PAM

[cameron]

You must be back! How was your vacation? We sure have missed you on the boards!




ck

[MsHeirloom]

Good Day, Mate-
Thanks for missing me, Cameron (and others who have written). We got back Friday night just about midnight after the 34 hour odyssey that was our trip home from Sydney, Australia.
I was really out of the loop on our trip.  Our cell phones weren't compatible with the systems down there as we learned a couple days before we left.  We bought a phone card, but it only worked in NZ.  I did go to an internet cafe one time for a half hour. The ships email was extremely pricy. Maybe I'll have to splurge on a Blackberry or I-Phone should we ever go on such a lengthy (and I might add-wonderful) cruise ever again!!
I'll weigh- in on Wednesday.  I did up my protein intake on the cruise, but I also enjoyed, perhaps, a dozen glasses of wine over the month.  The food choices were great, and they always accommodated my requests for additional vegetables in place of the rice/potato offerings and fruit for dessert.  There was also fresh fruit in the room every day.  One night I enjoyed half a scoop of sugar-free ice cream  *evil*.  I did eat more volume of foods.  Well, time will tell.  I have my fingers crossed.  My clothes feel the same.  
Holland America certainly knows how to treat their guests.  I was upgraded to a huge handicapped room which I needed as the seas were high at times and I had to use my walker even in the room.  I only use a cane when I am out and about at home, but take my walker when I travel for balance and to sit on when I tire.  Our score excursions were wonderful, especially beautiful in the south Pacific islands.  There were plenty of enrichment and entertainment opportunities on board the ship.  The highlights were quality time with my husband and meeting many, many great and interesting people.  The only downside was the long, long...  air travel.
I sure missed all my LDL friends while I was away.
Pam

[LINDA RN]

Pam, do look into a smart phone next time. I got the Samsung Epic 4G and LOVE it. Only thing is that when you are using it like a laptop, the battery doesn't last and needs recharging. But it is like having a mini-laptop. I check LDL on my lunchtime and Facebook at work with it. It is well worth what we paid for them. Got one for DH and son also. The Blackberries are good also I hear.

Welcome back and you were missed!

[witheraway1]

Thanks for the update Pam, Your trip sounded wonderful and all that food that you did not have to fix. How great is that. Good to have you back. n   Wither

[wendysgoodnews]

Pam
I am so glad you are back and had a wonderful time.  You were very much  missed while you were away.  We would have all loved to have been with you on that vacation so you wouldn't have had to miss us!

[MsHeirloom]

Wendy- I wish you could have all gone with me, also.  What a great time we could have on a LDL cruise.  That would certainly be news-worthy and even bigger and better than our Ohio get-together!!!  Anyone want to go???

[Joyful Friend]

So glad you are home.  We had foreign coverage added on ATT phones, and we could talk every day to home,  when we were there.  I would like a blackberry because of email.  If I could figure out how to use it.   Then I could use it on the LDL cruise.  I'm in.  :D  JF  

[mylifeforhim]

I love my iphone. It works great too!

[LINDA RN]

The Samsung Epic does Email and I LOVE the browser!
LDL message boards and FB look the same on the phone as on the computer!
Lots of free applications too including simple games like Bejeweled and MaJung and Solitare for those times when the phome or browser is out of range! Iphone not available with Sprint yet so the Samsung Epic (droid) was the next best!

[mylifeforhim]

Linda, what browser does it use?  The downside with iphone is that they do not use flash since they are not licensed for it, which means if a web site uses flash then you do not have access to the web site.

[LINDA RN]

Not sure if Android supports flash either but I think it is coming.
None of them are perfect yet but the Epic is leaps and bounds better than the Instinct I had.

[mylifeforhim]

Thanks for the info, Linda.  I had not taken a look at other type of phones and was curious.

[crickadoodle]

How expensive is it per month over the normal cost for phone service?  I don't really understand all those fancy phones.  We use our phones for phone calls and that is basically it.  I have used it a couple of time to take pictures because I didn't have my camera and even emailed to my email acct. once.  (I'd taken a picture of a 6 or 7 ft. alligator that was along the shore of the bayou behind my husband's shop.)  We just aren't really techy in our household. 

[mylifeforhim]

I-phone through AT&T (they are the only ones allowed to offer it at this time) is about $50 a month and I don't know if it would be more without a combined bill.  I check my emails for different accounts, browse the web, take pictures (I haven't tried to download and print so I don't know about the quality), have games on mine to entertain the grandkids, pay bills, check my accounts, etc.  I'm sure there is more that I have not thought about.  Think of it as a mini computer.  I only wish the internet service were faster.  Most of the work I do is on line and I love the speed of fast service so I can get more done in less time. When I upgrade next year, I'll be able to take videos and put them on line as well as have chat where you can see each other. 

My husband calls me the Queen of Gadgets (which includes technology and tools, garden etc.)

[crickadoodle]

Oh, Pam, I forgot to welcome you back!  So sorry!  I got into the phone thing and was so curious about that, I forgot why I was on this thread.

[LINDA RN]

I just found out our phones do video calls. How cool is that?
Star Trek communicators are here!

[mylifeforhim]

Technology never ceases to amaze me.  We only have time to learn what we need or use.