I have been writing here for a year now. I know my archives go back to January 2006 but, although I wrote the first post then, I didn’t commit to keeping it up until October 2006. Now, 141 posts later I am still writing. I realise the entries have been a little sparse of late but life has been busier than usual. The blog reached another marker in October also. Someone, I have no idea who, clicked my view stats over to 5000.

To celebrate these little milestones I have decided to ask a favour of you. When you drop in and read this, would you please, please leave me a comment to let me know you were here. I know my dad reads all my posts, I believe one of my cousins does and a smattering of devoted friends too. There are a few friends who experience my real life with me on a regular basis but still drop in to read about it. But there is a chance that there are some of you that I have never met. Leave me a comment, just a little one to say hi. Even if you know that I know that you come by here, leave me a comment anyway, humour me, please. Feel free to tell me how you came to drop by here if you like, especially if you are one of the people I didn’t tell to drop by here!

When I began writing about our lives a year ago, it was with the aim of sending news to my family and friends in Australia. There was no way that I would ever keep up with everyone by email let alone snail mail, so a blog seemed like the way to stay in touch. It has become more than a newsletter though. It is a record of our days, our celebrations, our lives, the little and the big things. It is a reason for me to write. I have never been someone who longs to write, or even writes all that well, but as I taught and encouraged my children to write year after year I thought I should probably be writing along with them. Now I do. Here. For you, and for me, and for them.

In honour of this anniversary, I have two gifts to give away. If you are reader outside of Canada you have a chance to win a beautiful calendar full of Canadian landscapes. If you are a Canadian reader I will send you this stunning calendar of Australian scenes. But you must leave me a comment to be in the draw. Please.

I won’t say that all those related to me are not eligible to enter because that might be half of you. Those who live in the same house as me, however, are not eligible to enter. Those who live in the same house as me can help me randomly pick two winners on November 1st.