Getting some Facetimewith the grandchildren

Facetime. It's just what you need sometimes with the ones you love.
And it's a great tool for keeping in touch with the grandchildren when they're on the go or you're far away.
This weekend was our first encounter with the iPhone answer to Skype. Perfect for front-and-back facing phone cameras.
Facetime works over the Internet as well as cell data lines, so, if you're like us and cell coverage at home is spotty, there's no problem as long as you have an Internet connection to WiFi.
The call came in a bit after 8 a.m. Sunday morning by landline: "How about some facetime with the girls?"
OK, a test of a grandparent's connection to the 21st century.
A quick Internet search while my wife chatted on the handset, and the mystery was revealed. No app necessary, Facetime was already available on my phone. Just hie sign in under my already displayed ID, leave the use cell option turned off and a ring of the iPhone later, there it was, crystal clear, real-time streaming video and conversation with the twins who we hadn't seen since Christmas.
Perfect ting to cheer up an otherwise dreary, damp day on Narragansett Bay.
Better than a phone call because we're talking to the kids and seeing them, not just asking about them. And it looks like a perfect tool to keep up with their progress from toddlers to preschoolers and beyond when we can't be there.
Looks like a tool we'll be keeping handy.