I too joined in May 2011, under a different guise, after reading an article in the Times. It took a few days untiI I was confident enough to post - I had never done anything like this before, very scarey! I remember the carol 'concert' when we all miraculously warbled along together - hilarious; obviously it was so good that we were never asked to repeat it.
. I had just met Marelli when a week later I was suddenly widowed. The support I receive from people I had never met was amazing and helped me through some very dark days and then, as GA mentioned in her post, we had a meet-up at my house and many friendships were well and truly born.The 'Scottish Grans' forged the way and have been joined over the years by others as far flung as France and Devon. We have been to concerts, the ballet, eaten in many varied hostelries, travelled en masse to Newcastle and to Darlington for Absent's farewell bash and had some serious scientific education from Elegran! There have been many highs and lows over the years, the saddest being the loss of Greatnan when as a 'community' we all pulled together in an effort to find her. Apart from a few inevitable spats, Gransnet seems to go from strength to strength and long may it continue.