Where have all the grandads gone?

Butternut - I'm 'lurking' here because it's raining stair rods outside and I can't get to do anything useful on the allotment. Lucky you sitting in the sunshine!

I wonder why I'm sitting here reading about lurkers on this bright sunny Monday morning................

I never wonder about the lurkers!

I often wonder about the lurkers.

I think we shoud have a "lurkers' hour" when all lurkers are encouraged to say something like "hello", just so's we know how many there are.

Hi all. Sorry for the delay in responding.

People commented on the lack of activity/input amongst we blokes. I offered an explanation. In response to some of the issues raised:

Ariadne, perhaps rather than "twee"and "mumsy" I might have said superficial? Yes, there have been threads on philosophy, global warming and literature in various sections of GrandNet, but the area of discussion in this thread was specifically about the lack of activity in Grandads' Shed. From my point of view GransNet simply does not have the same appeal to me as MumsNet so I choose not to take an active role.

Sbagran, I don't have a working knowledge of the dangers of being at sea in the UK, and I'm guessing the North Sea gets pretty scary when there's a blow, but 11 stations seems a reasonable number given that satellite technology and EPIRBS have taken over a lot of the search part of search and rescue. A few dozen choppers stationed at strategic locations backed up by fast moving naval assets where there's a demonstrated historic need for a quick response and you should be good to go. It works for us here in Oz and we do have a lot of sea to cover... 52.8 million square kilometres of the Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans according to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority website. When idiots like Tony Bullimore decide to attempt suicide by yacht our S&R people get the job done!

bagitha, I wasn't having a whinge, I was offering an observation. The male equivalent to mumsy would be blokey I guess. In all online forums there are "lurkers" who observe quietly from the sidelines and if the topic and content is interesting enough they sometimes add their comments. If they feel the topics are uninteresting, that they're unwelcome or that their input will be belittled or ignored then they'll continue to lurk or they'll stop visiting the forums. It's not a matter of right or wrong, black or white, it's what appeals to a subset of the group and so far we males have had minimal input but when we feel the need to add our voice we may well do.

GoldenGran, there is room for all sorts to raise topics or respond to topics, and there is a range of topics that can be read and contributed to, but it's not compulsory.

Sbagran, "Why do you grandads need us women to post threads of interest - post some of your own and see what happens - we would love to hear from you!!!" Maybe we just don't feel motivated to start topics. Maybe we don't feel motivated to post comments. Once again it's not compulsory to take an active part.

And now my focus for the next while will be changing a nappy and making some lunch as my gorgeous and engaging grand-daughter has just informed me that she's "done a poos" and would like a sandwich!

Thank you Libradi. Nice to meet you also.

Nice to meet you to Bristolboy, welcome to gransnet, nice to have another grandad here

New Grand-dad here. I will, in time, scribble out a profile. like most men, I leapt in without reading the instructions. Nice to meet you all.

I bought a Shewee on the strength of previous posts. Only problem is that you still have to partly remove your trousers as ladies zips don't go as low down as men's zips. And it HAS to point downwards not like the neat little gadget that men come equipped with. Useful item for emergency evasive use for dirty public loos though

I remembered it now that you've reminded me, jings! Useful things, those shewees. Travel johns too. Have you tried either or both of them yet?

Bagitha -have you forgotten the thread about Whizzes (and shewees)?

FOUND IT POMPA! Oh how I agree with you about the criminal waste. I was working in the NHS for many years before I 'escaped' and although in some places they are working on saving waste there is still an awful long way to go. Nice one pompa! Will be interesting to see how many respond to your thread!

Thanks so much Pompa - please don't take offence at my posting - I was just trying to make the point to PoppaRob that not all threads on GN are mumsy or twee - some contain very very important facts that people may not be aware of - like the closure of coastguard stations.
I am more inclined to read and/or respond to the more serious threads but have no problem with the more 'frivilous' or 'fun' threads as variety is the spice of life!
Will have a look now and see what your new topic was!

Sbagran, I signed the petition ages ago. AND -- I started a new topic today.

Annobel -- that means going down to the compost heap on frosty mornings and baring all. !!!!

First it's twiz (hi there!) then it's whizz. What's going on?

Are we back on the Whizz thread Bags?

I do that anyway and I've never been a man, even for a day.

Pee on the compost heap!

If you could be a man for just one day ........ what would you do?

A thought occurred (as they do) while I was filling the washing-up bowl. Men can and do wear tights too, pompa. Are there no dancers or gymnasts or skiers among you guys? It wouldn't do for us to get sexist about tights (or anything else), would it?

pompa I refer you to my reply to PoppaRob - get the granddads working so save lives!!! (please! )
Why do you grandads need us women to post threads of interest - post some of your own and see what happens - we would love to hear from you!!!
I missed geraldine as well - do you reckon she will be on the BBC news at 6???

I'm quite good at splitting wood. Plenty of practice .

Nice to be back in the shed, and I'll help collect the wood for the burnerPompa

Bagitha, you are right it did start off friendly, and will finish that way .

Mumsy/twee were not my words, not really sure what they mean, but sound slightly insulting to me.

Many of the subjects are now female oriented and some are definitely no go areas for us blokes. I guess we don't go public on some of the more sensitive male subjects.

Where I think I can contribute, I will do so, either seriously or flippantly (many of the recent threads have been too serious to make flippant comment on).

So lets end this squabble. As this is Granddads shed, and I seem to be the only Granddad that is around atm, it's my shed !!!! .

But it would be very lonely without a few Grandma's in here, so everyone is welcome.

Granddady subjects ??? Difficult to define, what is easier is to define are those subjects that are NOT Granddady eg. Tights etc.

My RL shed is shutting down for the winter, garden furniture stacked away, tender plants brought in -- I hate winter.

Meanwhile Granddads shed has a wood burner (can't remember who donated that) so we can keep it open all year, bit chilly today out on the veranda.

Just had my stitches out in my hand, so should be able to get on with autumn planting next week.