oh you are so kindand throughtfull, even If I cannot attend.I shall follow your adventures with gusto....plenty of pics now!!! 
I did sugest to "Gransnet" that it would be nice to be able to have a photo at the side of your profile name so that when we chat we can put a face to the name..or if you didn't wnat your photo showing that you could always use an icon.
I hope you manage it in the future, Biker. We'll include you in any arrangement details, just in case things change
Hi all...I am in Lancashire, Trafford center approx an hour away by car... would be lovely to meet but not sure if possible at the mo.. but who knows what the future may bring
Baubles I'm in the very happy position of having good friends and close family, BUT there is something very special about the support, encouragement, fun, debate etc. that I get from the GN community. Meeting up with some of you this week really did feel surreal, but also an enormous privilege, so I do understand what you mean. I don't know how 'close' we can be in our virtual world, but I already do feel a particular closeness to many of the people I've met on GN and I hope you do to; closeness isn't so much a geographical feature as an emotional one I think.
Biker we north west Gransnetters are getting together soon and it would be fabulous if you could join us. anno and I are gong to check out a venue right by the M60/Trafford Centre - just about to sort it out. It has good public transport links and loads of easy parking, and we can sit and chat after lunch for as long as we want. More soon
biker
just reading through the post.....oh what lovely people on Gransent just think not that long ago..none of you/us knew that any of us exsisted, even though I have not yet met anyone from Gransnet it feels like I have, as I have said before. "strangers are friends we havn't yet met" although I must say coming on "Gransnet" it didn't seem like you were all strangers, it was sort of natural..even though I don't post a great deal (don't want the tapping of the keys to wake DH ) 
I do sit quietly in a corner and read a lot of the threads keep smiling everyone
...and your card with, it's special message, is a wee treasure...just like you.
Baubles You really are a lovely lady. If we lived closer, I'm certain that we would be very good friends. When I first met you in Glasgow, I felt very much at ease in your company. When we met again at Gally's I was delighted to see you again. I don't care if this sounds "slushy" - it happens to be the truth. All good wishes winging their way from Kintyre to you.
You are all SO lovely, I'm overwhelmed by the kindness shown to me. to all of you, may there be much 
in your lives and may you be free from suffering.
Yes, New Lanark is so beautiful, I'm lucky enough to be there every week as it is where my art class is held. The little girl is indeed Annie, she tells the story of the mill workers lives and at the end implores us to remember them. Their presence is in the very walls of the buildings, it is a very moving experience.
www.newlanark.org/
butternut, baubles and everyone ... thanks for sharing the one thing we all have in common, which is our humanity.
I have a book in which I write about the nice things that have happened, my card is going in there baubles
baubles!! I too, saw the lovely message on the back of the postcard that you gave me, and forgot to thank you for it. Just to tell you that I've put it in my Memory Box. I keep the things in there that mean something to me, and go through them now and again.
baubles I echo all that has been said and like Grannylin saw your message on the postcard and thought it was a lovely sentiment. I'm sorry we didn't manage to chat at the Edinburgh meet-up, perhaps we'll get an opportunity at another shindig.
I am a little like "lurkio" 
in that I log on to GN a couple of times a day, read many of the threads and marvel at the support and friendship that is apparent amongst everyone. Although I do not post as much as some, I too find GN a source of help and comfort. It is amazing what many of us have experienced and come to terms with over the years.
It's easy to be friends with you Baubles.
Just got round to unpacking my bag from Edinburgh and found your lovely message baubles on the back of the postcard you gave us all.
'Here's to friendship' from me too
baubles I think sometimes we need the kindness of strangers (although we are becoming much less like strangers now some of us have started to meet up, and there is growing familiarity with each other on here), especially when we have family issues that some outside views and advice would help us with. I have found that a sympathetic ear, and sometimes a nudge in the ribs, has really helped me at times when talking things through with family or friends would not necessarily help me make progress. I don't often feel low, but when I do I know someone will be around on here, and when I have somethng to celebrate I have been lifted up by the congratulations that appear.
Sometmes it's not about whether you are close to family, emotionally or physically, as being close can bring its own challenges. For example, when my sister was in a hospice, the questions that I was dealing with could have upset close family, but I was able to sound out my friends on here and got lots of supportive and helpful responses.
Gransnet is an important part of my life now. Warm and friendly most of the time, a bit irritating occasionally, but always interesting and great to feel a part of.
baubles - Like Ana I can relate to your post, particularly being emotionally and geographically distanced from siblings. You expressed yourself wonderfully.
In fact I've just come in from some damp gardening, and damp eyes, feeling pretty low about stuff, sat down to have a look at GN and saw your post. It made me feel less alone.
And it doesn't come over as 'gushing', either, baubles. So many who have posted on Gransnet have experienced and 'suffered' so much in many different ways. It can take a long, long time to come to terms with issues in our lives, can't it? Perhaps it's because many of us have been touched by certain issues - whether our own or those of our families, that we can empathise with each other and in doing that help each other.
I remember last year, sitting here in the wee small hours with my laptop on my knee just hoping there was someone out there that I could talk my fears out to. There was, of course. I can't even remember who it was, but they made me feel more settled, and within a few hours more support came flooding in.
To try to explain to anyone who doesn't know about Gransnet and the way it works for so many of us - well, it's not really possible, until you start to speak to each other, but I don't know where I'd have been without it last year - or now.
baubles, you are a fine and lovely woman. Sometimes we don't need 'family' as such - I have none at all. Only my children. Friends come and sometimes go, but as long as we can talk and be listened to, we're never alone. xx
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