Why I’m on the move

I started blogging in 2011 when my friend Emma told me she had been out for the day to make her own cheese. Yes, really.

I didn’t know what blogging was; I’d never heard of it. So after a bit of research and endless questions to Emma, I started a blog called Wine Usually Helps. I rambled on to myself there for a bit, much as I do here, and then decided that I didn’t like the name of the blog so I deleted it.

Just like that.

If I was to consider deleting my blog now I’d be all ‘What about my rankings?’ and ‘But I’ve got 6 reviews and a sponsored post to do, not to mention this weeks linky posts!’.

That makes me quite sad. It means I’m not blogging for me any more. I’m doing it for the rewards, the recognition, the sodding rankings.

I wish I could say I’ve decided to stop doing it for those reasons, but I can’t. Today, my children have had a whale of a time at LEGOLAND discovery centre because of my blog. We’re to be VIP guests at a festival in May. I’ve got toys on the kitchen table that I haven’t paid for, but worked for, because I blog. The bottom line is that I don’t want to stop blogging, but I do want to care less about numbers and more about what I’m writing.

That’s why I’ve got this blog. I’ve had it for coming up to a year but haven’t really used it. I’ve had Grumpyishmum for four years and that’s where I write most of my stuff, but I look back over my posts and I don’t see myself in my writing. I can’t pick out my quirky personality. It’s not me, it’s a version of me that I thought people wanted to read about.

This blog is for me to write about all aspects of my life, not just about the kids. For a start, the name doesn’t scream ‘Mummy Blogger’ (though it might hint at a fairly broad Lancashire accent, which I don’t actually have) so I’m already able to do whatever I like with it. I feel I have more freedom here. Like it’s a blank(ish) canvas and I have the benefit of hindsight as I start on this venture.

It’s not about other people. It’s about having a record of my life to look back on. It’s about broadening my children’s minds and being able to give them experiences I could never afford to provide otherwise. I’m in it for the kids. I’m in it for me.

As I slowly move over to my new blog, there will still be reviews and accounts of days out, but they’ll be different. They’ll be better. Not rushed. Not shit. They might even make you laugh once or twice. I’ll be doing it my way this time, and because of that I expect it will probably work out better in the long run.

And one day I might even get to make cheese.