The Brookston Family Blog
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In Porterspeak, black cookie means an Oreo cookie. And while I can’t take credit for introducing him to Oreos — that was Theresa, his occupational therapist — I did buy some for home. Although in my defense, I did get the fat free ones. Anyway, Porter’s been bugging Sarah to have a black cookie for breakfast. She’s been holding fast but I confess I may have given him one or three a time or two. So this morning, he again was angling for a black cookie but since Sarah was around I said no. Who said I don’t have standards? He asked Mommy again but was also rebuffed by her. At one point while we were both in the living room this morning, Porter tries one more time, but more forcibly than usual when he says. “I want a black cookie, dammit!” I can’t imagine where he heard such talk, can you?

One of the items in the kids Easter baskets this year was modeling clay. Porter used the stick of blue clay to make a train — what else — and he wanted to two candles to put in it for some reason. Then her persuaded Aunt Margaret to light the candles for him so he blow them out. If Porter would have been able to persuade her to keep lighting them, I’m sure we’d still be there now blowing out candles.

Watching Aunt Margaret light the candles.

Porter about to blow them out.

Apparently this Republic of Cascadia that I mentioned in an earlier post this morning is sort of serious to quite a few people. There is a lot of information about it on the internet. Several websites discuss the Free Cascadia movement including the Republic of Cascadia, annother that emphasizes the bioregion of Cascadia. Alta Columbia has a good map the proposed Cascadia, though it seems to me it should extend to Santa Cruz, California and start there. There’s also a Cascadian National Party and Wikipedia has some interesting information, including a competing flag design.

The Republic of Cascadia flag.

The competing Cascadian Flag, a.k.a. “the Doug.” Personally, I think I like this one best.

Saturday was also my first opportunity to meet Audrey, who turned two at the end of December. She’s the daughter of our other good Seattle friends, Dave and Kara. She’s so adorable and it was great finally getting to meet her. I can’t wait to get her and Alice together at some point. They both seem very independent and willful, so I’ll bet they’ll have some amazing adventures together.

Audrey arrives with her Easter egg balloon.

And sporting a Sonic Boom t-shirt, a local record store.

Fascinated by an egg.

Audrey snuggled up with her Mommy, Kara.

Audrey Comes Alive!

American Gothic without the pitchfork, a family portrait: Kara, Audrey and Dave.

Today is the 100th anniversary of the San Francisco earthquake. I’m watching a documentary about it on PBS as I write these words. Communication went down fairly quickly and the city was cut off for several weeks until rebuilding got under way. It’s pretty interesting, actually, especially having lived through the Loma Prieta one in 1989. Learn California has some interesting photographs and information about the earthquake, as does an earth sciences website. Now the PBS documentary is over the next show is about the Cascadia Fault, speculation about a massive earthquake zone from the Bay Area to British Columbia, which includes San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. Again, it’s one of those “not if, but when” scary shows that discusses what might happen using worst case scenarios. Now that fills me with confidence. I think I’ll be turning this one off. But on a lighter note, I’ve always loved the area from Northern California to B.C. so it’s nice to know there’s a name for the whole area. There’s even an independence movement for the Republic of Cascadia. I think I may be a supporter. After all, almost all of my friends live in Cascadia.

Much of the damage in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake was due to fires which rages long after the initial quake.

San Francisco City Hall after the quake.

The US Mint was one of the few buildings spared in the 1906 earthquake.