Hello Willow1 and welcome to GN. Yes, there appear to be a lot of us with our children and grandchildren living far away. (My only child and family are 5000 miles away.) I agree with silverlining48 - it's something I've lived with for well over twenty years now, and I have had to live my life without them being close by. (DH and I have no other family nearby, either.) While I am lucky enough to have a lovely DH to share my life with here, we both go to our own groups and activities as well; we moved purposely to somewhere where there are lots of good neighbours and things to do. DH is a member of U3A and I'm in the local Womens Institute. Both of these offer opportunities for socialising and activities. We also go to a health club - to try to keep fit! Our local library holds various regular activities, including a weekly "friendship group". It really is a case of making the effort and getting involved in something - often the first step is the hardest, I know. But perhaps you could set yourself the challenge of joining/going to, just one thing, this month?