Welcome abeard, Lewis (See what I did there?)

Beard in your pic looks very nice to me. I wouldn't sweat the gray. I've been in a pattern of growing a winter beard and shaving it off in the spring the last few years and each year I look forward to seeing the progression of the gray. A little more each go round, but hopefully with the help of the board, I'll keep her strapped on this year come spring.

In general I counsel against coloring, but in your case, after a reaction like that I wouldn't even think about it.

My beard thread: http://jefffsbeardboard.yuku.com/topic/13676

The mind is the weapon, everything else is supplemental.