I’m reopening the blog again after a month’s hiatus while I decided what do with it given some issues that had arisen. I’m not going to edit past posts as it will take too long to do, so what’s been written already will stand as it is.
There will be a change in direction for future posts as I’ll be keeping out any mention of the wider families of myself and the Other Half.
This will mean some of our motivations will have to go unexplained, the sources of some our skills and knowledge will go unacknowledged, some contributions will remain uncredited and unexplained, and there will be gaps in the posts when we have people visiting.
I’ll try to ensure the gaps and apparent discrepancies are minimised, but please bear it in mind when reading the posts.
Omissions will be made, not because we’re hiding something, but because it’s necessary to prevent various issues arising again.
During the blog’s absence, I (and the Other Half) have been amazed by the number of emails and phone calls we’ve received asking what had happened, if the blog was going to come back and saying it was greatly missed.
I was also more than a little discomfited by the number of people who said what we’re doing had inspired them - and more than a little tempted to kill the blog off for that reason!
I started this blog mainly to give myself an outlet for the odd rant or two as I no longer have the social life nor the professional writing outlets to let rip about things that annoy me.
Other reasons for starting the blog were to cut down on the number of emails I was sending to friends and relatives telling them what we were doing and to explore subjects that interested me.
The blog was definitely not started nor continued to provide inspiration for others, although I have enjoyed sharing the things I’ve learned over the years.
As a result, I was surprised and discomfited to find that people were taking my musings and rantings rather more to heart than I’d intended. This, combined with the issues I mentioned earlier, did tempt me to close the blog down entirely.
But after a couple of lengthy chats with the Other Half, I’ve decided that while serving as some sort of role model or inspiration is definitely uncomfortable, I’m going to have to accept that’s how some people perceive the blog even if I’d rather they’d didn’t take it too seriously!
Anyway, if you’re wondering what we’ve been doing, well, I have kept updating the blog so there’s a lot of material for the curious and nosy although not all of the posts are live yet.
And now, back to work.
Hi, glad you are ‘back’.
While I understand that you are in no way setting yourself up as a role model, I can understand why some people see you sort of loosely in that way - and if nothing else, it can only be a good thing if you encourage, albeut indirectly, a few people to make some positive lifestyle choices.
Anyway, whatever your reason for posting, welcome back.
India
Although a dreary start to the day, I now have a big grin. At the expense of being a little intrepid, in addition to being a mine of inspiration, the posts are motivating.
I enjoy reading of your accomplishments and pleased to find I have a little catching up to do.
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It’s great that you’re back. On the topic of inspiring others - if people choose to take inspiration from what you write, that is their responsibility, not yours. In my philosophy everybody is responsible for their own actions. They are wholly responsible for their own actions (nobody can say “It wasn’t my fault”). But they are not responsible for the actions of anyone else. Isn’t that what SELF-sufficiency is all about?
I fully appreciate that people are responsible for their own actions, but I don’t have to be comfortable with being seen as an inspiration or role-model. Shudder!
I do find your blogs very interesting and at times get a lot of ideas from them. But at the end of the day I am my own person and whilst some of the things you do are good ideas, I have a mind of my own and and can use it
Apart from that my knees are far too creaky to do any grovelling: LOL!
Glad your back…I needed something interesting to read
When something goes wrong, I’m responsible.
Welcome back! We’re only just starting on the path to self-sufficiency, and find your blog a great source of “why didn’t we think of that” conversations. Plus, you’ve inspired my other half to look at keeping pigs!
I agree with Mel - if people (myself included) take inspiration from your blog, that’s their responsibility.
If something we did went wrong, I’d never say “Well, it was that Stonehead’s idea, its crap”, as it would be us that had done it wrong!
Very welcome back Stoney, good to see you. Sort of.
I think the whole “role model” thing is a non-starter, since this is all about individual situations. Sometimes you pop into my mind when I’m working harder than I’d like though, but that’s all for the good. I’m sure you’d enjoy telling me to stop bloody whining if we were neighbours!
I was delighted to find you are back….! I’ve been hunting all over to find what I’d done wrong (not very tecchie) to lose your blog.
I wouldn’t say you are an inspiration to me so much as a “can’t have that kind of life but love to read about others doing it” sort of thing….!
Anyway….very glad you’re back and hope that by now you are in the peak of health again.
I’m glad your back. I can’t put my finger on why I like reading your and similar blogs? perhaps it’s my lack of ability to get down to the pub.
I have read your blogs and enjoyed them but this posting has left me scratching my head a wee bit. Perhaps if people gain inspiration from you, then instead of threatening to take your ball and go home you should be a tad bit pleased that you are giving people motivation. No, you don’t have to be comfortable with it but making your readers feel ashamed and ‘nosy’ for reading what you put out there isn’t the best solution to your feelings.
Welcome back! I too thought I had either pressed a wrong button, or perhaps had offended you by joining in. I really enjoy reading your musings and occasional rants, as did my husband until we lost you.
This week I have had a major problem with AOL who have ‘reorganised, successfully’ (sic) my computer… so that I feel like I have strayed onto somebody else’s machine…. I can’t find anything, not even my mail, and it was only by chance that I found your page
… so it was a double joy to land here!
I’m glad you’re back!
Good to have you back - glad you didn’t decide to make it permanent
[...] am indebted to kitmarlowescot2 … via Stonehead for these pictures of a delightful Old Spot piglet born this week with appropriate markings for the [...]