It’s done! I can breathe again! Well, I’ve always been able to breathe, so maybe that’s not the best analogy. I’ve finally been able to get my blog rolled over to the new, self-hosted platform–see my previous post here–but it was not without it’s challenges. Or maybe I should say self-perceived challenges.
The transition started off easy enough. All I had to do was roll all previous posts to the new site and then tailor it to look the way I wanted. And it was easy, except that I just figured out that I somehow left 60 posts on the old site. I guess that wasn’t as easy as it seemed…I might just leave them there for now. If you subscribe to my blog, you were also moved over to the new site. Once everything was set up, moved, and situated the way I wanted it, it was time to move my domain.
I had to wait for Siteground to release my domain name, which is tlcpostcards.com. You may have noticed my recent web address being a temporary address more like box 5501.temp.domains or maybe not. Or you may have had trouble finding my blog on the new platform, like I did. I now know that when a hosting platform tells you it will take 7 days for your domain to be released, it doesn’t mean it could take that long, or may take UP TO 7 days. It means IT WILL take 7 days. And during that 7 days, who knows what will happen with your blog. (I’m sure someone way more techy than me might know, but a simple end-user like me has no clue.)
Some days I could post on my temp domain, then my temp domain disappeared, along with some draft posts. I could still draft a post on the old platform, but it was down to having only 2 subscribers left on it. All the changes I had made to my theme (which is the way it looks on screen) were gone. I was sure I had done something seriously wrong. 
I called my new hosting platform (BlueHost) twice only to be told that my domain hadn’t been released, but my blog was fine. I even had them check that my domain was pointed to the right servers–even though I still don’t really know what that means…Their service reps are so kind and patient, especially with a newbie like me. They assured me everything was fine. Finally, after still not being able to access my new blog for almost a week, I called BlueHost a third time. Once again, the rep assured me my new blog was fine, still there, and even described it to me over the phone. When I explained I still could not access anything, she said, “Oh, you just need to clear your cache”.
Now I’m not sure about you, but I had no idea what a cache even was or that I had one, much less did I know I needed to clear it or how to. Soooo, I next asked her for instructions on how to do it. I know by this time she surely thought i was one of the slowest people she had ever spoken to.
It took me about 15 seconds to “clear my cache” and VOILA! There’s my blog, back in business on the self-hosted platform, looking just the way I had left it. I was even able to publish a post from last week with no issue.
I’m hoping to get the rest of it cleaned up in the coming days/weeks (hopefully it won’t take months) and tweaked to look EXACTLY how I want. If you happen to be a fellow blogger who is looking to switch your hosting, do give BlueHost a look, they are so helpful and knowledgeable. Thank you so much for following and thank you for your patience!