MY BLOG'S FIRST BIRTHDAY

Tomorrow - Wednesday 27th May 2009 - marks the first anniversary of my blog. One year and 57 posts after my first tentative posting. It does feel to be more than a year ago that I first set up this blog and said "Hello" to the world.

I've just spent a few minutes looking back over the postings made in these last twelve months. It was a quite nostalgic and enjoyable experience. I've resolved that I must print out all my postings and keep them as a family record. This last year was supposed to be one of quiet retirement - stress free relaxation. I think on the whole I've achieved that whilst at the same time having some varied and interesting experiences.

I changed my name. I first registered on Google as "East Anglian Tory" to enable me to comment on my friend's blog about his own attempts to become a Conservative Councillor in Northumberland. (My friend stopped blogging there after the election but still blogs here). I then set about exploring the blogsphere leaving comments as I went and then someone incorrectly referred to me as "East Anglian Troy". I actually liked that name so when I started blogging on my own account I became East Anglian Troy with Mrs Troy and Troy Junior making up the remainder of the family. However several people then started calling me "EAT" which I felt just wasn't me, so I decided, like Madonna and Cher, to be simplify matters and became just "Troy".

I've really enjoyed blogging although recently I have lost momentum (and I some readers) due to the time committment needed to run my own County Council election campaign. However a number of blog friends have stuck by me through thick and thin. At the end of 2008 I announced my first listing of eight "Troy's Stalwarts" and now its time to update it. Three of those Stalwarts have dropped away - Trixie, who sadly has left the world of blogging; Hadriana, due to other time committments (although she and Trixie will remain "Honourary Stalwarts"); and Carol, who stopped following this blog after I met her at DJ's book launch. I like to think it was some perceived anti-Scottish sentiment I expressed here rather than her meeting me that turned her away!

Anyway, without more ado - the first birthday Stalwart listing....(cue drum roll)...

From the initial roll call of Stalwarts we still have:-
Debs, Crystal Jigsaw, DJ Kirkby, Ladybird World Mum and Brit Gal Sarah.

and introducing four new Stalwarts:-
Kitty, Lane, Helen M Hunt, and The Dotterel.

So now we have a total of nine "Troy First Anniversary Stalwarts" as well as the two Honourary Stalwarts mentioned above. A great big THANK YOU to you all for your support and encouragement.

You may be wondering how I determine Stalwart status? Well all these Stalwarts have on a regular basis left comments on my blog and, after all, that is the only record I can have of your visits. There are three others who have left several comments - Catharine, Cheshire Wife and Granny. I hope you'll continue to converse with me over the remainder of 2009 - it would be nice to end 2009 with a dozen Stalwarts.

So one year and counting. A year of garden makeovers, several memes to help you get to know me better, some rants and ravings about Government incompetence and borrowings, Hong Kong and other trips, book and entertainment reviews plus day-to-day observations and musings. It was great meeting several of you in person during the year and I'm look forward to meeting at least one more stalwart very soon.

Once this election is out of the way after June 4th I hope to get back to blogging on an at least weekly basis, hopefully even more regularly. In the meantime, here's a new badge for my first anniversary stalwarts.

Finally I'd like to also express my appreciation to my 20 Followers - I know some of you are reticient when it comes to commenting but its nice to know you are there in the background. The more the merrier!

SOME RANDOM MUSINGS (HOPEFULLY AMUSINGS?)

Let me first apologise to my decreasing band of regular readers for my lack of regular postings to this blog in recent weeks. It seems however from visiting other blogs that, with a few notable exceptions, I'm not the only one neglecting blogging duties. I wonder why that is? Perhaps the warmer days and brighter evenings are taking us away from our keyboards?

One of my valid excuses for neglecting this blog is my election campaign is now getting into its stride so I've been doing some blog postings there and will be ramping up those postings even more as the campaign comes to a climax over the next 28 days. Also interesting developments at my local football club, Ipswich Town, as the football season has drawn to a close has generated postings on my football blog.

So what's been happening Chez Troy other than matters mentioned above. The short answer is not a lot. However reading my daily newspaper has brought to light some matters that caught my attention and caused some amusement....

The first is the hoo-haa regarding Marks & Spencer choosing to charge more for their bras sized DD and bigger. Apparently they charge £2 more for the larger sizes and this has caused complaints and the establishment of a pressure group on Facebook (shouldn't that be Titter?). It got me to wondering if these same people go into a curtain shop and expect to pay the same price for their curtains irrespective of the size of their windows?
Curtain Shop Customer : "I'd like to buy a pair of curtains for my living room."
Curtain Shop Assistant : "Of course Madam, this range here goes from £50 to £140 and is very popular."
Curtain Shop Customer : "Surely the price is the same for all size of curtain?"
Curtain Shop Assistant : "Oh no Madam, the larger curtains contain more material and involve more stitching."
Curtain Shop Customer : "I can't believe you charge more to people with larger windows, that seems so unfair. Next thing, they'll be charging more for larger bras!"

Another article that caught my eye was headed "Adult TV shows lead children to have sex earlier". I think adults too can learn from this. If like Mrs Troy and I, you stay up until 11pm to watch "Desperate Housewives" and then need to get up early the follow morning, all you want to do after turning off the TV is to get a good night's rest. So much better to follow the children's lead and have sex earlier in the evening!

The Scottish sporran is under threat from the European Union. Apparently they are made from sealskin and the EU is banning the sale of seal products. Synthetic materials cannot produce the same results according to the kilt industry. It will be a shame if Scottish men have to make a fool of themselves by wearing synthetic sporrans.

Finally, I read that Hertfordshire County Council is spending £5,000 a year teaching children how to catch a bus. Why the controversy you ask - I mean surely you can't expect parents to teach children how to catch a bus?

UPDATE - FRIDAY 8th MAY

Following this posting yesterday and the several comments made by my readers it now appears (for surely it can be no co-incidence?) that M&S have now changed their policy regarding charging higher prices for larger bras.

When I opened my newspaper this morning, the following advert for some reason - I can't think why - immediately caught my eye:-

Not only are M&S eliminating their £2 premium for larger bras but for the next two weeks, commencing this Saturday, are reducing all their bras by 25% (that's price not size). As a shareholder of Marks & Spencer I would encourage you all to go grab a bargain and "fill your boots (sic) up" whilst the prices are reduced.