Why you shouldn’t leave your passwords in your Will

15 Oct 2011: It's impossible to expect your executors to delete your online presence after you go. Don't put their futures in potential difficulty.

Photo highlights of our Canadian holiday

20 Aug 2010: Alex sitting on the glass floor of the Calgary Tower observation deck Taking the gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain in Banff Looking up at the Athabasca Glacier coming down from the Columbia Icefields Canoeing on Ice-blue Lake Louise Front section of the Rocky Mountaineer train Inside the double-deck section of the train Helicopter ride over the Rockies Eagle unimpressed by our presence Beluga whale in Vancouver Aquarium Tame eagle in birds of prey centre Giant Douglas Fir on Vancouver Island Victoria harbour at night

New website for Essex golf teacher

23 May 2010: I just made a one-page website for Roger Gray, who offers golf lessons in Brentwood. Just a sort of online business card really. I hope it helps people find him, he’s a great guy and deserves to be every bit as busy as he is.

Dawn on the Telly!

14 Jun 2009: Dawn appeared on a BBC East documentary in 2000, called “Carry On Nursing..?” – here’s her ninety seconds of fame.

Kevin’s a lucky man

8 Jan 2008: Wow. Just back from the wedding of my God-daughter Mel in Canada. To say she looked pretty would be an understatement. A really nice service and a good send-off for Kevin and Mel in the evening. Of course I wish them all my love and best wishes for the future together.

What happens in Vegas

2 Apr 2007: Just got back from a great week’s holiday in Las Vegas. There’ll be separate posts on some of the people and places, but for now, here are the three things we heard or saw which made us chuckle the most: 1. “Are you 55 years old or better?” 2. “We apologise for showing you footage of someone smoking, but this is a live news feed from Iran” 3. “Italian food so authentic you’d swear you were in New York” Also, this was fantastic: “After the break, the answer to the question everyone is asking – just who is the mystery guy spotted on the shoulder of Lindsey Lohan?” (Cries from all Brits watching: “It’s Robbie Williams, you dipstick, and who [...]

The Beard will be no more.

14 Mar 2007: This is Laurence Marchini. I’ve known him for many years. He’s always had a beard. In fact, I suspect his Mum would confirm he was born with it. And on Saturday it’s coming off, for charidee. I am completely gobsmacked. Anyway, in case there’s any danger of him wimping out, you can encourage him to do it here. Now we just have to get Andy Pye to follow suit. Postscript: You can see the edited Laurence on the Electronicstalk home page.

The Kitchen Extension – Roll the Credits

8 Mar 2007: Well… it’s just about over. The floor’s down, the fitters have signed off, and Mrs R is happy with the paintwork. Apart from the splashback behind the cooker, which is being hand-carved by elves as I write, whisper it quietly but I think we’re finished. Here are some photos! View from kitchen door The “Cooking Side” View looking back at the kitchen door and utility room Induction hob, Gas “wok hob”, Oven and Combi Oven Skylight Sandwich Prep Area! …and view to garden The “Disco Cupboard” (illuminated carousel) View into dining room and former garage. Both are filled with the spoils of a sixth birthday party and really aren’t that untidy as a rule! Credits in chronological order: Architect: Neil [...]

One of those seminal father-son things I guess

9 Feb 2007: Yes, it snowed. I’m sure it used to snow every year when I was little. Or maybe I just imagined it. Anyway, it doesn’t snow every year now. So when it does, sod the work, it’s wellies on, and out the front for some real father-son bonding. Neighbour David lent us a magnificent German snow-shovel, and we cleared the cul-de-sac of snow making the most solid, overengineered snowman since snowmen were first overengineered. Our target: for our creation to be bigger than Alex. Mission accomplished! Yep, it took three hours, and Alex was so cold by the end of it he couldn’t feel his hands, but of course it was worth it. Even if he’d started to droop by teatime [...]

That made a big difference!

9 Feb 2007: Wow. After nearly two weeks of relatively little activity while the stonemasons converted those painstakingly cut-out plastic templates into the real granite thing, it all happened today. About two hundred tonnes of black shiny worktop was lugged into the kitchen, and beautifully fitted in. Suddenly the kitchen looks so much more like the finished article! Still to do: the gas hob needs to be connected, the upstands around the worktop need to be made, and the floor needs to go down. Give us another week or so and we may well be there. Then the invitations go out to the kitchenwarming party! I’ll roll all the credits to the relevant parties (builders, kitchen fitters, stonemasons etc) here once it’s all [...]

The Appliances of, er, Sciences

21 Jan 2007: View from the utility room door Allan the kitchen fitter (another top man!) has had a pretty good week. OK, it’s mainly been spent opening boxes and discarding packaging, then discovering the wrong kitchen units have been sent, but in between he’s got the bulk of the carcasses in, and subsequently most of the appliances. So we now have a working dishwasher, sink, fridge and main oven. Apparently the hobs will work too, although with no worktop , we haven’t had the nerve to try them, balanced on pieces of wood. The combi oven hasn’t arrived yet, but apparently it needs a degree in computer programming, so we might need the extra time. Tony has been a real trooper getting [...]

The Extension is Finished. Now the Kitchen begins…

13 Jan 2007: OK, the builders are just about done, inside at least, and Dawn has diligently done a lot of the painting (a nice creamy yellow). On Monday morning the kitchen fitter will be here. Indeed, the boxes are already arriving (below). Tony the electrician, my hero, has just about finished wiring in all 29 downlights and connected up the incredibly jazzy Lutron controller. It’s all coming together, it would seem! Kitchen Extension series: Part 1 Kitchen Extension series: Part 2 Kitchen Extension series: Part 3 Kitchen Extension series: Part 4 Kitchen Extension series: Part 5 Kitchen Extension series: Part 6 Kitchen Extension series: Part 7

I’m not sure this guy understands the rules

21 Dec 2006: Look carefully. It’s a builder working …at five o’clock. See, I told you these guys were good. Even if this guy (who will have to remain anonymous in case he gets thrown out of the builders’ union) missed the first day of college where they teach you that the number one rule of construction is that you have to leave at three o’clock “to go and, er, pick some stuff up”. Haha! We’ve got the best builders in the world and you can’t have them!

There’s a hole in my kitchen

19 Dec 2006: Of course you were all wondering what was going on inside the extension, weren’t you? No? Well, here it is anyway. Twice the kitchen! 100% less worktop and storage space (for now). The wiring is all in place for the groovy lighting, and once the plumber is happy, they’ll be boarding up. Mustn’t forget my speakers in the ceiling though. Kitchen Extension series: Part 1 Kitchen Extension series: Part 2 Kitchen Extension series: Part 3 Kitchen Extension series: Part 4 Kitchen Extension series: Part 5 Kitchen Extension series: Part 6 Kitchen Extension series: Part 7

We hit the roof

14 Dec 2006: Now that’s looking like an extension. The lads done great. Windows, roof …it could almost be finished. Except for the small matter of the internals. But now the inner wall has come down and we have an idea of what the new kitchen space will look like. It’s exactly twice the size of the old one, but if you think about it, if half of a kitchen our (old) size is taken up with the entrance and thoroughfare, then doubling the size should give us three times the working area. We’ll see. Next up: internal walls, ceilings, electrics, plumbing and lighting. Sure it’ll all be done by Christmas. It’s still a week away. Kitchen Extension series: Part 1 Kitchen Extension [...]