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Praetorium Honoris

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Night Falls

OAFS Photo
As another day at Chez Sarge slides into the record books I realize that I absolutely hate being alone. On the gripping hand, I'm very particular about who I hang out with. We must have something in common, some shared experience. My immediate family, wife and kids, and by extension the kids spouses and kids, fall into that category. We share much more than just DNA.

I also have a couple of friends who fall into that category, they are family to me without sharing a single strand of DNA. We went through things together which somehow bonded us. At least that's how I feel. Our monthly breakfasts together are precious to me, they're the only people I'm not related to that I don't mind getting up early for.

So being on my own? There are times that it's all right, like when the sun is shining and the birds are singing. In the still of the night, I abhor this solitary existence.

And one other thing, I miss my cats, they were great company. As to getting more cats?

I'm working on that. Sort of ...

Chant du Départ Screenshot
Juvat pointed this out to me in a comment yesterday, make no mistake, I look at the numbers every day. I might even believe them some of the time.

Having been doing this since March of 2012, fourteen years to save you from having to do the math, it's not a real big surprise that we've had that many "hits" on the blog. But I assure you, I don't for a minute think that those are all legitimate visits.

Here's a graph of the numbers over time ...

Chant du Départ Screenshot
As you can see, most of the hits have come over the past year and a half. I see no reason to see how the Chant has somehow become so popular. It's more likely that Blogger's algorithm for counting these numbers is faulty. It's settled down to more reasonable levels lately, as the graph for the last year shows ...

Chant du Départ Screenshot
There are a number of huge spikes since October of last year, I often wondered how 150,000 people could visit the blog in one day, yet the hits on the individual posts, even over the past week, don't amount to nearly that much. It's either spambots or Blogger is really bad at counting.

It's all the same to me. I know actual people read what we write here and I'm okay with just a few people a day visiting us. As long as they leave comments, even just one or two, then I can justify carrying on. Until that day when I either run out of material, which has to be things I WANT to write about as opposed to things I CAN write about (big difference between those two categories), or I just get tired of doing this every day. Nothing lasts forever.

Anyhoo, time marches on. As for me, I'm going to bed, have to bring Blue in early on Tuesday (today as you're reading this) for some recall thing. And you all know how much I love getting up early.

Sigh ...



20 comments:

  1. Oh Sarge, you're not saying that Blogger is messed up are you? (snicker) Looking at the dates of last postings for the folks on your sideboard such as The Forty -Five blogspot where today it's showing two weeks ago yet he's posted every single day of those two weeks.....something is rotten in Blogger to paraphrase The Bard.

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  2. I read this first thing in the morning. I don't often comment because I don't have anything to say that would improve upon what has been posted. Being technologically inept I read this on my wife's Facebook account and I don't always remember to seek out the like button. Old guns (4 score &5+).

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  3. Pretty much my first stop on the daily catch up routine, replacing the much missed wisdom and camaraderie of the late Neptunus Lex.
    Better let them do the recall whatever, otherwise they will harass you relentlessly to get it done. I've been ignoring one for battery rack issue for about 5 years now, but might take it in someday just to stop the repeated reminders.

    Looks like fall is arriving right on time in western PA and NY.
    John Blackshoe

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    1. I usually get it done ASAP. This one had to wait for parts to be available.

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  4. Sarge, I did notice something. The curve started going up in 2021 which is when I started blogging. I wonder if.... ;-)

    Just kidding of course. Have a good day!
    juvat

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    1. Well, you do make Mondays tolerable, I'll give you that. 😉

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  5. I read your blog everyday, have since 2014. I seldom leave a comment, that's just me. I have several blogs I visit everyday and I seldom leave a comment. I do enjoy your stories and would miss you if you left.

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    1. I whine about comments, then when I visit other blogs I seldom leave a comment. Hoist on my own petard!

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  6. Sarge, I am slightly different weird space: I do okay on my own, but not necessarily for long periods of time. I still have work, which seems to be enough to fill the "people" void, but I know myself enough well enough to know that without that and with The Ravishing Mrs. TB out, I would pretty much live like a feral cat if left to myself.

    All I can comment on the cats thing is that there are a lot of great animals (of all kinds, really) looking for a good place to land through no fault of their own.

    I general consider Blogger's numbers silly at this point (except for Juvat's - those seem totally legit). I take the actual views of a page as my real "read". And as long as some people are reading and commenting (and I know not everyone likes to comment or even can comment), it remains a worthwhile endeavor.

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    1. That's how I still feel, if a few hundred can take the time to read our scribblings I should be content.

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  7. One of my daily reads since you signed on. Strength and Courage.

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    1. I'll be okay, just a little down as of late. I'd write about it but some demons need to stay hidden.

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  8. I do read every day, and sometimes comment if the spirit moves. Even when I don't read every day because life happened, when I get a chance to catch my breath and sit down with a cup of tea again, I do go back to "catch up" on what I missed. For instance, I was wandering the hills and valleys of VT, NH, and ME this past weekend. Met cousins in ME to pass along some bee keeping supplies, and then went to spend some time with a favorite uncle who hadn't looked so great at the beach in July, and come to find out has just gone on Hospice 2 weeks ago.
    It was great to see my cousins at their cabin in the woods (way, waaay, waaaaay back in the woods). ME has some very steep hills and ridges, and they are at the top of one of them. The moose are in rut, the leaves are starting to turn, the bugs are gone, there were wood ducks on the pond, and my car made it up and back down their "driveway"---using the term very loosely---making me very glad for all-wheel drive!!

    My favorite uncle, who lives about 100 miles southwest of my cousin's cabin, looked better then he had in July, and he and my aunt were very happy to see me. Fed me well, and had me stay overnight. We had a chance to talk a lot about his brothers, my grandparents, and my great-grandparents, all of whom I knew and remember. It was great to exchange stories and just spend time together. Especially as we don't know if this will be the last time I will see him. Not anything more the docs can do for him, and he wanted to be home, so he is.

    When I got home, after I picked up the pup from the kennel, where he had a wonderful time--he was so tired out it was funny, he started puppy school yesterday---I sat down last night and got caught up. One little tip, if ya have a choice, get another kitty--they are over-all easier, less work than a pup, and less expensive, although I wouldn't trade my guy in for anything. Having him does motivate me to get out of bed in the morning, as well as off the couch. However, there is a LOT of walking involved. I have lost 12# since I got him, so definitely am getting my steps in. But he is great company too.

    Suz

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  9. What I consider entertaining content has become difficult to find so when I run across a gem, in the pocket it goes. Followed a link from another blog last Nov and "The Chant" has become something I look forward to as one of my (very few) daily morning reads. Thanks!

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    1. Most excellent! Glad you found us! More incentive to keep going!

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    2. From what blog did you find this place? Sounds like it might be the sort of place folks here might enjoy as well.
      John Blackshoe

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    3. Yes, good point JB, I hadn't thought to ask.

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