Windows 8 and the RVer

Let’s take a look at the technology requirements of RVers from a Windows 8 perspective.  To do a good evaluation of Windows 8, you need to look at what you will be using it for.  Most RVers both casual and full timers require:
1.  Email
2.  Web Browsing (and do online Banking)
3.  Social media (SKYPE, Facebook, Twitter etc.)
4.  Games
5.  Reading Books
6.  Ability to store and send pictures
7.  Trip planning and navigation.

With the exception of  planning and tracking trips,almost any tablet will do the trick and although many tablets have a GPS built-in, not all will provide the planning and navigation that products like Streets and Trips offer.

The big attraction to Windows 8, as I see it, is the ability to have a tablet when you need one and the ability to have full laptop functionality to run legacy applications you just can’t live without.  Many of us just don’t trust “the Cloud” to manage and store our financial information. 

Personally, I use Quicken to manage my day to day financials and I use TurboTax to do my taxes and submit them online while I am on the road.  I also use Microsoft Office, primarily Excel and Word, and you just can’t do that properly without a responsive computer and a keyboard.

While travelling, we plan all our trips.  We need to know, in advance, which roads we will be travelling and where we will be staying each night and want to be assured that the GPS is not going to lead us to a dead end road where we will have to detach the car from the motorhome and back up for a couple of miles to get out.  And trust me, if you have been RVing for a while this will happen.   Streets and Trip (I know some of you use CoPilot), not only allows us to plan but will provide turn-by-turn navigation.  We have come to trust it over the years.

More technical requirements include usability and how much storage you need on the device.  A Windows 8 tablet is very easy to use and there are a lot of very nice applications (Apps) available for download.  For most  RVers who require the basics listed above, almost any tablet will meet your needs and a Windows 8 tablet could be good choice, easy to use and very functional.  For those who require legacy applications and are coming from earlier versions of Windows, you will need a Windows 8 laptop and prepare for a steep learning curve.

Cancelled Satellite Service with Bell

I have used Bell ExpressVu in my motorhome for years now.  I continued to pay the monthly fee even though I really only used it for a week a month.  I did like to get Canadian business news while I was in the Florida for the winter.  Until this year, we were able to get full access to the Bell ExpressVU service while we were in Florida for the winter.  They have threatened for years to turn off the service for access in the USA and if you called they would tell you that you couldn't get it in the US.  This year they've finally done it.  On the way south this year, we lost the signal south of Elkhart, IN.
We called to cancel our account and typical Bell, they said we could only cancel it with 30 days notice.  I have to pay for 30 days of service I'm not getting.  They blamed it on the CRTC but we all know that's not true. So, if you are heading south for the winter cancel NOW.

Goodbye Broken Furniture - Hello Comfort

We have owned our motorhome for 8 years now and the furniture has shown significant wear.  It was primarily the 6 years we spent full-timing that caused the damage.  We have been searching for a new couch (sofa) and chair since the spring.  Our first instinct was to go to Winnebago’s Grand National Rally (GNR) and have them replaced by Winnebago Service.  The $4500 + Installation set us to search for other alternatives.  We got lots of great advice from friends who have had experience refurbishing their RVs.  Most of that advice pointed to companies in Elkhart, Indiana.

Bradd and Hall Store

Great Collection of RV Furniture

After some research, We narrowed down all the advice to 2 companies in Elkhart, Bradd and Hall and Factory RV Surplus.   We decide to reroute our trip to Florida to go through Elkhart.  Although, we planned to stay a week in Elkhart at the Elkhart Campground, it turns out we only needed 2 days.  We arrived on Sunday and started shopping after a Crackle Barrel breakfast on Monday morning.  Our first trip was to Factory RV Surplus.   They had some pretty good furniture and their store looked like a warehouse.  Their prices were very good but the selection was very limited and they had no installation capability.  They did refer us to a business across the street who would install any purchases we made.  I think that if you are an RVer that likes to do-it-yourself this is a great place to shop but for us this is not what we wanted.

Now to Bradd and Hall.  The experience there was terrific.  Within an hour we were able to select a couch and chair from the great selection of furniture in the store.  We spent over an hour trying out every possible purchase and finally chose some very comfortable leather items that perfectly matched our interior. Bradd and Hall has a few RV Bays and some very strong young men to do the installs.  We were able to book installation for Tuesday morning for 8AM. 

Up early Tuesday morning in -7 degree C weather, we arrived with the motorhome a 7:45AM for our 8AM appointment.  By the way they don’t open until 9AM.  Bradd and Hall service was very efficient..  While we were at breakfast they removed our old couch and chair.  We got back just in time to see them installing our new purchases.  They had taped up and cushioned any sharp portions of the door so that the furniture wouldn’t be ripped on the way in.  They even vacuumed the floor before installation.  And one thing we didn’t expect and didn’t discover until we were on the road.  They tightened-up our loose captain’s chairs.  We were in at 8AM and we had the car attached and were heading south by 9:30.

Inspecting the Service

All in all a great experience!  Thank-you Bradd and Hall for a good price and great service.

Windows 8 Pro Review

The first day it was available, I bit the bullet and purchased Windows 8 Pro for $39.99.  I had had the preview version for the past few months so I did know a bit about how to operate it.  Most of my testing was to ensure applications that are critical to me like Quicken, Microsoft Office etc would run.  Also, I want to purchase an Intel based Surface Tablet when it is available in January.   Also, I wanted to see if Windows 8 was useable by seniors that I work with in our computer classes.

Upgrade Assistant Sample

I was not confident enough to install Windows 8 over the top of my current hard drive.  I purchased a new drive and had installed my critical applications on it.  Now it was time to install.  I went to the Microsoft Store online and started the download.  The download first checked and reported the thing that I would have to be concerned with.  It gave me the opportunity to uninstall a few things that were not important to me and pointed me to the developer’s site for Windows 8 versions of applications that would have to be installed after Windows 8.  The 2GB Windows 8 downloaded, installed and was up and running in less than an hour.  I downloaded the programs from Lenovo (I have a Lenovo T520) that the Upgrade Assistance pointed out and spent the next hour testing all the critical apps.

Now for the disappointing part - my printer driver for my HP J4680 didn’t work but to HP’s credit they had the Windows 8 driver ready to go on their website.  This was NOT pointed out in the Upgrade Assistance report.  After downloading another 350MBs, I had the printer and the related applications up and running.  

Skype worked but there was a Skype App on the Microsoft Store.  I uninstalled the one I had and installed the new app just in time to get a call from my daughter.  Damn, the camera didn’t work!   So, after a quick trip (online of course) to the Lenovo support site I downloaded a new camera driver – another 150MBs.  Skype with video is now up and running.

iTunes isn’t that critical although I do use it.  I haven’t tried it yet but I understand from the internet that people are waiting for a Windows 8 version.  I’ll report on this later.

Now for my biggest disappointment, I use Intel Wireless Display with a Netgear Push2TV (PTV1000) to watch video from my laptop.  I also use it to connect to a projector when I am teaching.  The Upgrade Assistant said only that I had to download and install the new version from the Intel web site.  After almost a full day downloading and installing software from Intel, I finally got the computer to recognise the Pust2TV but when I attempted to connect I saw –    

I have the software setup now and this should only cost me another $100 or so.

Finally, the Lenovo T520 I use, does not have a touch screen and using the keyboard to navigate is at best clumsy.   One thing I didn’t expect to happen is that the system hung on me 3 times, over 2 days, to the point that I had to shut it down with the power switch.  I suspect Microsoft will fix this shortly.

In conclusion, I do like Windows 8 and expect to like it even more when I get a Surface Tablet in January or February.  The senior citizens, I teach have simple needs.   Mostly, they use Email, Skype,surf the web and play the odd game or two .  I think they will like a tablet version.

NetTalk Duo WiFi

Well, I finally got it put together.  The NetTalk Duo WiFi now is up and running.  I did have a little difficulty setting up the wireless.  I had just installed Windows 8 and the USB drivers weren't compatible.  I had to get out an old XP machine and run the management program from it.  This is a one time event though so I don't see it as a problem.

As you can see there are now only 3 devices involved - the NetTalk Duo WiFi, the Mobile Hotspot and the Telephone.  The NetTalk connects wirelessly to the Moble Hotspot to get to the internet.  That is much better than the magicJack Plus since it requires a hard  wired ethernet connection and thus the need for a router or an extender.

So how is the quality?
First I have to tell you that my Telus WiFi Hotspot is connected 4G ((not LTE) but the upload and download speeds are about 5Mb down and 1Mb up.  The quality is excellent at least for the 5 minutes I talked.  I know some of you have been asking if the quality will be good when we attach with 3G while we are in Florida.  I can't answer that right now but I am hopeful since the NetTalk Duo say it only requires 128K bits per second both up and down.  Then the only thing we'd have to worry about is disconnects between the Hotspot and the cellular towers. I'll be in Florida in late November and I'll let you know then.  But for now,  I'm pretty happy with the NetTalk.
Update 10/31/2012
Today, I really need to get a fax and avoid an hour drive each way to pick up a document.  I attached my HP all-in-one printer to the NetTalk Duo and I got the fax.  This is something that you could not do with MagicJack.

New Communication Alternative

Many RVers have used magicJack for a few years now and I have blogged about how to use a mobile hotspot like the Verizon Novatel and the Telus Huawei in combination with a WiFi extender and a magicJack Plus to say goodbye to your telephone company and carry high-speed internet with you where ever you go.  I now think I have a better, even less expensive way to have phone service as inexpensive as magicJack but eliminate the WiFi extender.

Today I purchased a Nettalk Duo Wifi but I haven't tested it.  I will do that tomorrow.  If it works the way I think it should you should only need 2 devices - your WiFi Hotspot and the NetTalk.  Less devices means a  system easier to maintain.  I will let you know.

By the way, Windows 8 will be available tomorrow as well - I will be downloading it and going live.  I have had the preview for a few months now and I am a little concerned that my audience will have problems with it.  Is it the next Vista???  I'll let you know.

New Web Site for The Ontario Trillium Travellers

On Saturday,  I was appointed Web Master by my friends at the OTT.  We had an objective of making the web site available to all our members on whatever device or browser they had.  I also wanted to improve the look and feel.  I got back home from our weekend RV outing just after noon and by Saturday evening I had mocked up a new web site and had it up and running.

I sent an email to a few of the members and asked them to have a look and let me know what they thought.  I got almost immediate responses and the comments were terrific.  This allowed me to make the necessary corrections and prepare to go live.  By Wednesday, we had a new web address - ottrv.org.
and the old site was taken down.

I really like the new site - have a look:  Ontario Trillium Travellers new site.

My thanks go out to all of you who evaluated the site and helped me make corrections and to improve the look and feel.  Also, to the great folks at Squarespace for a great development platform and great pricing.

New House Batteries

One of the nice things about being a member of the Ontario Trillium Travelers (OTT) is that you have lots of people to help do the hard stuff.
I can't remember the last time I replaced the house batteries in the motorhome.  The batteries are Deep Cycle RV Marine batteries that require the owner to check the levels on a regular basis and fill them with water if they are low.  I have to admit that I have never done that and probably never will.
After doing a little research, I found that I could get maintenance free batteries for only $125 more each and I need three.  As well they weight 71 lbs each so there is no way I am going to use my back to install them.  That's where Gerald came in, offering to accompany me to Canadian Tire to pick them up and to help install them.
Dirty old batteries had to be removed and returned for a "core" refund.  Bettyann first had to take a picture to make sure we connected the new ones that same way.
After a backing up the car to the compartment Gerald and I proceeded to detach the terminals and the equipment that held the batteries in the slide tray.  Together, removed the old batteries and placed the new batteries into the tray and locked them down.  We connected the cables.  TIME FOR A SMOKE TEST.  Here is where the picture that Bettyann took earlier came in.  When the inverter went black, we re-examined the wiring and found an extra cable that was not connected.  Was it connected  before???

Zoom in on the back terminal of the picture and sure enough it was connected before.  After Gerald reconnected it (more then a few sparks flew) and after Maurice took a first few shocks - Bingo everything works.

Wow! Got a new iPad

The summer is so busy and the family is so big now that it is difficult to remember all the family birthdays that happen all summer long.  That is why the Jennings family gets together one day in the summer for the Jennings Everything Party when we celebrate all the birthdays at once.  This year it was hosted at Sam and Dave's so everyone could enjoy the sun and the pool.

I am the worst person in the world to buy a present for.  I buy every piece of technology I want and I don't use tools.  This year was a great surprise for me - all my children (that didn't work for RIM) (now adults of course) got together and bought me something I actually wanted and needed to help with the computer seminars I teach - a New iPad. 

I do like my Sony Tablet and it is MY first go to device but the folks that I help with technology like to buy things that are more intuitive and easy to run so, I usually recommend that they purchase an iPad.  Until now I have been unable to help them with specific apps and services.  That will all change.

I've spent the last few days getting new apps - checking out the kinds of things the RV community need and want.  I have now integrated Calibre and the iPad so books can be loaded on and read.  All in all it was a great present.  Thank you very much everyone.

Frustration with Rogers Hotspot

As you all know I have been a big fan of the Telus hotspot device as are many of my RVing friends.  Over the weekend and into this week I have had a chance to look at and experiment with the Rogers equivalent - The Rocket Mobile Hotspot.

My daughter lives in Tyrone, ON and for years has had difficulty getting a good internet solution.  For the past year or so, the her family has been using a wireless hub which promised 1Mbps download and about .3Mbps upload but hasn't been able to get close to those speeds.  This is a family with lots of technology, 5 Laptops, 3 tablets and a few iPods they have grown well beyond the service the Rogers hub is providing.

In a previous post, I outlined what has turned out to be a great solution.  We installed it in her home and ran it for about a week with virtually no problems.  The connection was 4G (not LTE).  Speedtests showed speeds of 8Mbps down and 1.25Mbps up.  MagicJack worked well.

Because the family had a contract with Rogers which expires in September and they weren't worried about travelling and having to cancel their plan as we RVers do, they decided to try out the Rogers Hotspot equivalent to the Telus.  They have 15 days to try it and return it if it doesn't work.

Yesterday they brought it home.  We inserted the SIM card and the battery and powered it up.  We were excited when, in a few seconds, it connected to the Rogers cellular network and and showed 4G with 5 bars.  The laptop connected wirelessly to the hotsot and the first we did was go to speedtest.net anticipating the same great results we got with Telus.

We couldn't believe the speeds we actually got.  Connected with 4G and 5 bars showing, we actually got a very disappointing numbers -  1/2 Mbps down and .6Mbps up.  As many times as we tried, we couldn't get speeds anywhere near 1Mbps let alone the 4G speeds that the device indicated.

It's a good thing that the contract with Rogers expires in September!  

I Like Technology That Helps The Stuff I Already Have

For a few years, now, I have had an Epson 77c projector which I have used in computer classes in Florida and sessions we've done at RV rallies and elsewhere.  It is very bright and very reliable.  When we are presenting the table we are using gets very crowded with the projector, speakers, 2 laptops and other gear like eReaders.  We have had times when the projector gets jolted - it's just inconvenient.  I would like to move the project away but I don't have long cables and if I did someone (maybe me) would surely trip over it.  Because it only has VGA input, I can't connect devices like tablets that only have HDMI output.  

About a year ago, I purchased a new piece of technology - a Netgear Push2TV.  This hooks up using HDMI to any large screen TV.  I keep it in my Family Room at home to allow me to wirelessly display my computer screen on to my 60" Sharp TV in vivid 1080p.  I use it to watch YouTube Videos and movies I have on my computer.  These look much better on the big Sharp.  The other thing is that I can keep it attached to the TV and don't have to get us to connect anything - OK maybe I am lazy - I call it convenience.

Soon after I had it installed at home I thought that I would like to use this with the projector in my classes.  It would allow me to move the projector further back in the class and would allow me to wonder around the classroom with my pc while displaying it on the big screen.  One problem though,  the Push2TV only has HDMI output and the Projector only VGA input.  I actually considered replacing the projector and researched that for a few months.  How do you justify spending over $700 to solve this problem?   I couldn't; I decided to look for an HDMI to VGA adapter.   Until recently, there was none to buy.

This week I found one; a Sabrent HDMI to VGA and Audio converter.  $44 later I recieved a package from TigerDirect.  I put it together and it actually worked!!!  the Sabrent connects VGA to the projector and HDMI to the Push2TV.  The computer has a wireless connection to the PUSH2TV.  And, the quality is excellent.  Now I can project my pc to the projector with a wireless connection - Awesome.  

Internet for your RV - Take it home too!

If you travel in a RV and you want to have everything and  by everything I mean, a printer, telephone, a Roku Box or internet access from your cell phone and tablets.  Everything you can do with internet at home is now available to you when you travel in your RV.

RVers love MagicJack especially now that it is useable without a PC being on all the time.  We use MagicJack at home and we take it with us.  Friends and family can call the same number when we are at home or when we are on the road anywhere in Canada or the US of A.  That means, no long distance for them and of course, we can call them for free.  The cost $70 for the MagicJack Plus and $100 for 5 years.  Good Bye Bell!

Many RVers have all kinds of internet devices in their coach besides laptops.  WD TV and Roku are very popular not to mention iPods, iPhones, iPads, Android phones and tablets, XBox and Wii.  Everything you buy these days seems to need access to the internet.

With technology constantly changing, our computer classes are very popular.  RVers, even those that are retired, have a great desire to learn and that keeps us very busy and very happy.  Besides everyone likes FREE.  Our classes and assistance will continue to be free.  But, enough about that.

How do you put together an Internet solution that you can have at home and take on the road?  Here is how we've done it:

You need three (3) devices that will all work together and there are many variations of this if you wish.  I will talk about the ones we use:

1. You will need a router just like you have at home connecting your internet there.  You will connect all your internet devices, laptops, tablets, eReaders, printers, Web TV (Roku, WD TV) and anything else.
We are big fans of Linksys,  We have a WRT610N now and will be soon getting an AE4500 to replace it.  We like to attach a hard drive to it to be able to access movies and to backup our laptops.  The list price for these, is about $179 but you can get a router that will be just fine, if you don't need the hard drive, for about $30.

2. A wireless extender - we use the Linksys RE1000, price $79.  This has a dual function - connecting to device #3 and as well, can be used to connect you to the local park WiFi.  But for now, we will talk about connecting to the next device.

3.  A cellular MiFi Device - because we travel both in the US and Canada we have one for Telus and one for Verizon.  See my previous post for how and why.   The Telus device in Canada costs $150 and the plan we have is a 6GB for $60 per month.  6GB is a lot for the average user Telus has a 2GB plan for about $35.

How does this all work?

Power on the MiFi Device then the Wireless Extender (RE1000) - the Wireless extender connects wirelessly to the MiFi device and translates that into a wired connection.  (These two act just like your home internet provider but replaces the internet providers modem.)

Connect and Ethernet Cable to the outlet in the Wireless Extender (RE1000) and the other end into the Internet input on the Router.  Plug the MagicJack Plus into the router.

You now have full Internet access.  Pack it up and take it with you.

Caution

All of these devices default to a 192.168.1.1 address so it is important that you change the address of the router to a different set.  For example, 192.168.10.1.  We actually use 10.10.10.1.  If you don't change it, our experience has been that the system gets very confused.  Then you will need to configure your wireless settings - Leave a comment and let me know if you need details.

Sicard RV did the repairs

I earlier expressed my concern about having anything done on my motorhome by Sicard RV so I thought I would report on the repairs they did.  I left the motorhome with Sicard on May 5th to repair the damage caused by the tire blowout.  As well, I asked them to replace the hose reel, replace the other 5 tires and repair the water leak that caused the original reel to rust out.  

I arrived on the 18th to pick up the motorhome but before I paid the bill I thought I'd check it out.  

Checking out the damage caused by the tire blowout - I could not tell that there was ever damage they did a great job.  To check out the hose reel replacement I opened the basement door.  The new hose reel was there and was solidly attached.  There was, however, a puddle of water in the basement compartment.  My first thought was that they hadn't fixed the water leak that caused the previous reel to rust out.  

The service manager came back to the motorhome to check it out and could not find the leak - he spend 15 minutes looking for it.  We turned on the water pump, ran the water for a bit and there was no hint of a leak anywhere.  

It turns out that there is an outdoor shower head in that compartment.  It can be turned on with taps (hot and cold) and the head itself can be turned on or off as well.  I have noticed it does drip when I put it back on the holder.  For now, I have concluded that this was the leak problem and I will attempt to correct it by draining the hose after turning off the taps.  I really hope that works. 

So, in conclusion,  Sicard RV did a good job on this repair.  I am still skeptical  but I am now more inclined to have future repairs done there.  BTW - the motorhome was filthy, the Sicard RV lot is not paved.  It was there for 13 days and moving it in and out of the service area through puddles did the messy job.  Oh well, a trip to Blue Beacon.

New Internet Friend

I finally folded the internet dish down for the last time.  It was a sad moment because it had really served me well for the past 7 years.  To the folks at Winegard, who built the product and provided all the great support, I thank you for being so fantastic over the years.  It provided us with internet access in places where you wouldn't have thought you could get it, both in the US and Canada.  The speed  (1Mbit down 200kbits up) was adaquate and it did the job we needed it to.  The $80 per month was easily justified.

We have been looking for a good (cellular based) solution to replace the dish for a while now.  Cost was only one of the problems we had to deal with but getting access in both the US and Canada was even bigger.  We could get a Rogers or Telus solution in Canada or a Verizon solution in the US but when you cross the border you can go broke paying for the roaming charges.

There are some amazingly low cost solutions "Clear" in the US has an unlimited plan for $30 per month as does Wind mobile in Canada.  The problem is coverage - if you drive out of the city you have no internet access.  This would not be great for a motorhome environment.

The only providers with great coverage have "data caps."  Unlimited internet access really doesn't exist in the cellular world for motorhomers.

Having looked at it for a couple of years now we finally came up with a solution that works for us.

In the US.

We signed up with Verizon; purchased a Novatel MiFi 4G LTE device and got a 2 year plan.   The MiFi
device cost $100 but they gave us a $50 Visa card.  The 2 year contract is $50US for 5GB per month.  The plan is to use the Verizon for the 6 months while we are in the US and suspend the contract when we get back into Canada.  This really will extend the 2 year contract to 4 years but that's OK for us.  There is a little glitch here you can suspend the contract online but for only 90 days at time.  So,  mark your calendar!

In Canada.


In Canada, it was much easier.  We tried Rogers but were unable to get a contract that we could suspend while we were south.  After looking at the coverage map and the contract we finally went with Telus, purchased a Haumei MiFi 4G from them for $149.  There is no contract but we signed up for a $60 for 6GB per month.  If we go over its $20 per GB.  It is a simple phone call when we go south to stop the billing.

Both Verizon and Telus will bill directly and automatically to your credit card every month and you can have them email you a copy of your bill.  The problem for us is going to be managing the gigabyte (GB) cap.

Sicard RV - I Swore I'd Never Go Back

For a wide variety of reasons, I swore, I would not go back to Sicard RV for maintenance on our motorhome.  The reasons included the loss of a GPS while in service and the fact that more than once I had to have something re-fixed elsewhere after being serviced there.  We haven't been back since 2009.

The insurance adjuster got help from Sicard to cost the Motorhome repair after the blowout on the 402.  I got an Email from Terry at Sicard offering to do the repairs.

I also wanted to have the other 5 tires replaced so I asked for a quote from him of that.  The quote was very reasonable $550 each installed.  After a few telephone conversations and Email exchanges with Terry, I made the decision to give Sicard another shot and drove the 200KMs out to Smithville yesterday.

Back to Sicard RV

We had no sooner dropped off the motorhome at the service center when we got some bad news.  Terry had made a mistake on the tire quote - the cost would be $644 per tire not $550 (a significant difference).  Given that I had paid $583, on the road, to replace the tire that blew-out,  it is possible that the original quote was legitimate error.

We added a couple of things to the service list - repair a water leak and replace the Hose Reel.  The Hose Reel will cost $600 and I assume the water leak will be found and fixed easily - Our expectation - under $1000 for the Reel and leak repair.


They have until the 18th to complete everything.  I really hope they do this right - I'll let you all know, either way.  Let me know about your experiences.

Blowout on the 402

It was a long trip back from Florida and very uneventful until we reached the dreaded 402.  We blew out a rear tire and it took a motorhome panel with it. It was a 12" rip in the side wall so powerful that it threw the panel across the road and into the ditch in the medium.  The explosion was so powerful that it bent the steal frame holding the plastic panel.  

It turns out that our Daughter-in-Law was travelling the other way on the 402, spotted the motorhome and called our son.  He called us within a few minutes and handled all the rescue.  Within 1/2 and hour Sarnia tire was there.  Two hours and $783 later we were back on the road headed home.

It turns out that the motorhome damage, but not the tire, is covered by insurance - that is very good news.

Now we just have to see the adjuster and pick a place to get it repaired.

We're Back!!!

Well it's been a while, it's hard to believe that a retired person can be so busy.  I haven't posted for a while but I am going to fix that.  Thanks to all those who follow the blog.  You should be able to comment now that I'm not talking about licencing.

We have had a whole winter in Florida visiting with friends, cruising and running our regular computer classes.

Now that we're back we've been running from one thing to another.  And, now we're baby sitting a fish.