Bloggers, Mom, and the Kids

In my last post, I made passing reference to the comings and goings in Blogland. That's the main reason why I don't keep a blogroll posted on this site. It became too irksome for me to try to keep it up to date. I do, however, have my own hidden blogroll, and if you have commented a few times, at least semi recently, you're on it.

Back in the summer, however, I made the decision to make some people on my roll inactive. In other words, if they visited, I would return the favour but I wouldn't see them on my regular rounds (which I do make quite faithfully even if I don't always do well at commenting). Of course, it came to pass that almost none of this particular group of bloggers ever came by again. I guess they also only paid return visits, and when I stopped, they stopped. That strikes me as a bit odd, because with very few exceptions, they first came to me. My unwritten rule is that if a new visitor comments, I will try to return the favour. If someone comments a few times, then I add her/him to my list and then proceed to refresh their blogs on a regular basis.

Anyway, the point is (well I'm not sure that I do have much of a point as I'm just sort of free-flowing here) that I kept these inactive links handy up until a few days go. At that point I made the rounds, wished them well for old time sake, and then deleted them. (BTW I may have wished you well at the same time without deleting you, so not to worry. If you happen by on any sort of semi regular basis, you're on the list.)

Life changes, frighteningly fast sometimes. In contrast to this group of bloggers who are still active but not with me, there is a whole other group of other bloggers out there to whom I have have kept and will keep links, even though they seldom write or comment any more. They are the ones who I'm pretty sure would or will still drop by if or when they decide to become active participants one again. I miss these folk: Cathy, Eric, Mimico Dale, Colorado Dale, Dave, PBS, Mapcap, Val and so on (yes, I could probably go on).

As the wheel turns, however, there have been new relationships forged in the past year or so: Ginnie, Pearl, KGMom, Pam, Lorna, Donna, Philip. Chris, Ruth, Chani and no doubt a few others who escape my senile recollections at the moment. I am glad for your presence, however long this relationship may endure, just as I am glad for the shorter list of those who have maintained this blogging endeavour for a long time: people such a Gina, Granny, Lynn, Karla, Colleen, EC etc (and some of these are beginning to wane). By golly Colleen, you have been stalwart!

There's no real point to this post: no denunciation, no rancor. I'm simply reflecting on the multitude of comings and goings, which we're all free to do. There may come a point when we all decide to move on. I have come close to that several times when keeping it all up seemed to be a drag, times when I wondered what to write but felt that I should do so in order to keep the blog somewhat current for those who might click in. It all seems to become a bit chore-like at times like that, but there are other times, when I am anxious and even fairly bursting to record my tiny thoughts. Some of my recent posts such as Onstage, A Touch of Redemption, and possibly The Good Neighbour fall into that category.

In some of these posts, I feel that part of what I do is to leave a bit of a record for my children. I wasn't exactly vaccinated with a gramophone needle (thanks for that phrase, Mom) and don't pass on that much to them orally, but there may come a time when they might want to know what old Dad thought about life. Here, every now and then at least, I leave some small clues for them.

My mother was a talker, and I appreciate many of her anecdotes about family and what life was like for her, Dad, and my grandparents. But I forget too and sometimes wish that she had written it down. She did keep photo albums and write notes in them, and for that I am very grateful, but I wish there was even more.

So ... I'm now going to cease my rambling and end a post that really has neither beginning nor end but is something of a stream of consciousness ... a stream that clearly and dearly requires damming ...

(PS: Sorry if you didn't make it on one the lists of bloggers. That's the problem with doing that. Someone is always overlooked.)