Curioser and Curioser

After I post one of my all-too-rare missives to this blog, I’ll stop by a couple times a day, for awhile, checking to see if anyone has read or—one can scarcely hope—commented on my latest blathering.  I'll be the first to admit that the things I post these days don't inspire a lot of feedback...but one can always hope that some old internet friend might stop by and write a little message in the dirt on my rear window...

From time to time I'll click on the "stats" link, just to see if I can ascertain how many of whom have stopped by.  Normally, it's bot-city...links to where visitors have come from generally take one to a porn site, some kind of wild advertising, or into the Virus Jungle...so I do not click on them if I don't recognize them. 

But in the past couple of days, my desultory "stats" check has presented me with a bit of a surprise.  Last week, "A Crazy Quilt Life" showed up as one of the sites from which a visitor had launched to "Coming to Terms."  I looked at that link, and I thought, "I should recognize that..." so I clicked on it.  It took me, of course, to "Sorting the Pieces"--the blog of one of my earliest AOL friends.  "Is Cynthia posting again?" I excitedly asked the general air.  But, alas, no... The last post was dated 2011.

Early this morning, I checked my stats again; and there in the links to visitors was "Contrary Woman."  I knew who that was.  Mary.  The first person ever to comment on "...Terms," sixteen years ago.  Again, I clicked on the link, hoping Mary had brushed the leaves and dirt off  "Just a Hippie Gypsy" and planted a new entry.  But, again, no...  The topmost entry was dated 2015.

So...what's going on here?

I'd like to think that my old friends are coming by and checking up on me, even if they don't leave a comment.  But it doesn't make sense for them to visit their old blogs, write nothing, then sail on over to my place.

Or is someone, or several someones, making the rounds of old AOL journals...maybe just to see how many of us are still active out here in the blogosphere? ( I can't say my blog is particularly active...but at least it's not moribund.)

Or did some bot get hold of a list of links to old AOL-ers, and is randomly skipping around our old stomping grounds, leaving mysterious links in its wake?  Can't think why that would be the case...and if it WAS, there would be some nefarious reason behind it, I'm sure.

My friends, if you're out there, and you know anything, could you possibly leave a little note to enlighten me? 

Guido?  Kathy?  Mary?  Cynthia?

Anybody?