Buh-Bye Summer.
Summer flies away fast enough. We didn’t need help from Hurricane Earl to move it along. Now a couple of new storms are on the horizon and that will play with the weather patterns. I believe I read somewhere that this season would be harsh.
Now that we’ve flipped the calendar to September, will things be quieter around the sunshine city? Probably not. I don’t think we really notice the influx of tourists, “fluxing” off back home after Labour Day. It still seems busy. Just try to get up to Wal*Mart or Home Depot in a few minutes. Now with the College and University students back in town, 4000 students seamlessly replace tourists.
It’s a real change from the Orillia I knew as a kid. In the 50’s and early 60’s, Orillia was crammed with people and traffic on Hwy 11 and 12. Both wound their way through downtown in those days. With just one or two traffic lights, intersections were hellish to drive through. Traffic would line way up Coldwater Road, Laclie Streets and Front Street-South and North, as vacationers travelled through Orillia to go north into Muskoka or south to Toronto.
Recently, a friend suggested we stand on the bridges along Hwy 11 on Labour Day Monday to wave “Buh Bye” to the tourist as they leave and we settle down and enjoy a slower pace during fall and winter. She suggested we might even say “Buh-Bye” with signage that says “See you next Summer” as well as “Buh Bye” and “So Long”. I think most drivers and passengers would simply “sign” back- See you next weekend!
It never stops these days.
On another topic, I am occasionally asked how many people read this blog. I have always answered- “How should I know?” Then last week I was reading some of the “how to” topics regarding this blogsite and I see a tab that says “stats”.
“Stats?”
I clicked on the tab and there in front of my eyes on my computer screen is a series of tabulations.
Numbers.
Numbers that showed me how many people read the blog yesterday.
How many read the blog last week.
Last month.
Tabulations were there that took me back to the days when I began the blog last February.
I was “gob-smacked!”
Then, further down the page a list of countries where people live who read Rob Reid Online.
Most from Canada but others from Germany, Australia, England, France and Turkey.
Turkey? I couldn’t believe that high number. People in Turkey read my blog?
Now it might just be one or two people who return to my blog site- but still Turkey? I was surprised and if you are reading this blog right now Turkey, Australia or Germany, I say thank you and welcome mate!
Oh yes- any good recipes for leftover turkey?
Just thought I would ask.
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| Turkish Men |
The numbers show me that a few thousand pages have been read.
I wonder if I am under surveillance?
I wonder if I am checked out regularly- along with other bloggers, in case I say things that are damaging to my country.
Does the PMO start the day with RobBlog?
Hello Steven!
As I continued to browse through “stats”, I noted that other pages such as Swisssh Radio, Dame Clare and “We get Mail” is viewed as well.
I am surprised.
Friends and people about town make comments about the blog but I never knew it was read around the world.
They like me. They really like me!
Me and Sally Field.
Buh Bye!!
