So, there’s been much news coverage over the past few days concerning a survey which says 1 in 10 of us plans to leave online passwords in our will, although I’m not sure if that’s actually something which is physically happening or just a nice idea. The reasons include the sheer financial value of films, music and software, as well as the sentimental value of family snaps and videos, all of which are increasingly likely to be stored only online. But as a reader suggests in The Times today, this could be a disastrous thing to do. The letter points out: “Once probate has been granted, the will is open to public inspection” and therefore your passwords would be open to the world.

Now, when I go, I hope that the executors of my will have enough information to clear up my financial affairs. (That reminds me, I really should ensure there’s a way for them to access my online bank accounts and other important documents. If they can’t do so, they’ll have to go through the process of getting a hard copy of my death certificate to the banks, and it could take some time.) But I doubt they’ll do much more. All those hundreds of other online accounts, from GMail down to free memberships of websites I’ll never visit again even while I’m alive, will be allowed to quietly fall into disuse. My executors won’t bother to close them down, even if they could (can you even close and delete a GMail account?).

However, what happens if I publish my passwords in my will? Sure, the bank account details won’t be of use to anyone, because presumably by the time the details are made public, the accounts will have been closed (or let’s hope so). However, the world would have a free run at everything else. I’ve made a good attempt at allocating different passwords to everything I’ve ever subscribed to, but I’ll admit to having used some passwords more than once, and I know some people use the same password for everything. There’s a lot of mischief which might be caused if someone gets into my Twitter account, for example, and masquerades as me to people who don’t know I’m dead. And the thought of what might happen if strangers got into my GMail account, which already has 6Gb and 7 years’ worth of private correspondence in it, doesn’t bear thinking about. There are many examples online of people finding out a seemingly innocuous password belonging to someone else, and using that to get into a series of increasingly important accounts. What we need to do is document our user names and passwords somewhere, safely and separately, for our executors. But that place isn’t in a will.

It’s impossible to expect your executors to delete your online presence after you go. Don’t put their futures in potential difficulty by giving strangers even the slightest ability to exploit your absence.

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

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.

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 **** is Lindsey Lohan anyway?”)

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.

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 at CC Associates
Building Work: John Fox-Teece and sons: 01223 840640
Kitchen Design: Graham at Nimbus UK
(Units by Crown Imperial, Haefele and Blanco, Appliances by Siemens)
Lighting Design: Dominic Myott
Electrical work: Rob and Tony at RP Electrical: 01223 710439
Kitchen Fitting: Allan at Nimbus UK
Worktops: Ivett & Reed
Flooring: Amtico supplied and fitted by Dentons Carpets
Blinds: Cambridge Blind Spot
Tea: PG Tips
All thoroughly good chaps and thoroughly recommended. Ask me for a testimonial any time.

(And now the local links again but with some nice anchor text for the search engines: Cambridge architects, kitchen design Cambridge, domestic lighting design, granite worktops Cambridge, Amtico Cambridge, blinds Cambridge)

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

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 and his head fell off overnight. The snowman that is, not Alex.

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 done and the final photos have been posted.

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