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RE: Hotmail Outlook.com problem attaching a file
I too am having off and on problems with Outlook/Hotmail. Also some other weird issues related to seeing/printing bank statements.
I am Windows 8 (which I hate because I have not yet learned to adapt). I keep seeing incompatibility error messages pop up between Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10.
I have tried with some success to use different browser for the financial statement problem (FireFox and GoogleChrome). Talked with one techie who said Windows 8 has several known issues that have yet to be resolved.
Good luck.
Diann
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robanddi
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04/10/13 07:39am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Midwest SNOW Storm
We are in Weston Bend State Park (near Missouri River north west of Kansas City. Saturday night had 5+ inches of snow; us and the hosts were only ones here! They did plow the park roads on Sunday and we had another inch or so last night. Our German Shorthair Pointer loves dashing about in the snow and then begs to come back inside for the warmth!
Methinks it is time to head south.
Diann
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robanddi
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03/25/13 06:05am |
Snowbirds
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RE: Question for Well Seasoned Alaska Travelers
We have spent 6 summers in Alaska (and western Canada). Our first trip in 1993 (when we both had jobs) was for two weeks – one week on land and then one week in small boat from Juneau to Seattle. We fell in love with Alaska and promised when we retired we would buy a motorhome and spend the summer there. We did, as I said, and returned multiple times. We have met folks who said once was enough and have no desire to return. I say to each his own. IT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND TWO THINGS. (1) What are your personal priorities? and (2) What are your personal limitations? With the answers to these two questions firmly in mind then you can plan or not plan as you see fit.
I am a planner. I like to block out routes and alternatives and have a general inkling of overall trip plus a little more concrete detail on the next two weeks. This suits us. We have learned that we have to remain flexible (as sue.t. mentioned things happen beyond your control and you need to be able to deal with them or you ain’t gonna be happy campers). One summer fires were bad along the interior highways so we headed to the coast and scrapped what ‘planning’ I had done. Still had a great summer.
Being retired we are fortunate that time is not a real restriction. We are both reasonably healthy so a trip of 3-4 months without seeing a doctor or dentist is okay (though we have had some minor emergencies where we had to find one or the other in the most unlikely places). We aren’t rich but we aren’t poor either. We watch the money and try to find reasonable prices on fuel (a major expense); we also like to do something special and different each year (read $$$$) so this gets balanced with fewer meals out or a night or two in Walmart. Again these are decisions and choices the two of you (assume that is how many going) agree on or can compromise on.
It is very important that you understand and communicate your individual priorities. They don’t have to be exactly the same but they need to match closely or be prepared to negotiate compromise. We like nature; animals and scenery are number one for us. We also like history and local culture. We are not shoppers and fine dining is not our style (in fact we prefer eating lunch out and dinner in). We love seafood and all along the coast (inland as well) Alaska offers some of the best at good prices. Take advantage of them. One big money saver for us has been the Alaska Tour Saver book (which you can buy in advance). It cost $99 and provides mostly two for one deals. Example: a whale watching trip out of Seward may cost you $100- $169 each; using the coupon you cover the cost of the book with one outing. Coupons vary from year to year (and I hate the organization of the book) so it is nice to have it early so you can figure out what you want to do utilizing the savings.
Limitations are also important to understand up front. Physical limitations are most important. We aren’t gonna climb Denali and have no desire to do so. We aren’t going hiking in the wilderness for a week either and that is okay with us. After knee replacement there were some things I could do in the past which I can’t do right now. If one of us feels tired or cross or sick; laying back for a day or more is a good option (hence need for flexibility). I want to be connected so it is very important to me to have Internet access on a regular basis and this restricts where we stay at times (yet we still do Teklaneka for 4 or 5 days and love it). Our motorhome is self-sufficient and with careful water conservation we can dry camp for 5+ days and still shower every night. We are fortunate on holding tank sizes; those with smaller capacities learn to deal with it in a manner that fits them.
As far as what is doable in a day depends on many many things. Road condition is one and weather is another. Do you share the driving? Our rule of thumb for travel days is to leave early (we are early risers) and try to stop mid afternoon. Since we seldom make reservations this gives us leeway when our first choices are full. Another rule of thumb is to travel for a couple of days then stop for a couple of days or longer.
In 2012 we drove 11265 miles in 133 days. There were 59 days we did not move DP at all (we do pull a toad). Longest stays were 6 days typically in places where there is a lot to do in or near by … Fairbanks, Homer, Juneau (we are not real fond of Anchorage since the Anchorage RV park became a Super Target). Most typical stay is probably 3-4 days. Mileage driven in single day varies widely from 7 miles to the 600 but more typical is the 200 – 300 mile range (the 600 miles was the last day and we pressed on to get home). By contrast I looked at spreadsheet for 2000 and it covered 11865 miles in 77 days with fewer long stays. Longest day was 688 miles and it too was the last day when we pushed to get home.
Diann
P.S. Reservations are important if your flexibility is tight. We have had family or friends fly up for a couple of weeks and I plan that time closely and make reservations for the biggies = Denali, Homer, Valdez, etc.
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robanddi
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03/21/13 03:20pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Denali Bus Advice
We've been to Katishna twice, the first time several years ago and again last year. If the mountain is "out" you will get some fantastic views of it and the surrounding mountains. The first time we went we camped at Techlanika which shortens the bus ride by about 30 miles each way. Near Katishna we saw a lady across a Wonder Lake cove picking berries. There was a grizzly with cubs getting closer and closer to her. Everyone was hollering but she couldn't hear us. Some Kayakers were closer to her and hollering too. Finally she saw them and the grizzlies too and calmly moved away. At the end of the road is a small landing field. Several pilots were offering to fly people back at $100 or so a head. Last year we stayed two nights the Katischna Roadhouse. We had a couple (good friends) with us and they wanted to go there. I enjoyed that but there is not really a lot to do there that you couldn't do in other parts of the park. We flew back out. The plane landed near the bus depot.
Robert
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robanddi
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03/12/13 12:54pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Kennel in Gatlinburg TN?
Thanks ... I called and she sounds very nice. However, won't take reservation until April when she finds out if husband will be there to help or out of town on a job. We'll look for a backup plan just in case.
Diann
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robanddi
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03/05/13 12:56pm |
RV Pet Stop
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Kennel in Gatlinburg TN?
We are doing an old car tour of the Blue Ridge Parkway in May. We will be driving our DP to Gatlinburg and leaving it there while we tour in the Model A. Alas there is no room for Abby so we must kennel her.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a kennel in Gatlinburg? Rig will be at the Twin Creek RV Resort northeast of town off 321 and just outside the Great Smokey Mnts NP boundary. Abby is GSP and full of energy; we would like a place which gives her some space and also includes play time.
Thanks.
Diann
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robanddi
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03/05/13 06:46am |
RV Pet Stop
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RE: Number 1, two years in a row - a brag
What a great looking dog.
Diann
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robanddi
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02/13/13 08:05pm |
RV Pet Stop
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RE: Looking for Class A with 4 sldes
Dave,
LOL ... once when doing the Snake River in Oregon we came upon historic marker for a Lt Broughton that was charting the west coast way back when. In any event I like our name and even thou I don't have money I still love coming across the name.
Diann
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robanddi
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02/12/13 06:46pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Looking for Class A with 4 sldes
Sorry ... way off topic but my maiden name is Broughton. Are you Canadian or did you start out in the states? Maybe we are related. My family came via Virginia to Louisiana to east Texas around the turn of the century (last one not this one). I know there are tons of places in England and Scotland associated with Broughton (including Broughton Castle) and I've visited some.
Diann
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robanddi
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02/12/13 05:18pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Dometic Refrigerator 2006-ish Amonia smell
Rest assured we are not operating the refrigerator. We have 3 large batteries and an inverter BUT still don't feel we have enough reserve to run a residential refrigerator. Our coach is not all that big and size-wise we are okay with what we have JUST NEED IT TO WORK.
Hubby has contacted the folks who do most of the upgrades and fixes for us and they are looking for parts.
Diann
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robanddi
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01/26/13 04:35pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Dometic Refrigerator 2006-ish Amonia smell
Well, it is h_ll getting old. After the responses I decided to 'check' our collective memories (mine and hubby's). Boy were we wrong! It was 2004 not 2006 and we did smell AMONIA not sulfur. (I keep daily logs and did a search on my laptop!)
Again thanks for all the feedback. Next time I have a problem I hope I don't rely on my faulty memory but on THE FACTS.
Diann
P.S. ... but both of us were so sure??#$%@
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robanddi
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01/25/13 07:11am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Dometic Refrigerator 2006-ish Amonia smell
Thank you all for the quick responses. We are not full timers and are not living/sleeping in the DP now. Hubby has turned the sucker off. We are now searching for replacement rather than repair (probably).
Diann
P.S. Francesca, I am an idiot. I assumed when the smell went away, the problem also disappeared. I guess part of the problem did disappear; we did not die from smelling ammonia gas! LOL. Anyway, I distinctly remember the sulfur smell so I guess something changed between '01 and '06 on refrigerator coolants.
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robanddi
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01/24/13 06:26pm |
Tech Issues
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Dometic Refrigerator 2006-ish Amonia smell
Our original refrigerator went out in Tok, AK, in June of 2006. We were able to get a 'new' replacement in Anchorage. First sign of a problem in '06 was sulfur smell. We were told if you smell sulfur, it is toast and must be replaced.
Our last trip we kept getting very light whiffs of ammonia smell in the kitchen area. Refrigerator appeared to be working fine but it was so cold outside (mid 20's). We considered it might have been one of the A/C units on the roof since we thought we could smell the odor from one of the vents in the kitchen ceiling.
Still I wasn't real sure freezer was up to par. Noticed the ice cream was a little soft but other things seemed frozen. After we got home, the dreaded 'check' light came on and what was left in the freezer began to thaw. Husband emptied everything and reset 'check' light. We are holding our breath to see if it works BUT my question:
Is ammonia the equivalent of sulfur smell????????? Should we be looking for a replacement now even if the sucker cools down?
Diann
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robanddi
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01/24/13 03:41pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Colder in NE Oklahoma this morning than Anchorage!
sue.t, love the pic ... back in Houston and back in shorts!
Diann
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robanddi
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01/23/13 05:29pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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Colder in NE Oklahoma this morning than Anchorage!
I am amazed by weather. In my mind the further north you are, it ought to be colder, right? Well it was 23 degrees F at 7 am in northeastern Oklahoma. I checked Anchorage and it was 23 degrees. LOL.
Diann
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robanddi
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01/22/13 07:36am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Driving Whitehorse to Skagway
Go for it. Skagway is a fun place (better when there aren't 4 or 5 cruise ships in). We love the overflow space at Pullen Campground. You park on tarmac and face the Lynn Canal. We get to watch the folks pour off and later wander back to the cruise ships. Seriously, one can easily spend 5 days in Skagway with plenty to do.
We have taken the ferry (rig and all) from Skagway to Haines both ways (different years). Other years we have taken ferry (with rig) from Haines to Juneau and spent a week (this was the year of the big fires). Last year took the ferry from Haines again to Juneau and then continued on the marine highway (getting off at Petersburg, Wrangel & Ketchikan) to Prince Rupert.
Personally I would not want to go to Juneau for the day. There is plenty to do for 5+ days and I would want my rig (and dog).
Gave you more ferry info than you may have wished ... sorry. I do love the drive to Skagway and there is a steep drop before reaching town so take it easy and baby your brakes. We also like the drive to Haines (not quite as scenic but we have seen lots of animals including bears along the way).
Diann
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robanddi
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01/18/13 01:22pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Alaska-Cruise vs Driving
As other folks have said, a lot depends on you and what you like. My 50th birthday present was a one-week land tour and one-week (small boat) cruise from Juneau to Seattle. This was way back when ... 1993. We fell in love with Alaska and when we retired drove our motorhome from Texas and spent the summer. That was 2000; we did in again in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2012.
The cruise gives you a taste; driving gives you much much more. We always drive on our own so if weather is bad we move on or wait it out. If there are fires we re-arrange our loose arrangements to avoid them. Flexibility is the key when you are on your own. I'm a planner but we like to change our plans as circumstances dictate.
Another thing to consider when going on your own, you need to be outgoing enough so you can socialize (if you want) or compatible enough you won't kill each other. Living in a tin box for extended periods of time presents some challenges. We always bring our dog and that has been a great ice breaker to meet folks (fellow travelers and locals).
Diann
P.S. Be careful about saying it is a 'once in a lifetime' trip. You may end up like us!
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robanddi
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01/14/13 10:10am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Prescriptions and mail
Our insurance requires mail-in refills (90 days). This usually does not present a problem; however, if we are in Canada there have been delays and mix ups. Priority mail from the US does not work exactly the same way in Canada and we have had stuff sent Priority General Delivery and it remained at the airport in the carrier's office rather than go to the post office. We have used campgrounds as destinations as well.
It is my understanding that Canada Post is quite nice about General Delivery for its many 'southern' visitors but this is not 'normal' for them so not sure how it is handled in off seasons like winter.
We have used FMCA for several years with mixed success. They mail one day a week (based on first letter of your last name) and you need to plan ahead for where you will be. With our laid back go with the flow traveling this can be confining.
With the wide availability of the Internet, it is so much easier to do finances AND stay in touch. Also cell coverage continues to expand so I feel better than folks can reach us if they need to.
Diann
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robanddi
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12/23/12 01:11pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Yukon tempreature??????????sue.t where are you?
Houston is back to 76 degrees (F)and I'm running the A/C again. Never went to sweats and have been comfy in my shorts! LOL Another 'cold' front is coming in Christmas Day with rain in the morning and a low of 30 that night. may have to dig out the sweats after all.
Diann
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robanddi
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12/23/12 01:01pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: What is a must see if you only have 2 weeks?
sillyme, if you can go without hookups a night or two consider:
Williwaw State Campground on Kenai side of tunnel from Whittier (makes a good stop after the ferry crossing from Valdez).
Seward City Campground is wonderful but first come first serve so there might not be electric sites left (fresh water fill and dump are nearby) ... what is so great is the view and it is close (almost walking distance) to the cruise boat terminals
***
We both love Homer and like to stay at Homer Campground which is almost at the end of the spit on the right; Heritage looks nice with great sites but it is pricey and more of a hike to the funky places on the spit for eating etc.
Have a great trip. I do quite a bit of preplanning especially for tight time-wise trips BUT I would encourage you to be as flexible as you can (hard to do with locked in reservations) ... Alaska weather can dictate doing things not exactly in the order planned.
Diann
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robanddi
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12/22/12 11:30am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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