My first year of bloggage

Yes indeedy the blog is a year old today! Looking back I'm suprised that I managed an average of a post a week as I was fairly certain it would die a death after about a fortnight.

Back in October I set up a bit of tracking on the site to see if anyone was reading it and was fairly surprised to find out that I get an average of 1500 hits a month with about 500 of those from unique visitors. The daily average is about 40 odd people with most linking in from Dave, BillT, Andy and Chris's blogs as well as a huge chunk from the Beast.

Most visitors are from the UK and US with the next most popular nation of origin for readers being Sweden! Thanks to everyone out there supporting the blog in 36 countries as far afield as Russia, Jamaica and Chile.

Anyway on with the news. Now that I have opted out of the rat race once more I am finding it hard to re-adjust to life in doors. With nothing to get me out of the house except the weekly trip to the gaming club on a Monday night I'm becoming prone to bouts of cabin fever and the joys of the sculpting table are starting to pall. This is not helped by the fact that I'm doing sodding cavalry again. One day some clever historian is going to find out that man and horse do not, and have never, had a special bond and the Bayeux tapestry and all those illuminated texts were in fact 'what ifs' of how battle would have gone if only man had domesticated equines. God I hate doing cavalry...

Not to worry they are nearly done now and I am underway with the preparations for the first new range this year. I'm still keeping it under wraps for now (unless I've let it slip in a previous post I can't remember) but I'm really rather looking forward to getting my teeth into it. Problem is I've not been communicating particularly well. Being alone in the house starts to become a habit and if you're not careful you can start to resent other people ringing up or coming round and invading your space. I may have some issues to work through in this regard...

Anyway back to the communication problems. Darren, you remember him?
Yeah that's the one, anyway I think he's got the hump with me. Due to my self imposed isolation (bit like North Korea) I think he's got the idea that I'm slacking off and am going to miss my deadline. Now I have to tell you that I object to this most strenuously! I have never missed a deadline in my life. Wooly fuzzy potential finish dates, yeah, all the time, but never a deadline. Okay maybe once of twice...

Anyway I wish to announce to Darren and indeed the bloggin' world (including Chile) that I will complete the project on time and under budget! (The 'under budget' bit is just something I hear people say I, in fact, have no intention of sticking to the budget in the slightest). Now that I have foolishly put that rash bit of propaganda into the public domain I have to stick to it, either that or come back later and edit the post and then deny all knowledge. So if anyone would like to help keep my pecker up and ensure my motivation and drive stay at maximum then feel free to drop me a heartening pep talk e-mail on any morning you have time and I'll publish the most go getting-est on the blog.

So, anyone going to Penarth this weekend? Cracking little show that Lord S and I tend to fly solo on most years, with the only real problem being the lack of a good cup of coffee. If any of you are going or, indeed, are locals then a flask of warming java will go down a treat first thing and at regular intervals throughout the day. I may even see my way clear to some goodies for anyone being so kind... Anyway grovelling over see you Saturday if you're coming.

First weekend in February is Vapanatak in York. This is another show I'm being dragged along to (same thing goes re coffee) so if you can't make it to deepest Wales then stop by and say hello at York.

Right, must go and put the final florish to those damn cavalry.

Stay lucky,
Soaps.