My 500th Post!

Five Hundred Posts – Wow, who'd have thought I'd ever get this far?

Actually, I have Joe from Cranky Old Man to thank for bringing it to my attention. Joe published his 1000 post the other day which is a HUGE achievement and one I can't ever imagine reaching and it prompted me to check how many I'd written so thank you Joe.

I've thought a lot about what this post should be about. Nothing in particular has happened to me lately, none of those damned 'things'! I've had my rant for the year and I haven't really been up to much.

My blog began nearly 3 years ago now. It started life as a diary on a dating website. I'd been separated from my husband for about 18 months and I was curious. Was there anyone out there for me? Could anyone cope with the scatty, unpredictable, chaotic, 'do before you think' kind of person that was/is Sarah Mac? In turn, could I allow someone into my life again and give them the potential to hurt me or was I too bruised, too battered and too broken to ever give anyone a fair chance?

I was surprised at just how much fun I had. I had a flurry of messages, mostly, it has to be said, from people I didn't really think would suit but I tried to reply to them all even if if was with a 'thanks, but no thanks'. I even went on a few dates. Nothing earth shattering but nice people who started to restore my faith a little.

Then I discovered the diary facility. Many diary entries were rants from people who had been let down or had bad experiences and while I understood their frustration I couldn't help thinking that there was no faster way to ensure that no one messaged you than having a pop at everyone on the site but some were fun, light hearted and made good reading, these I looked out for.

My diary attracted it's own small following and some of these people I've kept in touch with.

And then I met someone. And I fell in love. And staying on a dating website didn't seem appropriate any longer.

I missed the diary though, I missed writing down my thoughts, telling my stories, sharing the small things that made me laugh.

And so the idea of a blog was born.

I didn't start to write it straight away. I wasn't sure how to go about it. I didn't know how to get people to read it. I didn't know if people would WANT to read it. So I started to read some blogs myself and I got hooked and the idea grew.

I was walking through town one day texting SA (that's Smart Arse by the way – a name that seemed eminently suitable at the time although he did turn out to be NSASM – Not Such A Smart Arse ;). I've got no idea what we were talking about, some nonsense as usual I'm sure when I mentioned I had a real craving for some fudge.

Now, I'm fairly fussy about my fudge, I'm not interested in the soft squidgy stuff you can buy in any seaside town with 'thanks for looking after the dog/cat/hamster 'etc printed on the box. For me it's got to be the old fashioned crumbly type we used to make as children. Cooked slowly in a copper bottomed pan the liquid slowly becoming granules that clump together in a sweet, tooth coating mass that melts in your mouth.

At that time we had a Rolys Fudge Pantry in town. A tiny, tiny shop where you could watch them make fudge in flavours ranging from lemon meringue to rum and raisin, cherry bakewell and even Christmas pudding. Sadly the shop has now gone but fortunately is a franchise and one opened in Lyme Regis last year so more reasons to go to the beach!!!

I mentioned to SA that I really fancied some fudge and he replied 'Then have some - People Don't Eat Enough Fudge' and instantly I knew that should my blog ever become a reality then that would be it's name.

And now, 500 post later and I'm still here. Many posts were put into draft a while ago but I think it's time I took a look at them, dusted a few off and put them back on the blog.

I thought about thanking some of the people who have inspired, commented, cheered and at times comforted me in the last few years, people that have become a part of my life but I just know that I'd miss out some important people if I did that so I'm going to say a blanket thank you to all of you (the ones above know who they are and how much it has meant to me) and thank you SA, you were my inspiration an you are indeed an arse.