter and she had a radio show!She had a fling too with one of the WENTE BROTHERS!!!!!!!Or so Iam told..........
ReplyDeleteHAPPY SUMMER!Looks like its off to a good start...........xxx
Sorry - just took off the anon button - has it stopped other comments too?
ReplyDeleteAs Rolf Harris said....kids and water, they love it!
ReplyDeleteI'm in love with your Italian already. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd that red van is too perfect!
Pearl
My Mum used to say "There'll be tears before bedtime!"
ReplyDeleteShe was usually right.
When I married Alastair the last thing he wanted to do - a hardy Scot - was wear a wedding ring but when he realised how much it meant to me he agreed. That's how sweet he was.
I wear it on a chain round my neck.
May your success breed success.
When I took off the anon comments some regular readers couldn't comment so I had to put it back on. However I have found far less spam on Blogger in the last few days. Other friends on the system have noticed too.
ReplyDeleteI do remember the phrase, it will end in tears. My mother also used to say, "It will end in a crying match"
I'm meant to be a travel blogger but I don't travel enough so you have to put up with all the 'other stuff'!
I was told that in Asia, for blogs to be successful, they have to be more of a personal journal. However, in the western world, readers prefer blogs to fall into specific category.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting ...makes sense because Americans are all about the information. mine is more of a Kiwi-Asia hybrid...personal and rambling!
DeleteAm still reading x
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear from you Jenny!!
Delete