[philip in china]

................ have been greatly exaggerated.

The chimney on the forge was cracked by the main shake. It was a 7.9 within 100 miles of here so I think my motto still stands. An aftershock took it down completely. The forge still works and has made emergency tools and boiled rain water.

In town we lost a complete hospital and a couple of schools. Pretty well no survivors from any of those. We need the hospital! Death toll here is huge. The Chinese army are working day and night to help. They really have been marvellous. There has not been any looting at all that I have seen. That compares well with the gangs operating after Katrina!

My beloved judo mat we ripped up to provide beds for people and the canvas cover is now a tent over a soccer goal. It is further supported by my hog roast uprights and the squat stands from the weights room. (All Rustmart products).

We now get a few hours power a day so I can post. Would have done earlier but couldn't get the all new site to work and when time is at a premium one cannot waste it on machines that hang.

Your kind thoughts and messages really have been a support to me and to Sean the other smith here.