Laurie sums up the past two days and our tornado experience

Just left Mississippi, after driving through some of the back country, far from the main thoroughfares, where the poverty is heartbreaking. Houses crumbling on their foundations, often with tons of trash or beat up cars in the yard. Whole towns were boarded up, with maybe one supermarket left standing. The only businesses that seem to be able to survive here are government-funded — the post offices, schools, WIC offices.
Based on this, it's inconceivable to me that the Mississippi governor, Phil Bryant, explained to the AP Press that his decision not to accept medicaid funding under Obamacare was because: “For us to enter into an expansion program would be a fool's errand. I mean, here we would be saying to 300,000 Mississippians, ‘We're going to provide Medicaid coverage to you,' and then the federal government through Congress or through the Senate, would do away with or alter the Affordable Care Act, and then we have no way to pay that. We have no way to continue the coverage." Um, and who is trying to fight the ACA? And does he know that it's not going to be repealed? 

In between the tiny impoverished towns there were miles and miles of flat plowed farmland that stretched in every direction. Running through these fields is the highway, a straight yellowish path disappearing into the horizon. To keep focused on our driving and not nod off, Catlin and I found a really good oldies radio station out of Jackson, Miss., and rocked out to the Doobie Brothers, The Doors, etc. We had planned to go to a state park campground, but once we got on the dirt road leading up to it and the GPS told us it would be five more miles of driving fifteen mph on pinging yellow dirt and gravel. We decided to call the campground and check that they took RV's. Nope, just ATV's, no electricity, no water. So Catlin hopped out and helped me do a U turn without careening down the muddy embankment. (She's getting really good at directing me as I back-up. We can back into any camping spot with just one try. Never thought I'd take pride in such an accomplishment!) 

We ended up at another state park known for its alligators. They gave us a list of permissible hunting firearms and the season schedule. My big take away was that there were a gazillion mosquitoes and it's February. At night, we listened to croaking frogs, crickets, and inexplicable rustlings all around us.

Yesterday, we arrived in Memphis! While Marls and I explored the heart of this funky little city, Catlin went to the Civil Rights Museum which is housed in the Lorraine Motel where MLK was shot. That night we went down to hopping Beale Street for dinner and to music by a band that before taking the stage, was welcomed by Dana Carvey. 

This morning, we woke up early to very gusty winds and weather reports ranging from ominous (dangerous winds, possible tornadoes, and severe lightening), to the it-might-be-bad-or-it-might-not-be-dunno. As we sat in our tin box, listening to the howling wind, trying to figure out what to believe, I saw an announcement on Memphis' channel 5 news that the meteorologist was going to do an  on-line chat and take questions. So I popped right on and asked the very first question: "We're in a 27 foot RV in the Memphis park campground. Is it safe to ride out the storm in it?" After about ten minutes of explanations about the forecast, the meteorologist said, "Well, we've got our first question here from Laurie who's in an Rv….Laurie, do not stay in the RV! You should get to someplace permanent  and leave the RV where it is! Hopefully, when it's all over you will find it's just fine and you can enjoy the rest of your time here in Memphis. Remember to try some of our bbq!"

 So, we got online and found a Quality Inn where we could park the RV. That's where we are right now. It's pretty gusty outside, the clouds a dark almost purplish. Since I wrote a book about tornadoes, I know maybe too much — like they supposedly sound like a train coming towards you. I got freaked out for a moment when I heard a train-like chugging, but then there was a train whistle and I could relax again! …. Spoke to soon! Oh, wow! Just now we had tornado sirens. I made Catlin and Marls go in to the bathtub because, in doing my tornado research, i learned that's the safest place to be. In fact, one woman and her dog were hunkered down in one during a tornado when all the walls of the house collapsed and the tornado sent them hurtling across fields only to deposit them in the claw foot tub on a farmer's front lawn, safe and sound ….Okay, so after three sirens, and three trips to the bathroom, it seems the tornado warning has been called off! Phew! It was weird, while the sirens were going some people were out driving around. Maybe they're used to it? I don't know but at one point, poor Catlin looked at me while crouched in the tub and asked if this was really necessary. Not sure. But it's now over and we're safe and not sitting in the motel tub on someone's front lawn. The RV's still standing and Marley is no longer panting!