“Mum! Have you……?”
The voice trailed down the stairs to where I was sitting in the bright new kitchen.
Well it can’t be a bus fare that she wants, since she has a car sitting at the door. Would it be a needle and thread? She never has a needle and thread when she needs it. I heard the quick pitter-pad down the stairs and with a warm rush of air she was there across the table from me. I looked up with the unvoiced question on my face.
“I was just thinking….” said she.
When my Elly is thinking it is time to start worrying. She has done a fair bit of thinking over the years and you never know where it will lead.
“What were you thinking? I asked eventually.
“What do you want to do with your blog?” She asked.
“Why, what is wrong with my blog? I said looking worried.
“Oh, there is nothing wrong with your blog”. She said. “I mean…. I mean, have you decided what you want to happen to the blog?”
“Excuse me!” I said almost choking on my coffee. “What do you mean – happen to my blog? Sure you just told me it was fine as it is.”
“No mum, I mean afterwards…. When you are gone…. When you cock your toes!”
See! I told you her thinking was dangerous!
“Well I suppose you could put up a short post, to tell everyone that Grannymar has gone to Toyboy heaven and close the comments. There would be no point in keeping it going when I am gone.”
What do you want to happen to your blog? I bet you never thought about it!
steph said,
October 29, 2008 at 7:33 am
Grannymar
When you get to Toyboy heaven, your blog will be the last thing on your mind
But don’t go falling off your perch just yet, please!
Darren said,
October 29, 2008 at 8:17 am
Em, Grannymar, you’re ok right? You’re not…you know? Don’t leave me!
Baino said,
October 29, 2008 at 8:23 am
Oh GrannyMar Of course I’ve thought about it! I have the Will the, Power of Attorney and Enduring Guardianship in case i can’t turn my machine off, the passwords, the pin numbers, the bank accounts . . .Clare will gleefully announce . . Bainos Banter has carked it . .I ‘m rich . . stay tuned to Excellent Adventures! Adam won’t say anything . . he’ll be shopping for Rock Band in JB Hi Fi!
Nick said,
October 29, 2008 at 8:52 am
Oh yes I’ve thought about that. I assume Jenny would just post something along the lines of “Sorry folks, Nick got over-excited gawping at some bosomy airhead on the TV and had a massive heart attack. Serves him right, the old hippie. Now I’ve got all the money, hurrah!” Well, maybe something a little more dignified….
“When you cock your toes” - never heard that one before. Is that Norn Iron or from somewhere else?
Nelly said,
October 29, 2008 at 9:06 am
I’ve thought about it. Zoe or Hannah would wind it up for me. Now funerals, I expect you’ve thought about that - I’m still a little bit undecided on the finer detail…
Grannymar said,
October 29, 2008 at 10:09 am
@Steph - I am having plenty of fun on this here perch. I’m not moving until I’m pushed!
@Darren - Worry not, I think I’m…. you know!
@Baino - Elly is a step ahead, she already has all the passwords and pins etc.
@Nick - “When you cock your toes” was a regular saying at home when I was young, alas I don’t know the origin of it.
@Nelly - I think Elly has ideas about the last farewell too!
Mike said,
October 29, 2008 at 10:28 am
Plenty of time to be thinking about that GM ..sure ther’s years left in you
Anyway you humor will keep you going
Love the photo btw
TheChrisD said,
October 29, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Well given how security paranoid I am with passwords and the like, mine will slowly die off from inactivity until such a time as the hosting expires and it gets unceremoniously deleted
Phil O'Kane said,
October 29, 2008 at 12:20 pm
something i dont want to think about too much, but then know i kinda should as it’s such a big part of my life.
*blog post to follow on the subject*
kenju said,
October 29, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Oh, yes, I have thought about it. I decided I would write a “final” post and have my daughter publish it. But I haven’t written it - nor have I given her the info she needs to get into it. Must do that!!
It is very unsettling to have a blog stop in mid-air (so to speak) and not know what happened to that person. I think we all owe our readers more than that.
cathy said,
October 29, 2008 at 12:45 pm
A blog post from beyond would be quite something though, wouldn’t it? Love the picture, Grannymar
Grannymar said,
October 29, 2008 at 1:15 pm
@Mike - Thanks!
@ChrisD - Would that not be a waste?
@Phil - Great, the response I hoped for.
@Judy - I know the feeling. We become part of the blogging family and unannounced disappearance leaves a gaping hole and questions of concern.
@Cathy - It would be fun but I’m in no rush to try it!
Keiron said,
October 29, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Interestingly I have some experience in this…. No I’m not posting this from beyond (before everyone starts thinking that!).
Running a web hosting company, I had the first death of a client last year - a colleague contacted me and asked that I simply suspend the site whilst the family made a decision what to do with it.
I did approach the colleague some months later just before the domain was about to expire (the domain wasn’t with myself just the hosting) to ask if they’d made any plans… I got no reply and the domain eventually expired (I suspect the renewal emails to the client couldn’t be accessed if nobody knew their password).
I’ve held onto the content of the site for a while just in case they want it, that’s just me - and I’ll make one last attempt to contact the colleague before removing it. I suspect larger companies wouldn’t bother.
It does make you think, and I started penning a large manual about my business interests just in case.. I dread my wife or my mum having to take over the business should anything happen without some kind of guide!
As for my blog… I did debate having a scheduled post to go out (Dead Parrot sketch probably) if I hadn’t updated for six weeks… Though in a lazy moment after a long holiday it would be easy enough for me to fake my own death to the blogosphere… Not such a good idea maybe!
Grannymar said,
October 29, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Keiron
For one moment… just one moment…phew!
Great to have the point of view from the other side. Hopefully your comment will make people think!
Darlene said,
October 29, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Ronni Bennett of Time Goes By wrote on this subject some time ago. She has her last post written to be published after her death. After reading that I wrote my last post for my daughter to publish. It starts out. “If you are reading this I am dead.” Now if only my computer doesn’t crash.
Nancy said,
October 29, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Grannymar
As you know, I do not have a blog but I do expect to have a gravestone.
One day my children were all here for the funeral of an Uncle and we began to discuss what each of us would want etched on their gravestone.
I was delighted when my daughter, Carol, went first and said, “I know what I would put on Mom’s stone…”
MOM HAD A LONG MEMORY BUT SHE ONLY
MENTIONED THE GOOD STUFF
Grannymar said,
October 29, 2008 at 6:11 pm
@Darlene - I don’t think I want to leave a last post, but I do want Elly to let everyone know that I’ve snuffed it!
@Nancy - I think I like your Carol!
Maz said,
October 30, 2008 at 7:54 am
Maybe we should all put our passwords into our Wills along with instructions. I’d like someone to keep paying the hosting fee and domain registration etc…I hate the thought of my baby disappearing!
Grannymar said,
October 30, 2008 at 8:46 am
Maz
Hopefully this post has made people think!
wisewebwoman said,
October 31, 2008 at 4:17 am
“WWW made a terrific dirt sandwich today.”
No?
OK.
How about:
“She went as she came yakking her head off.”
Maybe I will make a Last Post. Something so solemn about that.
XO
WWW
Long may we click those keyboards, GM!
Grannymar said,
October 31, 2008 at 9:30 am
WWW
“She went as she came yakking her head off.” That would make a great title for a book as well as a wonderful way to go!
Mind you the dirt sandwich paints some picture
Paddy Bloggit said,
November 4, 2008 at 12:04 am
Amen ….. Halloween is over GM …. come out of that box!
Grannymar said,
November 4, 2008 at 12:11 am
Paddy
I have been in the box for a week, might need the kiss of life!
Grannymar » Long Arm of the Law said,
November 13, 2009 at 3:01 pm
[...] I have indeed discussed this very aspect with Elly… Well it went something like this. [...]