Merry Shakeout and ...

Fast morning scribbles.

Happy Birthday Rant Brother!
--RantBrother squalled into the world just before the Cuban Missile Crisis. RantWoman once asked RantMom about this juxtaposition. RantMom said she really was not thinking too much about the Cuban Missile Crisis because she was too busy giving birth to RantBrother.

--RantWoman deeply wishes Rant Brother would connect with another cell phone. RantWoman is glad RantBrother has friends who lend him his phone to call RantMom occasionally. RantWoman would appreciate a steadier flow of RantBrother texts even though the content of the texts is sometimes puzzling. No, RantWoman cannot fix something she does not even remember from decades ago and yes, RantWoman would rather get a little stronger connection to the present, beyond which sports RantBrother is watching on TV.

--RantBrother lives in a different city. This is both a great relief and a sorrow to RantMom. RantWoman finds it easier to be in Bossy Big Sister mode.  X would be possible if Y occurred first. Meanwhile, RantWoman spends lots of time on homelessness and affordable housing issues and keeping her own canoe afloat.

--RantWoman thinks it might be interesting to get RantBrother one of those cool electronic devices someone was flakking recently aimed at folks in Seattle. Then RantMom could add money AND maybe people in the city where he hangs out could also ...

--RantWoman offers this greeting in solidarity with other people she knows who also have homeless  or near homeless relatives.

Merry #Shakeout.
--RantWoman will observe the occasion by attempting to update the family communications plan. Considering that the Rant Sisters are having one of our periodic spells of stupendous magnitude miscommunications, this may take some work. We have been at this for decades. Sigh.

--Family reunions frequently touch on some form disaster preparedness. At RantMom's most recent one we learned that Aunt and Uncle SchoolTeachers took to heart this summer's #CascadiaRising exercises. They wanted to move to a place all on one level anyway and also opted to move inland out of any conceivable tsunami zone. Aunt and Uncle SchoolTeachers did a ton of bicycle touring when they were younger. After their move they also bought bicycles and mapped a route they think can get their 70-something selves out of the Sandy OR area after The Big One hits. RantWoman is impressed.

--RantWoman has some more learnings from last summer's #CascadiaRising exercises: learning of a number of blind ham radio operators, encouraging people on a State wide email list to make connections with their local preparedness officesa  and vulnerable populations communications networks, exchanging stories of lived experiences, updating personal plans including water because of a heat wave at the same time as the exercises. Fun times all around.

So no, RantWoman did not Drop Cover and Hold today, but...