If you can believe it, we have been writing our JWalking blog for over six years now. It may seem much longer of course, especially if you find it a bit waffly and hard going to read (hopefully not though). Since June 1st 2015 we have written a new blog post roughly every 4 days.
Every Four Days?
That’s over 500 posts, in fact this is the 512th post that we have written between us. Seems absolutely mind-blowing as it feels like it was only yesterday that I was messing around trying to work out how WordPress and this ‘blogging stuff’ worked in my final days of employment.
What’s our blog all about?
I think we started our blog for three main reasons. Firstly as a diary to record what we were doing and where we were going as we realised that there was absolutely no way we would remember details, names, pets, and places. Secondly, to keep in touch with friends and family as we moved around and to connect with new friends we made along the way. Finally, as a hobby for me as I miss my old web design job and it’s a great way of keeping my hand in with programming and design (although we obviously take it in turns to write posts).
So although we have over 10,000 followers (which is unbelievably crazy by the way) we still feel as though it’s a personal diary that we can look back on in years to come when we’re all crumbly and housebound.
Why did we take a break?
It wasn’t really planned but with a couple of unsettled weeks of Premier Inns, Travelodges, and catching up with a lot of old friends we decided to step back from blogging for a short while. Just an opportunity to have a bit of a digital detox with social media also taking a backseat.
No Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or blogging for 3 weeks!
We have been so busy over the past weeks socialising and catching up again with so many people that we haven’t been able to see, that we really haven’t missed the social media side of life. It’s been quite a refreshing change to be honest. But we’re back on it now, especially the blogging.
What have we been up to?
A brief summary of what’s happened since we left our last housesit (Our housesitting homecoming) would seem to be appropriate now.
- A factfinding road trip around Berkshire, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire after our recent experience on Escape to the Country.
- A couple of nights in Sidcup with our wonderful friends Keith and Nicola, including a great meal out.
- A weird night in the weirdest hotel in the shadow of the Dartford Crossing.
- Supporting England throughout the Euros (runners-up is so much more than we ever imagined).
- A great home-made-pizza based evening in Meopham with Jo’s brother Leigh.
- Fabulous long-planned afternoon visit to Trevor and Sharon in Chislehurst (lets not wait so long next time).
- Evening with our old family friends Martyn and Angie back in Maidstone.
- Brilliant afternoon with our son Ryan in Danson Park , Bexleyheath walking, talking, reminiscing.
- Dinner in Otford with Caroline and Tim and their two dogs Mr Fudge and Ben.
Unfortunately a few pre-planned meet-ups were derailed by a ‘ping‘ but hopefully we will be able to reschedule soon.
Oh and then we headed down to the south coast again for a repeat housesit in Hove for our lovely Swedish friends Helmut and Karin. More to come from them next time.
20/07/2021
JWalking 
Welcome back! I took a break for a month in June when my blog went haywire, blogged one post after it was fixed, and another twenty-six days have passed! Since COVID, more readers than ever are getting outdoors and enjoying the summer. It looks like you had a great few weeks too!
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It’s great just to step away for a while isn’t it? There is more to life than blogging and social media and we’ve tried to make the most of it. May be back in the saddle now though.
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What a busy time you have been having. Great to see your blog back xx
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It’s been brilliant Lydia, so busy and so very sociable. Jo is having a well deserved rest before her next big adventure now.
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This sounds like a great break from technology!
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It was sort of an accident as we didn’t plan to step away but it was refreshing and liberating for a few weeks not to be online hardly at all. You don’t realise just how much time you spend.
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You’ve been enjoying yourselves and having fun with family and friends. I find I enjoy my blog so much more when I don’t have self imposed deadlines. I just do it when I feel like it.
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We’ve had such a great sociable time and you’re so right about enjoying blogging more when it’s at your own leisure.
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Glad you’re back Jon and Jo – I do love to read about your escapades – but agree that taking a step back occasionally from social media is a good thing.
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We hadn’t really planned to have a break, it sort of happened naturally as we were so busy socially. But it felt good to step back for a while. Hope you guys are ok?
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Sounds like you had a great break from the internet world! Welcome back!
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Thanks Rosie. It was a nice break but we’re pleased to be back. Hope you’re doing ok?
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I am, thanks! 🙂
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Everybody needs a break from something at sometime Jon but too often there’s an excuse not to do it. Not sure there are too many nowadays that could step away from the socials for 3 whole weeks!
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It was surprisingly good to just step back from it all.
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Welcome back, I had to go looking for you as I’d missed hearing from you both. We all need a break from time to time and it sounds like you’ve had a lovely time catching up with friends and family and it’s summer over there of course! Football was interesting and sounds like you both had fun following along.
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It felt like we were away from social media and blogging for absolutely ages and was a pleasant break. Back now and enjoying the action again. Its was a brilliantly sociable time and we did love the football.
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