This a test of the RSS Feed system. This is only a test.

This a test of the RSS Feed system. This is only a test.
If this were a real a real emergency, I wouldn't post it on the blog....I'd be calling you in person.

Sorry for those of you reading this post - especially since it is an interruption on our series loosely entitled "Adventures in Southern Africa" which has many more posts to come.

I need to test the RSS Feed that I just set up. You're wondering what an RSS feed is. I am wondering about it myself. My understanding is that if you sign up for an RSS Feed service, you will get an automatic update to your email address which notifies you that a new post has been made on the blog. I like this idea a lot.

As it stands right now, I send an email to my family and Ryan's family everytime we post something new. I don't mind too much, but it IS an extra step. After I've sent that email I have to dig back into the bowels of my brain to think of others who might want to know about a new post.

I know there are only a few *truly* regular readers in the "non-family" category (you know who you are... AS, CC, PN, and since I've recently been corrected...JMW, GW and the youngest reader OW) that check in with regular frequency so it isn't SO bad to send a second email to those few. This does not count my Pony Express Bank Fan Club of course, because they get updates from Ryan's Mom, Ella.

[Hello Pony Express Fan Club! Whatever you do, don't enjoy this 15 seconds of fame TOO much, or I might get an even bigger ego. If I got a bigger ego, the blog would get pretty boring. I need to keep my curious and befuddled nature intact - that makes for the best adventures and consequently the best stories]

But then I think about other people who have commented that they enjoy the blog and so I try to think of anyone who has ever said they like reading it....and this list is a little longer (BB, AC+TC, AG + RG, RM, TW, MF and hopefully TF, RL + JL, maybe even SD) so it takes a little more work to think of these names on the fly. And of course I forget someone. Or I could add someone (like MFG!!) just to let them know I care.

Anyway - I've gotten off topic. (Must have been all that thinking about my fan club) The point is that I have created a link on the right-hand side of the page. See it over there? Yes, that's the link. It says RSS Feed.

For some reason creating that link is a good thing. But in order to test the RSS Feed service, that will supposedly notify my via email about a new post, I have to create a new post. This is that test. It is only a test.

If you're interested in getting these automatic updates using the RSS Feed thing-uh-majig, let me know. Actually, pretty soon you'll be very interested in getting the RSS Feed thing-y because I will soon tire of sending multiple email announcements. Then you'll BEG me for information on the RSS Feed.

But for now, let's just see how this test goes. If it works, I'll send you all the info and links you need.

This is a test of the RSS Feed System. This is only a test.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.