Friday 26 February 2016

A country walk to blow the cobwebs away

I thought it was all going so well, this winter. We've hardly had any snow and the nights were getting lighter. Yes, fair to say I was feeling pretty good about it all.

Well.

The universe has shown me who's boss. Sent me a dose of bubonic plague. OK, technically it might have just been a cold or flu, but man, it was bad. Two week's worth of lying in bed bad. My first ever sick note from the doctor bad.
Thankfully I'm on the mend now, so we thought it would be a good idea to go out from some fresh air. Blow away the cobwebs and all that. I didn't fancy a proper yomp, just a gentle initiation back into real life. So off we went to Epperstone, a little village in rural Nottinghamshire for a mooch around.
At first glance, it's pretty, with red brick cottages, several dovecotes and a church dating back to the 13th century.
These quasi-medieval carved heads on the church porch, are of an unnamed king and queen.
Throw in a mention in the Domesday book and a pub where the chef used to cook for the Queen and suddenly it's also interesting. When I get my appetite back properly, I think we should go and try it out.
We followed a public footpath which led us up into fields, giving lovely views over the surrounding countryside. The wind was ferocious so he tied his scarf around my head to keep me warm, Lawrence of Arabia style. We sheltered under a tree to eat our lunch.
Our walk back took us through the really lovely church graveyard. What an amazing place to rest in peace. Spring flowers are giving it their all. Daffodils, snowdrops, crocuses, primroses, celandine and periwinkle. All blooming their socks off.
I'm not going to say this out loud, just in case I jinx it, but I reckon maybe, just maybe, Spring is around the corner? Who's with me? All in agreement say 'Aye'!
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All these pictures of graveyards have got me to thinking about an interesting presentation we had at work to do with digital online remains. Have you ever thought about that? What would happen to all your various online accounts when you die? How they might be accessed and by whom? It's a new area, but apparently people are starting to write this type of thing into their will.
As a start, I've written down every online account I can think of that I have, from banks to social media to websites, with user names and passwords. The next step is to simplify, as there are too many. I think I will try one user name and one password, but put it in my diary to change them once a month. What are your thoughts? I'd be very interested to hear.

13 comments:

Miss Magpie said...

So sorry to hear you have been poorly though this walk looks just the thing for getting some fresh air at a gentle pace.

We had this situation when Himself's Mum died in November. Luckily we found some of her passwords written down and were able to guess the rest but it does make you think about all the stuff that is out there.

Vix said...

Oh no! You poor love. How horrible to be bed bound for a fortnight but isn't it wonderful when you finally feel like you're back in the land of the living, you really appreciate not feeling ill.
Epperstone looks gorgeous, those carved heads are beautiful and I do love a graveyard.
How dashing are you with your Lawrence of Arabia head wrap? Beats my earmuffs.
That's quite a thought, those on-line accounts. Thank goodness my parents never had a computer, another thing to to have to deal with. I like the idea of using the same password and changing it regularly. I can never remember my log-in details! xxx

Vronni's Style Meanderings said...

Epperstone looks lovely and very interesting - and wet!

You look very fetching with himself's scarf and glad to hear you are feeling better.

The online thing is a bit of bugger isn't it - I keep reading about it and must do something about mine. I think as far I am concerned it will just be bank accounts and stuff. I'm not really bothered about the social media side. When I'm gone there'll just be....SILENCE!!

Have a fab weekend

xxx
Veronica
vronni60s.blogspot.com

Lynn Holland said...

You look proper bonnie and healthy on your walk. Glad you are on the mend. A good walk does the trick every time.
Aye I do think Spring is on the way, we've got snowdrops in the garden.
Hmm, you've set me thinking now about passwords and the like. I've got a few combinations I use but I do worry as Philip is computer illiterate. I'll ponder on that a while.
Have a great weekend X X X

Fiona said...

I love your pics of Epperstone, so pretty and yes I think spring may be heading our way. Your head gear is very fetching and you look far prettier than Peter O'Toole. Sorry to hear you have been rough, I had a spell like that last year...it's horrid isn't it. As for passwords and all that malarkey...my dad has put all his on Dashlane and given us access but I've done sod all about mine. Xx

Anonymous said...

Poxy viruses... Good to see you up and about in the ( very) fresh air. Beautiful snowdrops xx

Unknown said...

Aye!

Hi T, glad you're on the mend. Don't use the same same usernames and passwords! If just one site gets compromised, all your logins are vulnerable -- you'll be in a real panic trying to change them all. You should consider using a password manager (1Password is good), it costs a few pounds, but takes the stress out of keeping track of them all. If you wanted, you could print them all out and file them somewhere safe, or you could entrust your master password to someone who could then access all the "final" versions of your passwords. There's a cheery thought!

Connie said...

Look at you starting to bloom just like les petits fleurs de Printemps. I'm so glad you're feeling better. A doctor's note is serious business indeed. It's so fun for me to see the area around your home. Everything is so old and beautiful. Things around here are new and shiny and kinda plastic to tell the truth. Gosh. I've often thought about our accounts, too. I had a lovely friend who died suddenly a few years ago and there is her blog, still up, no new posts. And her Goodreads account, no new books read. Hmmmm...how long will that stuff hang around?

Curtise said...

Blimey, I hope the GP did indeed write "bubonic plague" on your sick note, just to make it clear you were proper poorly! Good to know you've emerged blinking into the light again, and had a lovely day out - what a pretty place to visit. You know how much I love a graveyard - add woods and Spring flowers and a picnic (better still a pub lunch), and I am a happy woman!
Ha, that Q, he takes good care of you and has a stylish way with a scarf!
Blimey, I hadn't thought about online remains at all... Yes, it needs considering. I am hopeless at remembering passwords, so maybe your idea for one fitting all but being changed regularly is the way forward.
PS. Homework done yet, Miss Teacher's Pet?! xxx

Mim said...

There have been some truly horrible things doing the rounds lately, it's good to know you're better now.

I hadn't honestly thought of what I'd do with my online accounts. Because I've moved around a bit with work, I do have four different pension pots, so I wrote the accounts down for my husband, but I should probably do the same for my online banking.

I have actually considered stacking up blog posts for Halloweens to come. It sounds macabre, but I always do a lot of horror-themed stuff in October, and quite like the thought of posting from beyond the grave if anything happens to me. My friend James' LJ account is still online, nearly a decade after he died, and it's both saddenning and cheering to go back and still see his words.

Sue said...

Poor you! You must have had the dreaded WoMan flu, usually contracted from close contact to a man with ManFlu, but for woman it morphs into worse things. So glad you are on the mend and able to get out and about and see the plants all wakening from their Winter Slumber. You have spring and then summer to look forward to. We are sliding into Autumn as I type. I have an address book with all my passwords in it, but I think I need to do a major clean up and simplify things. You have motivated me!! Take care, you don't want a relapse!!

Ivy Black said...

Sorry to hear you've been poorly, lovely. Hope you're feeling better now and you do look lush sitting there in your stylish scarf. A nice does of Spring is what we need.
I have made a list of accounts,sites and passwords, and when I'm gone it can all go too! A friend did say that I should leave the blog there as a record for history but to be quite honest there will be enough left for history without my ramblings!
xxx

Lakota [Faith Hope and Charity Shopping] said...

Flu really is horrible, and when you feel seriously rotten you can't even pretend to be a Victorian heroine. lying pale and wan but strangely attractive. Isn't it weird when you step outside again - everything seems too loud and the light is too bright, but so nice to get proper air in your lungs.

God knows what will happen to my online presence when I keel over, I'm all over the place under a zillion different log ins. I shall have to be the ghost in the machine and keep up my presence from beyond the grave.