eekareindeer - so sorry, I got you confused with someone I was emailing, I thought they had changed their name and posted on here, the timing was perfect, they also had just said they were going to take a sabbatical, as did you! I've also inferred to that person I was emailing, that they were you, I think.
Oh dear, it all gets very confusing!
Thomcat - I got a phone call from a Mumsnetter who explained why she wanted a private forum, and I understood her reasons perfectly. She wanted to be able to talk about her family and personal circumstances without other rl people seeing it on Mumsnet, without the fear of trolls and those who have made assumptions about her. I understand it as much as if she had said she had a close-knit group of friends from Mumsnet that she met to talk with.
So far no problem. I wouldn't dream of asking for an invite simply because it's not my scene.
The only difference here is that this kind of went behind peoples backs. They posted on Moldie things like "Phew that was close!" when the group was nearly 'outed'. And then the lies, the denying it even existed, the rudeness to MNHQ - all of that made it distasteful to me.
So yes, I can understand why some people would see Moldies as a safe place to go. I wouldn't have had a problem with that. But on finding out that members of the golf club lied and tried to stop the pub goers from knowing about it - well that's just wrong.
And to address Prufrock. Yes we've had some 'rucks' on Mumsnet, hasn't everyone? The largest rucks I've had on Mumsnet have been with Sophable, and yet we still manage to be friendly with each other. No grudge is held, nothing taken over to another thread. I have the utmost of respect for her. If only it could be like that with everyone. But it isn't.
However having a ruck with someone is hardly like shagging their wife! And if they don't want us part of their 'group' because we disagreed with them, then fair enough. It must be nice to be surrounded by people who agree with you all the time!
Sorry Justine, I did try not to post but some posts addressed to me I thought would be rude not to respond to!