Many thanks BUT more questions.............

Look how bland my poor blog looks. No photos still! Can't even participate in Pink Saturday today!

I certainly appreciate all the kind responses to my question regarding having to purchase additional storage for photos used on a Blogger blog. Typepad works differently I believe because you pay a monthly fee to own a Typepad blog, and maybe their photo storage is included at no extra charge.

I understand, and perhaps someone with more knowledge of the ins and outs of Google/Blogger/Picasa will correct me if I'm wrong, that even though you have your pictures stored in MY PICTURES on your computer, as I do, but have opted to use Google's PICASA for storage, once you upload your photos, they go automatically to PICASA where they are also stored in a safe place for backing up photos. However, that free storage space is just 1GB for use on your blog (and G-mail account if you use it). Once you have tapped out that free storage space you have to purchase additional space from Google. There are several tiers, e.g. 80GB cost $20 annually which isn't too bad. It can be self-renewing and they send an e-mail just before the year is up to ask what you want to do about renewing storage. All the storage you've paid for ends within 12 months, it is not carried over, so if you don't renew or buy another amount, you can no longer upload photos on your blog!

I've purchased more storage again (my third year of doing this because I do take/store/use a lot of photos for my blog) BUT, Google apparently does a very sad job in keeping up with migrating that storage to the Picasa account thereby causing everything to come to a halt when you want to load photos to your blog! They take your money, show your storage amount in your account, say you may have to wait 24 hours, but don't move it into Picasa, and then become impossible to reach. I have been waiting 8 days! There is no way you can communicate with customer NO-service at Google! No phone support, and from my hours of searching, no way to send an e-mail directly to anyone who can help. You are directed constantly to Help Forums and there you will see the frustration and disgust of hundreds of Blogger users such as myself.

Why you may ask, can you not delete photos from the Picasa albums to free up space? You supposedly can do this, BUT then the photos are also DELETED from your blog if you've posted them! This means anyone reading back through your blog will see blank squares instead of pictures.

OK, next question for you great blogging friends. If you use Typepad, are you pleased with it? Do they store your photos for free? I'm seriously contemplating switching which will of course mean starting an entirely new blog. Meanwhile, watch this space, and IF Google wakes up and loads my paid storage I will be back with photos of my new treasure hunting finds, Spring blossoms, and more about my upcoming African safari!