I always thought it odd when I’d come across a lapsed blog that had seemed full of enthusiasm, and to which the writer had posted regularly (even daily), until, one day…nothing.
No announcement or explanation, no slowly dwindling posts, just one day it was all on, and then the blogger never posted again. You look at the date of the last post, and it’s two years ago.
Or, you’re used to reading the blog every week, and one day you realise you no longer see notifications about new posts.
Sometimes, this is for the awful reason that the blogger dies: this has happened three times with blogs I follow.
But ruling out the exceptions where the person has suddenly become ill or died, it’s a mystery.
And I have to say, I’m now one of the culprits. I realised today that I am just two weeks shy of it being a year since my last post.
Granted, my regularity of posting had dwindled over the previous year or so: pressure of working seven days a week and so on. But since late June last year, I’ve had a job where I have most weekends free. So why haven’t I been blogging? It couldn’t be blogger’s block—writing is something I’ve done almost my entire life.
I guess it’s that thing where it’s easy to get out of the habit of doing something. I’d started to see writing the blog as work, thus something of a chore, when actually, it should be an enjoyable diversion in one’s leisure time.
My neglected blog has been on my mind lately, and more so today when I paid the annual fee for the domain name carondann.com. Hopefully, I still have some readers left!
While I’ve been away, I’ve been painting pictures. Here’s my latest one, which depicts a beach at Hancock Park, near my birthplace in Dunedin, New Zealand, that I visited a couple of years ago.
The Crayon Files 
Very glad to see you back, Caron! And that’s lovely artwork. I’m glad you shared it. You have a good point that it’s easy to get out of the habit of blogging if you haven’t for a while. I think it’s a matter of getting back to doing it regularly if your life permits.
Thanks, Margot! Yes, it is difficult to get back. I need to remind myself that even a short post is better than no post at all!
I though you’d … oh, well never mind! Hancock Park isn’t “near” Dunedin – it is IN, part of, Dunedin. A park and surrounds that were a big part of my childhood.
I guess I was meaning the CBD. It seemed it took a while to drive there from the CBD. Then again, we were driving round all day. Although I was born in Dunedin, I have been there only twice since I was less than a month old!
Nice to have you back Caron. I’ve had days when my blog feels more like an obligation than something I enjoy, so I understand.
Thank you, Fransi. Your blog is always interesting and such a good read!
Thanks Caron. And I also enjoy yours, which is why I’m glad you’re back 😊
Welcome back, nice to see you writing again – was just rereading one of your posts the other day and hoping you were Ok…
Life gets in the way sometimes…I’m getting much the same…have stacks I want to wrote about; dozen of posts I’ve started in draft…but the moment I am so busy – in a good way – that I just can’t fit is all in…
Thank you! It’s great to still have some readers left. Life does get in the way, you’re right. I think it was such a relief to find I didn’t have to work every weekend any more, that I really didn’t do much of anything: a bit of painting, some housework, visiting friends/relatives, cooking, the boring necessities such as washing. I feel guilty for not using my weekends more productively. I could have written half a novel by now!
wow your art is amazing, I’d love to see the original! Surely you’ll need to show it at some point here in Aotearoa for us locals?