Five Things Friday: just five things I’m thinking about or things that made my week, or things that I otherwise feel like sharing.
Can you believe it? NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) is upon us again. Every year, I am hoping for people to jump back on the bandwagon with me. As always, I’ll take on the challenge and will post 30 blog posts in 30 days starting on November 1. As always, you’re invited to join me (via the above link)and I already know that my friend Tobia has pledged to participate. Yay! It’s a totally casual, no-pressure invitation but if you want to get back into a regular writing routine, this is your chance. You have another week to think about it.
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Speaking of NaBloPoMo, you probably thought I was saving up all the blog posts for the upcoming challenge, but I swear that’s not the reason why it’s been so quiet around here. In fact, I had high hopes of getting a couple of blog posts out this week but I had – yet again – problems accessing my blog.
I know it had nothing to do with my blog hosting this time (as I was able to access my blog on my phone via the cellular network and I have asked a friend to confirm that my blog is not “down” for them). The issue was with my Xfinity Gateway Router that seemed to be blocking my specific blog URL. It was the second time within a couple of months and I don’t know why it happened or how it got resolved the first time, but it was a real pain in the butt to not be able to access my blog through my laptop. I had googled the issue (of course) and read that lots of people seem to have problems with accessing specific websites through Xfinity Gateways. I also had reported the issue last weekend already via online form, but hadn’t heard anything in 5 days and finally got a support person on the phone yesterday. We spent 2+ hours troubleshooting and when they were not being able to resolve the issue, they finally said that I needed to go to the nearest Xfinity Store to exchange my router. Which I did this morning and which has finally solved the problem. So far, so good.
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I took another week of annual leave this week. It was Jon’s birthday and it seemed appropriate to take his birthday week off, even though we are still not making any plans to go anywhere. We had a nice, relaxed week at home, I baked this apple cake, and with the first winter storms hitting Northern California, a really intriguing book, and the baseball postseason going on, we had plenty of cozy home entertainment.
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My niece (and godchild) also turned 13 this week and no, I am absolutely not okay with it. Thanks for asking. She’s growing up entirely way too fast for my liking and that’s only partly due to the fact that I haven’t seen her in two years. Sigh.
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We’ve officially started soup season in our house and we’ve already made three soups in the last couple of weeks. We have quite a substantial list of (varying) soup recipes that we’ll be making in the next few weeks, but I am always looking for (even) more variety. If you could choose, what’s your favorite soup for the cold season? (If you have a link to the recipe, even better!)
Hope you’re having a fantastic weekend!
Jenny
October 22, 2021 at 5:23 pmHmmm! 30 posts in 30 days for November? I’m considering it! i was thinking of challenging myself a little more, and that would be a good challenge. i may jump on your bandwagon!
I hear you on your niece- my daughter is also turning 13, arg!!! And she’s my “baby.” I’m missing the little kid phase.
Sorry about your blog issues- glad you got it straightened about in plenty of time for NaBloPoMo!
San
October 23, 2021 at 10:14 amI was really worried that I wouldn’t be able to blog for NaBloPoMo… (well, I probably would have had to find a work around like writing the blog posts in an email, then sending it to myself and posting through the WordPress app on my phone, but what a hassle! LOL)
It’s really true what they say about kids: it shows you how fast you’re getting older when you see how fast they’re growing up!
Nicole MacPherson
October 23, 2021 at 8:01 amOoooh you’re doing NaBloPoMo! That’s going to be fun to read. I’ve often thought of doing it – a good friend of mine does – but I never have.
I totally understand about your niece. My older son will be EIGHTEEN in five months and that just seems crazy.
San
October 23, 2021 at 10:15 amOh, who’s your friend who does NaBloPoMo? Maybe I know her? The community has shrunk so much over the years (sadly).
Oh goodness, your son will be 18??! So you definitely understand the ‘horrors’ of kids growing up!
Heike
October 23, 2021 at 3:40 pmKartoffelsuppe mit Wuerstchen! :)
San
October 23, 2021 at 7:16 pmGute Idee! :)
Tobia | craftaliciousme
October 24, 2021 at 12:40 amI am so looking forward to the upcoming blogging month. It has become my start into the favorite winter season. I also take some time to work on. my blog. Sorry you are currently having trouble. I am glad you could fix it before we get started.
I love love love a good soup – as you may know I have a dedicated category on the blog https://www.craftaliciousme.com/tag/soup/ Yesterday I made mushroom soup. If I should recommend one: Lohikeitto – finish salmon soup. So yummy.
San
October 24, 2021 at 3:54 pmI am so glad you’re joining me for NaBloPoMo and yes, I am glad I found a fix for the gateway trouble BEFORE we get started. That would have been a disaster LOL
Oh, and I’ll have to explore your soup tag for sure!
Sara
October 24, 2021 at 8:37 amNaBloPoMo sounds like a challenge, but maybe one I can figure out. HMMMMM.
Sorry about your hosting frustrations. That’s so interesting that the router was blocking access to your site. I’ve had some security related challenges with my home server this week, so maybe it’s just cracking down on all the nefarious stuff going on throughout out the interwebs? Glad you were able to find a fix though!
San
October 24, 2021 at 3:56 pmJust give NaBloPoMo a try. No pressure :)
I do appreciate when Internet/Hosting companies take extra steps to crack down on all the “dubious” stuff that goes on around the Interwebs, but I found it very odd that only my blog was blocked (no other website as far as I could tell) and my blog even has a SSL security certificate installed. So strange.
Lisa of Lisa's Yarns
October 25, 2021 at 6:17 amWow, that Xfinity issue sounded like a total pain! What a time suck! I hope the new router solves the issue for good! It should not be so difficult to access your blog! Sheesh!
I can’t believe your niece is 13! I’ve been reading your blog for a long time so have seen her grow up over the years. My oldest nephews are 16 and 17 – they have licenses and one has his own car. It’s hard to wrap my mind around! I started a savings account for my Godson/oldest nephew when he was a baby and I’ll be cashing it out and handing it over to him on his next birthday. It’s a good reminder that time really does fly – it doesn’t feel that way at times with young children!
San
October 26, 2021 at 5:03 pmTime perception is a strange thing, isn’t it? So crazy that your nephew’s are also so grown up already….
ElisabetH
October 27, 2021 at 8:13 amIt is officially soup season in my house too! I love soups – delicious, one pot, make great leftovers, generally freeze well…and the best way to get loads of veggies in to the kids.
Count me in for Team Soup (which is so ironic because I hardly ever had soup as a kid and would never, never, ever order soup at a restaurant).
San
October 27, 2021 at 8:54 amHi Elisabeth, thanks for stopping by and nice to meet you :)
I agree with you on ALL the things about soups. They’re just so versatile, healthy and delicious!
Stephany
October 30, 2021 at 5:05 pmOh gosh, you’ve got me intrigued to try my hand at NaBloPoMo for the first time (since I’m not doing NaNoWriMo this year!) I’ve been on a blogging break for the last few weeks and it might be fun to come back and blog every day for all of November! Only two days to think about it, eeks!
I didn’t realize your niece and my nephew are around the same age, as he just turned 13 at the end of September. It is SO CRAZY to see these kids grow into little baby adults. Where does the time go?!
San
November 1, 2021 at 5:29 pmI’d love it if you joined for NaBloPoMo <3
Isn't it crazy how fast the kids grow up? I just can't.
anne
November 3, 2021 at 3:59 pmWell, I’ve completely missed out on NaBloPoMo, considering we’re 3 days in. But I LOVE reading your posts during November – so much fun to see posts from you (and others!) more frequently. <3
I love soup, but… a) live alone, and b) small freezer = c) nowhere to store the (usually copious) leftovers. Sigh.
Also? So sorry about the router issue, but fingers crossed it is still fixed.
And finally, my older niece is a *sophomore in college*. Her sister goes to college next year. What. The. Heck. I used to be able to fit them on my lap. Lengthwise. I would be a mess if I had kids of my own!!! :)
San
November 3, 2021 at 7:36 pmHaha, I agree, when people think “soup”, they envision a LARGE pot of broth and vegetables. I feel like it’s fairly easy to make soup in smaller quantities though (and since I love soup, I’d probably not mind eating it a few days in a row ;)
Thanks for always reading and commenting. I appreciate you :)