[Rhodes22-list] "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On!" and "Mississippi Moon Won't Ya Keep On Shinin' On Me"

[Brad Haslett]

We'd pack-up our equipment and head for Burma and China but we're not quite
broke yet from our last response to a natural disaster. Americans proved we
have generous hearts and wallets after the 04' tsunami and Katrina and we
will again!  Not allowing aid into Burma is criminal!

Fan got a call this morning from one of our friends here in Memphis whose
mother lives near the epicenter (60 miles) from the quake in China Monday
afternoon (their time). That family has had their share of grief lately, the
husband's brother recently died of cancer and the wife's sister is slowly
dying of cancer as we speak.  She got her mother on the phone this morning
and  we  all  had a  morbid laugh.  "Sharon's" mother was planting flowers
and got up suddenly and felt "dizzy".  She thought she was fainting and
disorientated until she realized the whole earth was shaking.

We're leaving for Beijing on Saturday and then in the middle of next week
for Kunming to visit some friends. Since we live on the New Madrid fault
here in Memphis, we're trading one fault for another. As you know, I'm not a
religious person but perhaps a re-reading of Revelations is in order.
Cyclones, tornadoes, earthquakes, and a semi-black man with a shot at the
Presidency?  Lions and Tigers and Bears! Oh Wow!

Slim, don't let the naysayers discourage you!  The Mississippi can be a mean
'mother' south of St. Louie but she's doable.  Don't do it in the Spring and
you'll be fine.  Unless of course, the New Madrid decides to 'adjust'
herself and then all bets are off!  I'd like to join you for part of the
journey along the way.  What you really need is shore patrol to keep you
supplied with Scotch at every stop.  I have that technology!

Brad