If I didnt have GN...

I agree with everyone. I joined to seek some advice about how to be a good grandparent to little ones overseas, but it has become a lovely part of my life. Thank you, gransnetters. ( First post be gentle with me )

I too like the anonymity- discussing private things with friends can be tricky. Once a problem is aired, you can never go back.

Gransnet is part of my morning routine. I skim the new posts at breakfast before reading the paper on line and attempting the crosswords. I have been here almost since the beginning and have made good friends, several of whom I have met.

I've been coming onto Gransnet for 5 years on and off. There have been at least three stressful events in my life since then and Gransnetters have given me objective support and guidance.

My friends tend to be subjective, but GNetters have shown me the other side of the problems, which has been really helpful in how I respond and react.

Now that I'm completely on my own through Tier 4 (apart from children & GC nearby but not seeing) GN is a godsend at this time.

Wishing you all a peaceful and safe festive season.

This is one of the nicest threads of the year farview and I would like to join everyone else in saying thank you for starting it.

This year more than any other it has been lovely to read of folk on here supporting each other, as we have all struggled with our feelings at times.

I’m also not sure who the ‘in crowd’ is, but as you have seen you are definitely part of the crowd on here (a socially distanced crowd of course!!)

What a great thread farview I'd be lost without GN too and the friends I've made here.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

I concur with everything that has been said. I start my day with the Good morning thread and love hearing everyone's news.
I have met up with a lovely gran, who it turns out has an AC who is good friends with DH's daughter. I also have a gransnet pen pal who lives a distance away but we email each other with all our news.
I was also overwhelmed with the lovely comments when I got married nearly two years ago now.
Thanks to all of you for making this a lovely place to go to. A Happy Christmas and hopefully better 2021 to you all xxx

I would be lost without GN to cheeer me up. I hardly see my real friends any more so my virtual friends are massively important to me.

It adds an extra dimension to my life as I'm a childless widow and live alone. Without this virtual interaction with other members of the human race it would be a bit lonely. I often go days on end without a conversation and during lockdown this has been worse. Although naturally of the hermit persuasion that wouldn't really be good for me.

I stumbled upon gransnet in June when I googled "family moving overseas" to try and find out how others cope when part of their family decides to up sticks and move to the other side of the world, as is likely to happen to us in the next year or so. I came across a gransnet thread on the subject and read about other peoples experiences of this. It was an old thread, but I decided to join GN and pour out my feelings on it which I felt would help me just by writing it down. I received a heartening reply and it really helped me come to terms with how I should deal with my situation.

That's what started me off and now I'm a regular poster on the good morning thread and occasionally on other threads too. I avoid the contentious threads as I'm quite thin skinned and triple read previews of all my posts so as not to be misinterpreted (doesn't always work!).

I wouldn't be without it now. The warmth and support is just incredible, so thank you.

Yes I would definitely get more done without it charleygirl

I would have a cleaner house if I did not have GN!! I have online friends who mean everything to me and I also have met up with quite a few over coffee mornings which I really have missed this year.

It is amazing how one can click online or at coffee meetups.

I am unsure who is in the in crowd but I am happy to be here having joined around 10 years ago after major surgery and was at a loss how to occupy myself.

There are many pleasant and very helpful people around.

Thank you Farview for your lovely post which says it all for me.

I have been on GN for a few years now, but since March when I have been self-isolating, I sometimes don't speak to anyone for days, and GN has been a treasured source of contact. In fact, I would have gone bonkers without the Net in general!!

I have a number of health problems like so many on here, and reading the posts on here, even if I don't contribute, has been a blessing when I am having a bad day.

Thank you everybody for being in my world, and I wish all of you as healthy and happy a Christmas as you can manage in these difficult times.

Hi to you benjamina and welcome.

farview every word you say is true, thank you. I also am lucky enough to have good friends and family, dogs and cats, a garden and lots of interests. But GN provides that extra dimension where I can write down (type) my thoughts and see them in print. So it is meaningful in many ways.
I appreciate the advice I've been offered here, tha camaraderie, the support, the one or two private messages I have received and the real life meet up a few months ago.

My feelings exactly farview GN has been a source of support, laughter and sometimes anger but has helped me keep in touch with UK. I have looked at things differently sometimes after reading posts on here so a learning curve as well.
Like Jaxjacky my mornings would not be the same without GN.

Hi to you benjamina ?

My day wouldn’t start quite right without GN, particularly the good morning post. It has helped me feel less cut off in this odd year where I’ve struggled with anxiety and missed human contact from family and friends. Although I too avoid contentious posts, I knew I was getting better when I had to ‘sit on my hands’ sometimes not to post, it meant I had some spark coming back.
Thank you farview and everyone else, you help and are being kind.

Fairview your words are mine I have followed Gransnet just a few years initially for recipes but started reading threads. I sometimes engage with the discussions if I have something to contribute advice etc.
I have a happy home life and family and good friends. The garden especially my veg patch and the kitchen take up most of my time these days.
Gransnet can be a supportive and informative means of communication at your finger tips. For me especially this year it has been a much needed friend. We all have been affected by this year and sometimes it's difficult to share our fears. Especially with our loved ones who we haven't seen much of. I feel as a parent and grandparent that I don't want to burden them as they have enough to worry about children jobs mortgages etc. Gransnet can be a much needed support when you need it and I for one am grateful.

Wish there was a ‘like’ button on here, I’d use it for every post on this thread.
Gransnet has been a lifeline for me at times, I’ve met some lovely people and had many good times over the years.
I’m quite a reserved person and I don’t post a huge amount but I’m very grateful that Gransnet exists.

Hetty

fairview, what a lovely post.
You have summed up how I feel about GN too.

I don’t know who the ‘In crowd’ are, so I don’t mind not being in it, at all.
I always participate in the Good Morning thread and I often think of other GNs when they’re struggling or celebrating.
I too avoid the threads that turn contentious.
Benjamina good to see you. Perhaps we’ll see you on Micks Good Morming thread.
Farview ?

I'm another who wholeheartedly agrees with your post, farview, especially your very last sentence: .GN is part of my life..a small...but important part.

Wishing you the best Christmas possible

Lovely post fair view.Sums up exactly how I feel about gransnet.

Bellasnana, like that old joke 'Thanks for the support. I will wear it always!'

How nice to read a cheerful thread, thanks farview.

I joined GN around seven years ago, quite out of character for me as I’m not a joiner of anything! It was something about long-distance grandparenting that caught my eye and tempted me to join the fray.

Over the years I have made some lovely friends on here, some of whom I’ve been lucky enough to meet in real life.

I have always had support especially when my DH died, then my sister a year later. Being on my own has meant the ‘virtual’ friends on here have become very important to me and have helped me through some very tricky times.

I have never experienced any unpleasantness although I do steer clear of the more controversial topics, and can’t claim to read all the threads, but it has been a very positive experience for me and I thank you all for your virtual support.