Thank you

This morning, I woke up with my husband, and, as is my wont, checked my email on my Kindle Fire.

The Fire couldn't check my email. I opened the web browser, and mine and Kitty's blogs had previously been open there. Hers loaded up fine, but mine gave me this:

I've seen this message before, on other people's blogs when they suddenly go missing, but I'd not done anything! I had been using my account just last night. I was terrified at the prospect of months and months of my writing having disappeared due to some random snafu. When I saw Spanky's comment under Kitty's post, I realized it wasn't just me, something was wrong.

I ran to get my computer, responding to my mom's "What are you doing up?" with a "My blog is gone!"

"Gone? How?" (she knows I write a lot even if not exactly what, so it was a big deal)

I didn't know, but I tried to log in and I was gone here too. Not just some random Kindle/Spanky snafu, then.

That handy little "I can't find my blog on the web, where is it?" link led me to a verification page which explained that Google had shut down my account due to some suspicious activity, most likely someone trying to break in to my account. On that page, I could enter my mobile phone number that Google already had (thankfully!) and they sent me a verification code via text message to restore my access. I changed my password to a much more secure one.

Checked my email. Kitty was worried. Fondler's Anonymous was worried, in fact, sent me that screen shot, which of course I didn't have the presence of mind to take myself.

Checked Spanky's blog. Spanky was worried.

To everyone who's expressed a message of support and noticed that I went completely missing for no apparent reason: Thank you so much.

It feels very much like I'm a well-loved part of a community here.

Seriously, guys, you all rock.

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Update: How to back up your blogger blog