Tuesday 16 January 2018

Vanishing Bloggers and Blogging + I Needed a Hair Cut

John Gray's post  about bloggers disappearing brought lots of comments - although John gets lots of comments even if he only writes one word!
Over the 5 years I've been blogging many bloggers have come and gone. Sometimes with notice, others suddenly and more just fading slowly away. Sometimes it's sad and you feel you want to know why and hope they are OK, with others it doesn't seem to matter.  Some bloggers know each other in real life too and perhaps they will be the only ones who know the truth, if only they were able to share the truth.....but of course they can't which makes people wonder............and speculate.......and perhaps come to the wrong conclusion.

Am I odd in that I don't take blogging too seriously? ( Apart from the obsession with the stats!) I don't always believe everything I read on blogs................. I read some and think.......... well I won't tell you what I think but I wouldn't put my thoughts into words in a comment.....no point being rude.

Because I don't take blog world seriously I'm not particularly bothered what people think about me. They can believe it or not. I try not to mention politics or religion - two subjects sure to upset someone. My blog is just a shared diary and it's lovely that people read and enjoy and comment, if there were very nasty comments I would just remove without commenting myself, sometimes I reply with a ? because I don't understand the comment or it makes no sense. Occasionally people comment on something that I've NOT actually said - in which case I usually point out they should read more carefully. I know I can be too sarcastic and not everyone appreciates the Suffolk sense of humour either.

I really enjoy writing  and find blogging really easy and the wonderful thing about bloggers is they/we are all different or in some cases....... odd!

And here is something that possibly makes me very odd......................

My hair is very thick and when it gets more than about an inch long it feels horrible. For the last umpteen years Col and I have been cutting each others hair with clippers. It's a darn site cheaper than the hairdressers and I don't have to make daft conversation about where I've been (or in our case Not been) on holiday and they never used to believe me when I told them how short I wanted it.

Now what to do? Colin is tucked up in hospital.........so obviously I'm going to cut it myself.
And I did and it looks fine ........a 5 all over.

I can't imagine anyone else wanting to try this but here are my tips for cutting your own hair with clippers .........wear nothing much! (hair goes everywhere and the usual cape thing falls off if you are doing your own hair) have a mirror in front and slightly off centre behind ( Screwed a screw into bedroom door and hung an extra mirror) and leap in shower ASAP afterwards!

Look at the grey............
 Blimey, it's difficult to take a photo in a mirror without blocking the whole picture with the camera. I need Selfie Tuition!


Thanks to everyone for comments yesterday. Colin will be in hospital all this week.

As regards  the pests.............Tried putting the cat on the windowsill and encouraging her to go out and chase squirrel away - no good at all






They just looked at each other!

 Not long after these photos I noticed the small nut feeder had been demolished. Squirrel proof one arrives today, but I mended the big feeder by heating a tent peg on the gas burner and using it to go through a flower arranging saucer to fix it over the bottom, covering the old base and wires they'd bitten through last week.
I love seeing the birds on the feeders and squirrels are just as watchable - luckily Polly is a wimp so as well as not chasing squirrels she ignores birds too.


Back Soon
Sue

56 comments:

  1. You have done a good job there Sue! Very neat and tidy.My sister has her hair this short and pays about £20 every 3 weeks to have it done!Sorry to hear that Cols going to be in hospital all week,it must be such a worry for you,but I love how you keep positive.Great photos of the cat! All 5 of mine sit on the table...health n hygine would have a field day here,lol...and watch the squirrels eating the food that i put out for them.Best wishes,Debi,x

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  2. Really sorry to hear that Col won't be coming home this week. That's rough for you both.
    Well done with the self-cut. It looks fine and think of all that saved money!

    I do rather worry when bloggers just disappear. After a while you feel you 'know' them and there's a sense of friendliness there so if they suddenly vanish, it can be hard.
    (and, being totally honest, there's also a sense of nosiness - no, curiosity!)
    J x

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  3. I love your style of blogging, you find something interesting to write about everyday. Sending prayers that Col. improves daily and will soon be back in your country retreat, take care.

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    1. Country Retreat sounds very posh! I'll have to remember that

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  4. It's always a shame when bloggers disappear. I'm sure they have their reasons but if they go without explanation I can't help but be concerned.
    I don't think anyone should take blogging too seriously (I don't). It should be fun, interesting at times and a little insight into people's lives. I always look forward to your posts Sue.
    You've done a great job with your hair. X

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  5. We had the same problem, so I tried a few tricks.
    The first being hanging all the feeders on extra line to make them a bit precarious to get to... fail
    Greased the pole to stop the furry little beasties shinning up .... fail
    Plastic pop bottle on the post to make an obstacle ..... fail
    Hanging baskets threaded on the postleg to create a series of barriers .... fail
    Hanging the feeders off the washing line as a temporary measure while I thought of something different .... fail
    Then whilst thinking I noticed that the wood pigeon was also eating more that its fair share, so between the two, the small birds were not getting a look in.
    Solution -?
    two smaller hanging baskets wired together in a globe around each feeder. Woo hoo, no more squirrel or wood pigeon action :D but plenty of the smaller ones (even blackbirds manage)

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    1. Had to smile at the anti-squirrel attempts - they are so smart.

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  6. We tend to go white rather than grey in our family. My hair is thinning way too quickly!

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    1. I don't think I shall have a thinning hair problem, think it's actually got even thicker........everywhere!!

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  7. What a great job you did on your hair, impressed. I hate having to make conversation at the hairdressers, I would love to sit and silently read their trashy magazines but my good manners means I reply! Hope Col continues to improve and comes home soon. I like your blogging style and am always interested in what you say. Glad you don't focus on politics, get enough of that elsewhere!

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    1. My hairdresser is amazing. She lets me sleep in the chair when its been a rough day. Just gently prods when I need to shift a bit. :o)

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  8. I don't take blogging too seriously either. If it wasn't fun I wouldn't bother!
    Arilx

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  9. Brilliant job on the home trim. I'm afraid I've never been brave enough to let Alan loose with the clippers on my hair although I've done his hair and beard since we met. If I could bite the bullet I'd save £150 a year.

    Bloggers come and go, me included ... albeit briefly, as you say it's nice to know what happens. It was sad when Shirley Goode died and it was sad when a blogger called Elspeth's husband came on her blog suddenly to say she had taken her own life. But luckily it's rarely as drastic as that and they all have a tale to tell. It would be nice for just a quick closing post though.

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    1. Go on give it a go you could have an 8 all over and then if it was terrible it wouldn't take long to grow back and think of the books £150 could buy!

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  10. Oh Sue...you make me happy and sad in equal measures...Happy because you seem to be coping so well, but sad because obviously Col is not in good health. How lovely to have such variety of wildlife visit...even if they are sometimes a bit cheeky at the all you can eat food bar! Work and family have been dominating these past few days so I'm blog feasting this morning. A covering of hail greeted me this morning. Always makes me want to hunker down and eat the filling but cheap food of my childhood. x

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  11. Hi Sue, I left blogging for a while as things seemed so difficult I couldn't face typing it out but since I've been back I have actually found it is quite therapeutic! I'm so sorry Col isn't coming home this week hopefully it will be very soon. I cut my own hair as I too hate the hairdressers. I'd rather go to the dentist! Jane xx

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    1. Blogging is good for you - I'm sure. Good to see you back, I shall put you back on the reading list

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  12. Sorry to read Colin won't be home this week but do hope he is improving. I have a globe type of feeder which the big birds can not get into I also have one that the outside casing slides down and covers the mesh one that contains the nuts so the squirrels can not get to the nuts. Both brought has presents. I remember once threading empty plastic bottles onto a pole and hanging the feeder at the top that was fun to watch the squirrels trying to get to the feeders. I always find your posts interesting Sue. Have a good week. Hazel c uk

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  13. Writing this again as my internet dropped out just as I was publishing a comment.
    When I had my first Simple Living blog I just deleted it one day without notice which I regretted, I had lots of problems and was down in the dumps, but I know blogging would have helped me through the hard times. I love blogging now, I used to worry about what people though about what I wrote, but now I don't care my blog like yours is and open and honest blog just about everyday things, if people don't like it they don't have to read or comment, I am who I am and that's it.
    I love all wildlife including squirrels, but I love the garden birds more, if the squirrels can get away with it they just destroy everything. I hope your new squirrel proof feeder works, Mr or Mrs squirrel will have a shock when they visit you again.

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  14. My brother often cuts his own hair, but when ever I am around it's my job as it takes him ages, checking he has not missed any spot. Our cat Purdy sits and watches them as well, she chases the huge pigeons away when they land on our lawn.

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  15. As I can't get out on my own to meet friends or to make new ones I look forward to reading my favourite blogs and sometimes commenting. I did write a poem about Blogland and put it in a comment on someone's blog which expresses how I feel about blogs. You are all my new 'friends' and I get a bit frustrated when someone writes an interesting post and I can't comment as they don't allow Anonymous. Still, it's their blog and their choice.

    I can imagine the disappointment that Colin and you are both feeling as that happened to me once ie not being discharged when they said I would be. Best wishes to you both.

    Joan (Devon)


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    1. It's lovely to have comments from all over the country, glad you like reading

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  16. The thing is with blogging you can have button that you can review the comment before publishing it and i have that on my blog , I have only ever had two weird comments that i choose not to publish but like you i don't do politics I jsut blog about my life xxx

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    1. I tried the comment moderation thing but went back to immediate comments so people can see what others are saying straight away

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  17. I agree with you, so many people have stopped Blogging I think many Instagram and you do wonder you see them in your list and think what happened to them? Do hope things go well for your hubby.

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    1. Frugal Queen just disappeared didn't she? I miss reading her stuff, especially about the house in France. Eilidh x

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    2. I don't get Instagram at all. - too old!

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  18. What a lovely cat! I agree that the best way to deal with nasty comments is to ignore them completely. Then they don't get anything out of it, and move on. Keeping my fingers crossed for Col. Eilidh x

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  19. I think your hair looks lovely..I see a lot of women at the gym who wear their hair like yours..it stays close to the head and looks great. Mine, I know, would stick out and up...if only I could wear it like that!
    I do enjoy your blog daily..just don't usually comment. Hope Col is doing well. You never comment how hard it is..I admire the strength of both of you.

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    1. My hair sticks out if it gets too long, I've never had it long enough for a pony tail in my life always felt too heavy

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  20. the more I look at the stats the more, generally, I think that they mean nothing. Sure they give you a rough number of readers but many of the hits can be automatic in nature rather than someone clicking on a button.....
    having said this, even though I KNOW these stats are not real, I do like the thought I am popular!
    fickle or what?

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  21. I do not understand the motives of people who write negative comments to another blogger. If you don’t agree, move on. In seven years, I have only had one person who did that and after apologizing to him because I thought that something I said in a light, and what others thought amusing post, offended him, I checked out his blog. The poor man was deeply disturbed and all of his posts were rants against everything. I did not want to get in his world so I blocked him. Other than that I have had a delightful time on Blogger meeting lovely people from around the world who share their stories with me every day.

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  22. Love the photo of the cat watching the squirrel! My cat finally cottoned on that I had put a birdfeeder outside the window and he seems a little fascinated with it. It's funny watching him watch the birds. I don't think he's seen the squirrel that comes yet.

    I agree with your philosophy on blogging. Mine is just like a diary - which I am not good at keeping. I stay away from politics and religion too. I do like sharing my photos. Sometimes I think my life is a little boring for a blog but then it is in the title too lol.

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  23. Just make sure when you use the clippers you have the righ head on. I don't know if you saw my post but Tom put the wrong head on and he had a mown path throught the centre of his head, lol
    It's only just grown back normal.
    I used to have my hair very short but have now grown it long, to cut it all off again will take a lot of thought.
    Briony
    x

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  24. I blog because I wouldn't have the patience to hand write a journal or diary every day so really my blog is my diary which I hope one day my grandaughters might read.....and realise what a boring old fart I was....lol. That other people read it and comment always astounds me. I've never had any really bad comments just a couple of rude ones...not bad for 11 years of blogging.
    I always worry when bloggers disappear without warning but I do understand that there is life outside of Blogger and maybe they want to concentrate on that more. A little note would be nice though.

    Love your hair. I wish mine was grey but unfortunately mine grows white just like my Grandma.....only she looked cute and cuddly.....I look like a witch...lol.

    I am so sorry that Col won't be home this week. Fingers are crossed for next week.
    Hugs-x-

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  25. I do think it is inconsiderate of readers when a blogger just stops with no warning. Here in the U.S. there is a blog by a lady who restores and sells vintage embroidery patterns. All of a sudden, nothing. I was sure she must have died. But she reappeared six months later as if nothing had happened. Strange.

    Good luck with the squirrel-proof feeder. I'm not sure anything will stop squirrels so I'll be interested to see how you make out with it.

    Prayers for Col.

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    1. Totally agree with you! Your embroidery blogger depended on the readership to be her customers/market.

      Other bloggers have used their readers to obtain votes to win Blog awards and earn sponsorships. They have used their readers to rent their properties.

      So yes, an explanation would be warranted.

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  26. I cut my hair and my husband's. I still wear my hair shoulder length. Just ever so often I whack a couple of inches off. I color though cause I hate that gray.

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  27. Nice hair cut. I wish I was as brave as you. My hair hasn't been cut in just over a year and desperately needs a trim. Harvey won't cut it for me, and well to tell the truth I don't know if I would want him to.

    I have noticed bloggers disappearing as well. I figure they will be back, or their life has changed in some manner and blogging doesn't matter as much anymore.

    God bless.

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  28. I always cut the OH’s hair this way but I never let him do mine:o Yours looks good. A hairdresser would charge so much for that:)

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  29. If you check on 'YouTube' for 'Squirrel and Slinky' there are quite a few clips. Not only are they funny but they look like it works!! Hope Col is doing better and able to come home next week.

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  30. Blogger keeps making my comments disappear, perhaps third time lucky. I'll try again...short version.
    I thoroughly enjoy your blog because it is genuine.
    Well done on the haircut. Best wishes to Col, I hope he is soon well enough to return home.

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  31. I enjoy blogging every day because it makes me think of something to say to everybody and keeps me in touch with them. As you say Sue, some of us have met (including you and I) and that means that when I write on your comments I have this mental image of you both. I agree some folk have disappeared without trace over the years - I have been blogging for getting on for ten years now and I wouldn't be without it. Many people I blog with feel like 'real' friends rather than 'virtual' friends. Hope Col is improving.

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    1. Well done on the 10 years, I so enjoy writing, wished I'd started a blog earlier but when we had goats, sheep, chickens campsite AND children I was probably too busy!
      Shame that Rachel has gone, hope its just temporary.

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  32. Think of the money you've saved down the years. For the past 10 yrs or so I have cut Keith's hair (clippers from Lidl on a special one year), and I cut the sides of mine and he cuts the back. I tongue it under anyway, so any . . . barbering inadequacies . . . are hidden!

    I have to be in the mood for blogging. I always go out with my camera to take photos for blogging fodder. At the moment I have lost the writing flow - though I do get it, annoyingly!, when I am in the car and driving along. Ah well. Folk like my photos.

    I hope that Col is improving and back at the weekend.

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    1. I think we are on our 3rd pair of clippers, the first went off to Uni with our son. This latest lot have done well.
      Do you remember dictaphones - often think something like that would be handy to record ideas - probably already available on the phone and I just don't know about it!

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  33. I always cut my husbands hair with clippers (I'm tempted to do mine too especially when it is so hot). Saves us plenty of money and I usually cut it outside, weather permitting, so no hair to clean up.
    I guess disappearing bloggers have their reasons and you're right, don't take it too seriously.

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  34. squirrels cause so much damage dont they! My dogs hate them you can borrow them for a few days if you like!

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  35. Your hairl looks great, just a bit concerning about not wearing many clothes, I hope you wear a bra, as hair in Ines nipples can be very painfulđŸ˜®As for instagram I'm 62 and use it so never too old, keep on blogging I enjoy your blog x

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    1. No bra as that is worse because if a bit of hair gets in the bra it can be pushed into the nipple by the bra, Whereas with no bra the spiky bits of hair just fall off the boobs!

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  36. Should read ones not Ines stupid predicted text

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  37. Love your blog as you are so open. Not many people can be so open and truthful. I find it very refreshing. Most people I believe are a little secretive - but not you! Your blog is always interesting.

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