Nothing to do with Gardening. Sorry!

You can say whatever you want in a private message. Only you and the recipient can see it.
I've said all sorts of things to people, and also had other people saying all sorts of things to me.

Don't worry about it Eirlys. You are a valued member :)

By the way I don't think anyone on here would call themselves experts. We're just ordinary people with a common interest.

I've always thought you sounded pretty experienced Eirlys.
Surely most of us just answer stuff we happen to know about (and get it wrong occasionally) and keep quiet the rest of the time. And you can say whatever you like in a PM as its only between two people and nobody else can see it. Remember how often a blog goes off topic anyway. You are a valued member and its clear how many people enjoy your contributions. So please forget all about stopping posting, you would be missed.

Thank you, Hywel and Steragram. I am not worried, but I am concerned. I would not wish to transgress rules, even unwritten ones. (Are there any on the site?)

Sometimes it is easier to talk to a stranger than it is to a close friend, especially about a common interest, in our case, home and plant remedies, and vitamins. OH and offspring aren't interested and the former scoffs at some of them. He knows I believe in the placebo effect, but his scientific "cons" are off-putting!!

I won't stop reading and posting because this is a friendly site and, as I said, I like to know what you are all up to. :O)

Eirlys, I just scrolled to the bottom of the page to Community Guidelines and one of them states:

Keep most contributions (photos and blogs) related to gardening, plants and nature. Note: Most does not mean All.

So, you carry on posting blogs under the 'Other' heading and you can PM on just about any topic!

I like your blogs Eirlys, what ever the topic,I find them interesting,

I agree,PM's are just that,between two people,and what you chat about is entirely up to yourselves..and also ,those strangers sometimes become close friends,and you feel you can talk about personal things,that you can't ,or don't want to discuss with other friends or family..so please don't worry about it..it's perfectly alright to do so..as the BT advert used to say "it's good to talk "

Keep on posting your blogs and photo's,Eirlys..we all look forward to seeing them :o)

Go for it Eirlys....whatever you like in your PMs. Its nobody else’s business. You are a valued member of the GOY Cohort! :)

I love your blogs !

From one 'other' blogger to another -post away !

I have learnt alot from peoples blogs and PMs and have been blown away by support I have received, both with the garden and personally.

:) x

Eirly's you have been here a long time now and I for one would miss you and I don't mind in the slightest if you go off topic even on the main pages, I've never thought of you as not being a gardener even though you have said it many times in the past, you've already been told that you can chat about what you like in a PM so won't need my assurance on that one, however lets be honest about it, seriously, if our blogs didn't go off on a tangent sometimes then Goy members would begin to wonder what is wrong, lots of us have been around forever and like a joke now and again or a chat that involves family, pets and holidays, don't you dare not post, yours are always a good read, long gone ( fingers XX ) are the days when members argued the point on what is right or wrong and thank goodness for that.....

It's certainly not a stipulation. Courtesy, respect, consideration, politeness. This site is more about friendship - gardening is just the common thread - the vehicle.

Exactly, I've never met anyone from here but do have people whom I consider are my friends, I've moved sideways in the last two years, needs must when Goy was playing up, it got very frustrating and I openly admit lonely, so I ventured onto a couple of other sites, good they are as well and other goyers are also there but they are not blogs and somehow just not the same...

I agree Lincslass. This is by far the best site for gardeners because of the blog facility and the garden catalogue space too! Other sites can be equally friendly, but GoY is a special place for us all, no matter how we use the space. :)

That's right Karen, I use Goy as my gardening diary, I am forever checking back to see what is flowering, whether its early/late or even gone completely, I love the fact that I've noticed more people are still here also, we haven't deserted just been a little quiet in recent months...

I looked at a few before I started rambing on and asking daft questions on here....I think the people I have 'met' and consider friends on here are pretty flippin fab !

THANK YOU, ALL for those kind words. I haven't been criticised, or reprimanded, I hasten to say, regarding my PM's. I just wanted to know!

I do enjoy reading your posts on GOY and, although quite a few of us don't have photos, I often imagine what you are like!! (Now that could start another "Other" post).

For instance, if you were transformed into a flower that summed up your appearance/personality which flower do you think you would be? :O)

At this precise moment,Eirlys ? I would say a bedraggled,cold limp Viola..but ready to lift up my face to the sun in anticipation of positive things to come ..so an optimist presumably ..:o) How about you ?

Eirlys, Bloomer is far from a bedraggled viola I can assure you - don't believe a word of it!

I would be a sun flower because when the sun shines down on my face and the skies are blue, I am transformed!!!
By the way, I am always pleased to see that you have posted something on here so don't change a thing.

A Tulip for me....slightly to heavy to hold myself up sometimes but always colourful and cheerful :)

Post away and don't worry, we enjoy your blogs, we wouldn't read them if we didn't......
I would be a rose, sometimes prickly, and full of disease, at other times beautiful, but always reliably hardy and smelly!!

I think I'd be an asclepias tuberosa because I don't look like much now, but just wait - You just wait!!

Lol Bathgate.....!!

My dear friend Chris (Wildrose) ...flattery will get you everywhere,but I'm still not sharing my last rolo with you ! Ha ha..go on then,if I must :o) x

I'd be a Hellebore, hiding amongst the foliage but good value for what you get, long stayer, loyal to the end....

I have a nasty feeling, Bloomer, I'd be a Busy Lizzie: always finding something to do, and being cheerful and......cheap?

Or a Snapdragon, as I'm quick-tempered and that mouth suggests someone who likes chatting!!

Of course in my dreams I'm an elegant Lily!)

(Lovely comments from you ALL!)

Hi Eirlys, don't worry about 'other' blogs, if people only want to read gardening blogs, they'll skip over 'others', they don t have to read them at all. PM's are fine to talk to friends about over anything.

That seems to be the general consensus, DA. Good to know.

Maybe I'd be a Rudbeckia - good staying power when i eventually get started but looking pretty bedraggled in age...

Well so far on the GOY garden we have:

a bedraggled Viola
a Tulip heavy to hold but colourful and cheerful
asclepias tuberosa, not much to look at now but watch out!
a Rose, full of disease and prickly, reliable, hardy and smelly
Hellebore, hiding amongst the foliage, good value for what you get, long stayer, loyal to the end
Busy Lizzie always finding something to do,cheerful and......cheap.
Rudbeckia good staying power, pretty bedraggled in age...

Now what sort of a garden are we ending up with?