Typical Gransnetter

We have come near that twice with DD. Once after a road accident and once through poor medical practice.

Having twice gone down a long way down that road, I want to go no further. My parents suffered the loss of a child when she was in her 40s and my grandmother the death of a toddler.

I think that the stories that haunt me, stories of people I have known in real life and stories I have read on GN, are those about mothers who have lost children.

This seems to me to be one of the worst things which could ever happen, for your child to die before you.

I have known so many people in real life and read the stories of so many gransnetters who have endured this dreadful fate.

My mother, in her ;later years, lived a two and a half our car drive from us. When we visited she always said "please phone as soon ads you get home" I do that now with my children.

So far they have all got home safely, and so I count my blessings

Foxygloves

I have tried more than once without success as well.
I can only conclude this is her own choice

Perhaps sadly, Lucca is unable to respond. 😒

I have tried more than once without success as well.
I can only conclude this is her own choice

Aldom

Last week I asked if anyone had heard news of Lucca. No one came back with information so I sent a private message to Lucca.
Sadly, I've not heard anything from her, but the message 'sent'. Is anyone in contact with her?

Oh, goodness. I do hope she's alright, and that someone has been in touch with her.

Last week I asked if anyone had heard news of Lucca. No one came back with information so I sent a private message to Lucca.
Sadly, I've not heard anything from her, but the message 'sent'. Is anyone in contact with her?

Thinking about all my friends and colleagues, of similar age, we’ve all had our problems, some a lot more than others, but they don’t define us, one of our daughters has been a nightmare at times, but we’re still really close, we’ve had business worries, especially around covid, we’ve lost three out of four of our parents, we’ve got a disabled grandchild, I could go on, but you get the drift
But I still consider we’re fortunate, we have a nice home, three children, six grandchildren we see a lot of, still married, no life threatening illnesses, still working and generally enjoy life.
I absolutely do not feel smug, but I count my blessings.

Callistemon21

Sara1954

Callistemon
It’s a bit unnerving to be told off by your peers, but then I thought, well who says they’re right and I’m wrong?, only them, possibly no one is right or wrong, just different opinions.
But I admit, I avoid anything too controversial.
I think the very first conversation I decided to join was about dogs in restaurants, was I ever put in my place.

Lunch boxes for me Sarah1954 😁

For me it was the estrangement mums furious because I never tell our daughters to ask their husbands (our SonsIL) why they have estranged. Why would we intrude on a private matter? We don't tell AC what to do, how to live.

I admit raising an eyebrow to wasteful spending - that's the extent of opinions (by me) advanced to fully functioning adults.

Much more recently, learning I'm the only ever sahm, foolish me.

Quite simply GN can be proud of the fact that it attracts such a diverse range of members and I have benfitted immensely from this diversity Totally agree, Monica.

I have no grandchildren, early retired ( or economically inactive as our delightful govt refer to me), married very suddenly in my early 30s, and have generally been happy with how life has treated me. Sometimes have a touch of the black dog and suspect I have passed this on to my darling son, but otherwise OK. I appreciate that I am fortunate in that there has been little tragedy in my life, appreciative, but not smug,

maddyone

Oh Lucca. I know she was very ill, does anyone know how she is now?

I am glad you mentioned Lucca, I have been wondering too. Last posts were from her in hospital I believe, and her DS was coming to visit. I do hope she is at home recuperating with her family.

I'm atypical as I'm not a gran, but I may be some day, and I'll wear my badge with pride.

A lifelong Guardian reader (my father took the Manchester Guardian) I've gone off it because of its misogyny and don't really have a regular newspaper now, online or off. Byline Times is as near as I get. I detest the Mail, though it is far more feminist than the Graun these days..

I'm indifferent to the RF, and perplexed at the strength of feeling they engender on here.

I have a Seasalt coat, in accordance with the law, but prefer Sahara, Oska and Masai for dresses and what used to be called 'separates'.

I do vote Labour, but my concern about the Guardian applies there, too.

I've been married for 42 years. I can't say with never a cross word, but we've been happy on the whole, and have 2 wonderful adult children (same applies). We're not typical in that none of us was top of the top university in the most difficult subject at a time when good grades were harder to achieve than ever before or since , but we've all scraped by in careers that have paid the bills.

I don't like lurkers (sorry). I see them as freeloaders, and believe in 'paying your way' in all things. Also it makes me nervous to know that there are people out there treating our lives as a soap opera, without so much as a please or thank you. The ones who don't post but report those of us who do are unspeakably rude!

My first post, or one of them anyway, was jumped on too (seems to be some sort of initiation ceremony!). It turned out to be part of a pattern with that poster. It didn't put me off though .

I don't know if any or all of that makes me typical, and don't think it matters. I once went to a focus group with 'people like me' and it was very strange. Honestly, the researchers had done their profiling so well it was uncanny. None of us knew anyone else, but we were like sextuplets. I don't think I'd want to post on a board where we were all alike, really. Every new thread would be met with 'I agree' 'Yes' 'Oh, you're right', and that would be that.

kittylester

I like Jings a lot. I also grew to like Greatnan but she was one of the people who lambasted me about the tablecloth.

And, who could forget our Phoenix.

None of them typical gransnetters but noteworthy all the same.

I really liked Jings

There was absolutely no malice to her, behind her sometimes snippy posts was a heart of gold.
She is much missed.

As, of course, is lovely phoenix.

Sara1954

Callistemon
It’s a bit unnerving to be told off by your peers, but then I thought, well who says they’re right and I’m wrong?, only them, possibly no one is right or wrong, just different opinions.
But I admit, I avoid anything too controversial.
I think the very first conversation I decided to join was about dogs in restaurants, was I ever put in my place.

Lunch boxes for me Sarah1954 😁

Callistemon
It’s a bit unnerving to be told off by your peers, but then I thought, well who says they’re right and I’m wrong?, only them, possibly no one is right or wrong, just different opinions.
But I admit, I avoid anything too controversial.
I think the very first conversation I decided to join was about dogs in restaurants, was I ever put in my place.

I like Jings a lot. I also grew to like Greatnan but she was one of the people who lambasted me about the tablecloth.

And, who could forget our Phoenix.

None of them typical gransnetters but noteworthy all the same.

varian

I do not think of myself as a typical Gnetter beacause I am a very fortunate Granny in many ways.

When I read other Gnetter's stories it makes me realise how fortunate I am.

Who is the typical Gransnetter?

First - you were honest, not smug. Very nice posts acknowledging that you've had a lovely life and are blessed.

There is no typical GNetter. That's a great aspect of GN.

I'd guess 40-90, perhaps female. All political leanings represented. Married, single, divorced, widowed. Having children/GC or not. Parents may have passed on. Some have worked, some not, some sahp. Perhaps Uni, maybe not. Church goers or not. Some garden, some sew and knit, some watch TV, some have pets.

Endless interesting list.

I married at 16, have been with my love 60 years in the same house where we moved first married. I've been pregnant 8 times result: 4 lovely daughters, have 8 wonderful GC&7GGC. One daughter is a widow, soon to marry. One daughter is about to become a GGM (yikes, I'm old). We've had a variety of pets - love dogs and walking them, along with other athletic pursuits. Regularly attend Church, attempt to follow the lessons. I've never worked outside my home. Our parents, most siblings have passed - sad lonely bit of family life.

I'm indeed fortunate. I believe I understand varian's POV.

Ah, yes, dear Jings

A lot of us seem to have been ripped to bits when we joined!I remember who as well.
Regarding Seasalt my friend said she would never shop there as the stripey tops marked out the granny customers. I didn't point out what I was wearing!😀

I've come to the conclusion that there isn't a typical GN'r anymore than there is a typical Facebook user.

Possibly the only typical posters on social media are those that join a group which is devoted to one single subject / issue?

If you join ^The Wheelappers and Shunters^** SM site, for example, you might find a typical poster .

** I don't know if this exists!

Well, it was before he was Frank Skinner really.
He was lecturing by day and hosting stand up in Birmingham at night.
Me and my best mate got free tickets for all the shows.
It was a great time.

He also lived in my street (in one of the housing association houses - I always slip that in, now he’s worth a packet )

He was absolutely hilarious, a naturally funny man.
The teacher in the next room sometimes had to come in and stop him from making us all laugh as it was distracting.

But he was also really intense sometimes. He’d just lost his parents in quick succession and it took its strain. He had recently stopped drinking too - we always wondered why he wouldn’t come to the pub with us.

He went through a really dodgy ‘lads mag’ patch in the 90s and I was really disappointed by him, but he seems much happier in his skin now.

FannyCornforth

NanaDana I did A&C for A level English too (have I mentioned that Frank Skinner was my lecturer? )
We went to see it at Wolverhampton Theatre.
Kate O’Mara was ‘the tawny gypsy’ and she went topless!

OMG! Kate O'Mara topless! Better not mention that to DH or he'll be reaching for his pills... He's also a big fan of Helen Mirren.. I hope for reasons other than.. As for Frank Skinner as your lecturer, how interesting. and how multi-talented. Did you expect him to keep slipping the odd joke in?

NanaDana I did A&C for A level English too (have I mentioned that Frank Skinner was my lecturer? )
We went to see it at Wolverhampton Theatre.
Kate O’Mara was ‘the tawny gypsy’ and she went topless!

Jinglebellfrocks also known as Jingle and Jings.
She could be acerbic to the point of being very rude.
She was banned many times but alway snuck back until she would be outed again.
Sadly she died a few years ago after an operation.

If I remember correctly, Jingle died.

I think many of us have been upset at some point on GN and held back from posting. Sometimes unfairly.

FannyCornforth

FannyCornforth

It is Enobarbus that says that.

Sorry, that was to NanaDana

Well spotted, Pike. I was wondering who would be first to spot that one.. Seriously though, that was a quote I used in my English "A" level in 1964, so I think I've done quite well to remember it. I must have quoted Enobarbus back then, as I did get a grade "A". Oh dear, and I thought I was doing so well to dredge it up..