Sunday, July 20, 2008

In Dorset...

... with the family, by the sea, for several glorious days. Exhiliarating swims in a crystal-clear sea, views of extraordinary beauty across the bay, walks along the clifftop paths, talkative family meals, discovery of local history and enjoyable pottering about via pleasing coffee-shops, evenings with Hercule Poirot or Lord Peter Wimsey on DVD. The sort of holiday that sneering Anonymous commentators to this blog will be able to quote as evidence of my appallingly suburban myopia. On which subject, I've decided to ditch my previous policy which was to publish nasty comments if they were being horrible about me, but not if they were being horrible about God, the Church, Jewish people, or other objects of people's venom. From now on, I simply won't publish nasty anonymous stuff at all: if you want to be really rude about me, have the courage to put your name to it. I won't publish your name if you don't wish it to be known, but I do want to know who you are if you are attacking me.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

The important thing to remember is that it is your blog, so you decide the comment publication policy.

Redtabby said...

Enjoy it all, Joanna. It sounds wonderful.

joannaB73 said...

Hi Joanna, Dorset sounds lovely. I think some of these anon comments we get must be from non-Christian or Catholics or they wouldn't mind putting their name. One lady who left me a comment actuualy sounded very bitter. So maybe we should just feel sorry for them.

Anonymous said...

Joanna, sounds like your Dorset break was wonderful! Living in landlocked Colorado, I do miss the ocean. Would love to spend a vacation just as you did.

Good on you for drawing the line in the sand. You deserve the respect of your fellow bloggers.

God bless you and yours.

Anonymous said...

I heartily approve of the change of policy, Auntie Joanna! Here's to more holidays in Dorset!

Monica said...

Impose the policy, Joanna; it's your blog and there is no reason for you to have to tolerate such rudeness.

I suspect, in part, that this might also be linked with some hostile reaction to your contribution to the Jeremy Vine show (with Clive Anderson in the chair) on Radio 2 last Friday week. I heard the show and felt for you.

Anonymous said...

You go girl! Sorry I couldn't make it to Dorset. We should meet up soon for coffee and a loooong talk xxxxx

George said...

Hi Joanna
As an undergraduate I lived and worked in Weymouth, Dorset for just over a year. Loved every minute of it - wonderful town, great people and great beach (does the 'sandman' still do his amazing sand sculptures (I am going back to 1974-75), anyone know?. The surrounding countryside and local villages, are beautiful - Abbotsbury, Bridport and Lullworth Cove of course. The fishing off the beach at Chesil is legendary - my first introduction to beach casting and I have fished beaches all over the UK these last 30-odd years ever since. You are lucky - hope the weather is good. Don't worry about spineless old 'anonymouse'. These people never have anything constructive to say, just sit on the fence and throw stones - let them, I say (who cares). It's your posts and comments that we all learn from and want to read anyway! Hurrah for Auntie Jo!

Liz said...

So what's wrong with family meals, Peter Whimsey, Hercule Poirot, or walks along the cliffs? I can't imagine a lovelier vacation myself. I live in a rural part of the U.S., the nearest "city" is smaller than most American suburbs, but I suppose that makes me myopic as well. I'm not opposed to visits to cities, or adventures of other sorts, but I honestly believe that taking delight in the simple pleasures of family, nature, and even wholesome entertainment is one of the blessings God has given us. There's loads of time for bewailing the awful conditions around the world, it's nice for vacation to be a respite from all of that. We aren't exactly getting a vacation this summer because we are in the throes of planning a wedding for our youngest. However, we did have one lovely day at the beach last weekend with our son, daughter, and soon to be son-in-law. We relaxed, played in the waves, read books, had fun conversations, ate lobster for dinner (well some had fish and chips instead), and ended the evening with a walk on the beach and a stop at the candy shop for fudge. Very pedestrian, it was but totally delightful.

As far as anonymous commenters, that's why I keep all comments moderated on my blog. I've been treated to too much nastiness elsewhere.

BTW, can I say how much I've enjoyed the few books of yours I've managed to get my hands on. Your macaroni cheese recipe has been a big hit around here. I'd never put onions in mine before.