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.
Sentient 
Andrew Nordstrum was here.
Big brother reads all your posts now. Took me over a year to get into it though!
Congratulations on the first anniversary of your regular blogging. Yes! I am one of your most regular and consistent readers. I am not into blogging generally, but each day one of the first actions upon starting up the computer is to check the Sentient site.
We appreciate the difficulty you have had in maintaining contact with your family and friends and the great benefit the blog technology has become. We look forward to and enjoy the news of the family’s activities. And I have come to appreciate, too, those occasions when you have become somewhat reflective about about events and situations and your own circumstances. It would be interesting to review the posts (141 is an impressive list in one year), noting the range of subjects which I think has widened from the earlier narratives, and to observe the changing style of much of the writing.
Blogging is a very public medium and yet is very different from the public mediums that I have previously known and shared in. It took some time before I was prepared to add a comment, not because of any lack of experience of writing or speaking to others, but because the audience or readership is anonymous in a way that I had not previously experienced, even in many years of writing widely circulated newsletters and other communications to extensive but known mailing lists. But I have come to enjoy the opportunity to make the occasional comment as well as regularly enjoying your blog and the comments of others.
As an addendum, I was pleased to read that your big brother is now a regular reader too.
As a second addendum, I rule myself as ineligible for a prize; but if we happened to find another beautiful Canadian Calendar in our letter box one day, we would be delighted and pleased to give it a prominent place in our home for another year.
ND
What a fun idea. Add me to the draw.
throumyeyes.wordpress.com
Of course I read every entry! It’s book marked on every computer I use. In fact, I usually read mosts entries more than once. All I can say is “My yum cha chee saa see!”
Here I am, back again. Australian beauties would be welcome. . .whether they come in a calendar . . . or sit around my table. Speaking of which, isn’t it time we got together again? With the WHOLE family? (Yes Andrew, you too – though I completely refuse to cook when you’re in my kitchen. . . far too intimidating!!)
hey cuz! am i the cousin that you mentioned or is there more than one of us reading about your exploits?
i enjoy reading about your life over there, especially about the kids. keep it up!
God bless
ps i was just involved in my first ever industrial action and at today’s union meeting we found out we’d won (kind of). what a milestone, hey? i also had my graduation ceremony on tuesday so it’s all happening. 🙂
I’m a regular!
ummm… don’t try to bribe me into commenting on your blog!!!
See you friday!!
Hi Heather – I still pop in from time to time. 😉
i’m a heather too!