The Week Gone By

I don’t post on WordPress like I used to. One of the main reasons is the distraction of daily posts on Blipfoto combined with a constant desire to be out on two wheels or playing golf. The latter two become much less time consuming over the winter months, but still I don’t post as often as I might. The sequel to Golf in the Wild also occupies much time as does being honorary treasurer of Allendale Golf Club and continuing to maintain about a half dozen WordPress based websites. And therein lies the rub.

All of the other sites are hosted on an ISP with locally supported and maintained versions of WordPress with access to the classic editor whereas, on wordpress.com, I am obliged to use the thoroughly awful block editor. The irony is that I am now paying for this service since I exceeded the free storage quota. I really should use it more and to that end, I will try repeating what appears on Blipfoto plus maybe a few extra images. Possibly, I will grow to like this editor, but I doubt it.

Sunday 28th November: Seeing red – Storm Arwen meant this was our second full day without electricity
Monday 29th November and still no electricity – the view across the fields at Beaufront Woodhead.
Tuesday 30th November – Frank Williams, a hero since my teenage years, died on 28th November. Seen here on the right with Ron Tauranac at the 1972 British GP, Brands Hatch. Power returned late afternoon.
Wednesday 1st December – Egger the wood treatment plant at Hexham which helps to keep the town prosperous and happy – recently rated the happiest place to live in the UK. I would agree, although they never asked me.
Thursday 2nd December – local cattle, pigging it down at Sloppy Joe’s on a cold December morning.
Friday 3rd December – I am more Ghia than Gaia, more Clarkson than Lovelock.
Saturday 4th December – Hamish and Dougie Wheelbirks Parlour
Another from Wheelbirks – either Hamish or Dougie – I don’t know which is which.

17 comments

  1. HogriderDookes · December 7, 2021

    Oh how I agree with you about WordPress block editor, it’s truly awful! Another example of “mending” something that isn’t broken!!! Additionally for me, for some reason WordPress has taken exception to Mac Safari and I’ve now had to load the equally awful Chrome just to access the editorial function!
    My WordPress blogging days are probably numbered!
    Sorry to hear about the power situation, great photos as always though and yes I concur with the sad news about Frank Williams.

    Stay safe,
    Dookes

    • northumbrianlight · December 8, 2021

      Thanks for the kind words, Dookes. It’s worse than “mending something that isn’t broken” – the classic editor is there, fully supported and available as a plug-in. The “gotcha” is that you need to upgrade to the pro version (more dosh) to enable plug-ins. Not a chance 😀

  2. Tish Farrell · December 7, 2021

    I don’t understand the block editor. It all seems so slippery. I write my posts/ add photos off-line in Open Live Writer which replicates my WP page. After I’ve posted it to WP, the edit page appears to allow me to stick to the classic format. But heaven knows how that all that hangs together. Anyway, it’s always good to find you here, Robin, along with your moody works.

    • northumbrianlight · December 8, 2021

      Always good to hear from you Tish – I apologise again for my lack of interaction. Once GITW#2 is published, I am hoping to have more time. I paid someone to do the pagination as I was too lazy to re-learn InDesign. I now wish I had done it myself – it is taking way too long. Thanks for the Open Live Writer tip, I will investigate. Trust you are keeping well and all the best to you both for Christmas and 2022, R.

      • Tish Farrell · December 8, 2021

        We are fine thanks. All the best to you and Pam.

  3. J.D. · December 7, 2021

    So good to see you post, Robin. I am in total agreement with you about the block editor. I’ve been paying for premium for most of my time on WP, I downgraded to personal this year and I’m currently in the process of migrating to another service. More about that after the New Year. 😉 Life’s too short.

    Wonderful images, as always. Happiest of holidays to you and your family. You live in the perfect place.

    • northumbrianlight · December 8, 2021

      And, always good to hear from you too, Julie. I trust you are still loving your life in the woods.
      I will be interested to know where your blog is heading – be sure to let me know where it is.
      Did I mention I have a new young lady in my life – Little Evie:
      https://www.blipfoto.com/entry/2876215264809061846
      Our youngest, James, and his partner Louise gave birth to this little gem earlier in the year.
      All the best for Christmas and 2022, R

      • J.D. · December 8, 2021

        Evie is beautiful, Grandpa. 😊

        The new place is Substack: https://jdriso.substack.com/ I’ll reveal more about why in my New Year post. Have a fabulous holiday!

  4. restlessjo · December 7, 2021

    I prefer the outdoor life too, Robin. Not familiar with Blipfoto but I suspect it’s for proper photographers like you. Wishing you all the best for the festive season, hon.

    • northumbrianlight · December 8, 2021

      Hi Jo – hope you are keeping ok – I have not been interacting on WordPress, but I see your exploits on Twitter so you haven’t been lost from my thoughts.
      Blip is for anyone – keen amateurs tend to look down on it because some of the posts can be a bit ordinary. This is not a reflection of the photographers’ skills, but merely a consequence of trying to post something every day.
      All the best for Christmas and 2022 to you and yours, R

  5. jef62 · December 7, 2021

    Nice to see you posting again.

  6. babsje · December 7, 2021

    Wonderful to see your great post in my Reader today. There is an excellent hack to get back to using the Classic Editor that Katherine Wikoff so kindly documented in her post titled How I write blog posts in “Classic Editor”
    https://wp.me/p2i1h9-1WY Her workaround works and made me able to continue posting. I hope you give it a try and have success, too!

    • northumbrianlight · December 8, 2021

      Many thanks for the kind comments and the tip – I will investigate Katherine Wikoff’s post. Sounds like just the thing I need. All the best, R

  7. sustainabilitea · December 7, 2021

    Always good to see a post from you, Robin. I liked all the photos, especially those last two and the first one. Sorry about the power outage. That’s no fun. I’ve also exceeded my free space some time ago and am wondering whether I should start a new free blog and just pay to keep my old one going. I’ve been using the block editor since I read that everyone would have to use it and haven’t had too much trouble but then I don’t do much exciting. 🙂

    janet

    • northumbrianlight · December 8, 2021

      Many thanks for your ever generous comments – very kind. The frustration with the block editor is just the lack of some of the simple things that used to be so easy to access. If I had never known the classic editor, it might not have been so bad.
      Trust you and yours are keeping well and all the best for Christmas and 2022, R x

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