That was a hard three weeks

KatyK that's incredible, but I tend to use Chardonnay as a mixer for the gin, and have felt guilty, but at that price.

Just a silly question but have you ever woke up on a Sunday morning and OH said that He had a bloody marvelous night, and for the life of me you can't remember what you got up to.

Not true Casawan about having to live in the SE and drink fine wines. I live in the deprived north east and drink only pink champagne and dine at the finest restaurants, but do wear a flat cap and keep ferrets so as not to appear too posh

I have a cleaner. I shop at Waitrose.
I live up north.

And Gransnet at the moment is seriously getting on my tits.

There is no need for personal attacks on DB or anyone else, or attacks on anyone who is deemed to have more material possessions than some other people, or assertions of 'cliques'.

I'll leave you all to it.

That's not a flounce. I'm just going to put some bulbs in.

There was no personal attacks on DB in the OP. Am I missing something? I've read it over and over again.

I didn't say the OP had attacked Daphne.

Wish we had a Waitrose

I'm going to stick my head above the parapet and say that those who habitually pick at and shoot down new posters, should expect a few arrows to rebound in thei direction.

I'm getting increasingly annoyed at the cliquishness (pedants, I don't know if such a word exists but I'm sure you get me drift) of some old posters who are exhibiting all the signs of those who 'need to get out more'.

I'm not sure if this is a forum I want to be part of any more.

Yes Jane I am flouncing off, not in a huff but in a puff of frustration. And no, I'm not necessarily leaving GN, but I am going to ponder whether there are sufficient like-minded people on here to converse with or whether it's been taken over by the grumpies, the pick-pickets, the gullible and those too frightened to speak up.

I shall ponder this while I'm making Blood Soup, cooking Dragon Bones, making dead-men's fingers and bats-eye jelly

if of course this bl***y post will actually post

Think of it as therapy folks....all that angst out in the open. Enjoy it and feel better.

I'm pondering on whether or not I belong to a clique. I drink expensive wine but mainly because I'm given it. I shop at Waitrose in Hexham as a major treat. I have a cleaner who is also my therapist. I bet on the Grand National. I would like DH to wear a flat cap but he won't and he flatly refuses to keep a ferret in his trousers. Like Harrigran we Oop North are actually posher than posh and set the standards for the rest of the country. I would like to be a clique but don't really know how to set about it.

Oh dear!.

What songs can be applied to GN lately?

Another one Bites The Dust.

Here We Go Again.

Life Goes On.

With A Little Help From My Friends.

Does anyone know what happened to Jingl??? I miss her acerbic wit and straight talking! (Forgive me if I've missed something!) ?

hummingbird

You sure did miss something. 1000 posts in fact.

Look at Site Stuff. 'OK Cari' to find out about jingle.

I can't imagine why anyone would find Casawan's remarks "witty". Had I fitted the categories that, according to her, made me part of some sort of snobby "clique" I would feel I was being got at. I don't see what's funny about livening up an evening by trying to upset people or cause arguments.

? Anya trying to work out which of your categories I currently fit into. Gullible? Grumpy? I do speak out sometimes but would prefer not to hurt people's feelings. There is too much pain in the world already.

So true Jud.

It does seem, though, that some of the posters who have been members since the inception seem to think that they can tell other newer members what they can, or cannot post. Why should longevity of membership be a factor of perceived superiority?

I don't think anyone was telling them what they could or could not post, only to consider how they would speak to the neighbours if they had moved physically to somewhere that they were new.

If they started off by telling everyone what a nasty lot they were, would they be surprised at the reaction they received? It would probably be something like "So why did you move here, then?"

Oh, and just remember you cannot be in the club unless you live the SE, hire a cleaner (or pretend to), shop in Waitrose (or pretend to), drink expensive wine (or pretend to), have travelled the world (or pretend to), and so on, and so on.
There are plenty of lovely people who aren't in that inside clique though, so chill and enjoy some amusing reading. Just be sure you don't turn into 'one of them'.

Um, er, as the one who posted about the 6 quid bottles of wine - I'd just like to say that it was in response to Rigby's rather rude remark about Australian Chardonnay.

As the grandmother of an Australian Chardonnay I did take exception to the remark

(who will believe me )

ps I do shop in Waitrose, but I also shop in Lidl (I'm just like that advert, or is that for Aldi?)
I don't live in the SE
I have to travel across the world to see Chardonnay
I would love to have a cleaner atm as I can't do it myself for the time being - any volunteers?

KatyK - which supermarket? Asda have a good offer on as well, 6 bottles for £24 but I expect it has all gone by now. However, Rigby does advise not buying Australian and I think at least two of the bottles were from there.

I would agree that GN is certainly changing lately with the influx of some very upfront, dare I say confrontational, newcomers.

Rigby here's some New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for you, makes a nice change. Cheers!

I appear to tick all of Casawan's original boxes.
Charleygirl

There's too much disapproval around at the moment of the new member who just jumps in and says it as it is. Like the OP. Why should they have to serve an apprenticeship?

Absolutely no reason at all Anya - however, it is very noticeable that some of the newer members who are jumping in and saying it as it is (or how they perceive it) then get upset if their opinion is challenged in any way.

I have had a look at MN occasionally, and coming back to GN is like arriving in a calm pool after enduring the rapids!

Rigby enjoy your break, I do hope the Sauvignon Blanc is to your liking, if not you can always make the gravy with it.

Oh dear, another post that's become acerbic. I don't know what's happening or why but I do know it seems generally infantile to me - 'You said I was abc' 'No I didn't, I said you are xyz'

I'm not going to read through countless posts to find what or who started it all in which post. To my mind I seem to have read the same names time and again throwing virtual sticks and stones across several threads. I'm sure the cause of most trouble is misunderstandings over how someone has interpreted what someone else said, because we can't hear tone of voice or see body language.

I don't want to leave GN yet and would rather try to find the camaraderie and respect that first enticed me here. I took a break from posting for a few days but the callousness is still prevalent. PLEASE GNers put your gripes and cynicism about fellow posters away and take a minute to preview your message before sending it.

Apart from the long-standing members and the newbies there is also a significant group of highly critical posters who reckon they've been here long enough to be very aggressive/assertive and can impose their views on everyone who dares to disagree!
Over the last few weeks I've become very aware of a couple who say very litle until a particular chosen victim appears and then they let loose both barrels! These are the same posters who see cliques forming as soon as two or more posters disagree with them.
It's becoming more unpleasant and tedious with every passing day.
'Not sure if it's a forum I want to be part of'.
Let's hope that if anyone flounces off in a puff of frustration she does in fact reach that conclusion and so the picking and shooting down may cease.
I see the arrows coming from a different source!

Who is upset at being challenged, Jalima? Not me. It's what I would expect on any sensible forum. It strikes me that there are a lot of people who are very keen to take offence at a bit of lighthearted skitting, and very eager to put us newcomers (still after 2 years?) back in our boxes. Surely there is room for all.

I don't think it's you who's being referred to, Casawan.

Apart from that one post which could possibly have been taken either way, you haven't been confrontational at all, and as you say, you're not a newcomer.

Who is upset at being challenged, Jalima? Not me
Not you Casawan
(you're not new are you? Not as new as me anyway )