Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Tea, fish tacos, and CERT


Good morning, friends!

I'm so glad to be sitting down with you for a moment. I'm having iced tea (obvs) and some really yummy cookies from Trader Joe's. Does the whole country have TJ's? I have no idea. If you don't, I'm sad for you. Almond Windmills are so delish. Little crunchy windmill-shaped sugar cookies flecked with almond bits and sprinkled with sugar. 

What is wrong with cookies for breakfast? Nothing.

So today I have a bunch of thoughts.
I went to my fav store in the world Anthropologie yesterday and wanted to buy some knobs. They are meant to be cabinet knobs, but I want to somehow use them as hand towel hooks on a bathroom wall. My hubs says you can't just stick knobs into the wall. He's got rules like that. I thought maybe I could screw them into a piece of wood of some kind, and then hang it. Complicated huh? I'd ask you for ideas about that too. Because, wow, the knobs are so great, and match my new bathroom colors like amazingly.



Did you know that one of my favorite foods in the universe is fish tacos? Today I got to try a new place for lunch with some awesome ladies. It was the BEST Mexican food restaurant. Loved it so much. I had fish tacos, of course. And then I had the thought that besides our great weather in California and all the greatness our coast has to offer, one of the best things is the Mexican food. If you don't live here, I'm sad for you just for that reason. Well, I guess lots of other states MAY have comparable Mexican food (but I'm seriously skeptical). Other countries? I highly doubt it. Unless you live in the actual Mexico.

If you ever visit me, we'll go get some Mexican food. And then you'll want to have it every day. And then your toddler will ask for "rockamoley" all the time, and then he will be potty trained on tortilla chips. That's what goes down on the left coast.



Ok last thought. My brother, who is a rock star in many ways, is taking this community course in L.A. on emergency preparedness. He keeps telling us amazing things that he's learning. The idea is that the class not only teaches you how to protect and provide for your family in an emergency, but it allows you to be a member of a trained volunteer task force for your city where you can serve your community with your skills, were a natural disaster to occur. He told us that during the Mexico City earthquake aftermath, 400 good samaritans showed up to assist, and 100 of them lost their lives in the process because they were unskilled and untrained for such a disaster.

This program is really interesting. Apparently, it began in L.A., and then FEMA picked it up (FEMA is a part of the national government in place to assist with emergencies across the country). You can go here, on the CERT website (stands for Community Emergency Response Teams), and look up the nearest education program in your area.


Seriously, his training sounds so cool. He said the first and easiest step to being prepared is leaving an extra pair of shoes at your bedside containing a whistle, an extra pair of glasses (if you wear them), and a flashlight. I asked, "Why the whistle?" He said the average person who is trapped can yell for help for 30 minutes, but you can blow a whistle for days. Makes you think, huh?

Last class, he and three other people had the challenge of moving a 30,000 pound boulder off the ground by 18 inches, the distance one would need to lift a large piece of rubble to free a trapped person. They were only given 2 crowbars and some pieces of wood. It took them three hours, but they learned how to do it. Would you have any idea? Neither would I.  

Here's my brother, all geared up. Isn't he awesome? He didn't know I was bragging about him and CERT, and happened to send me this pic today!




In L.A., the program can be completed in 30 hours. In my town, for whatever reason, it is only a 20 hour program. Sounds worth it, huh? Spread the word because people need to know this stuff.


 Well, now, I'm going to go check out YOUR virtual coffee posts.
Because I neeeever dominate the conversation (um, that's a lie).


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15 comments:

  1. OK, I am SO excited to hear about the CERT thing!! I kid you not, just this past week, my husband has been talking about how he would like to be trained in emergency preparedness (although he didn't really call it that) for the purpose of missions. His idea is that he'd like to have a certain skill-set that would allow him to go to areas of the country (or world) that have experienced major disaster (a la Japan) and serve the people's physical needs while telling them about Christ's love.

    ENTER CERT.

    Like an answered prayer (that I wasn't even praying!).

    He is gonna be SO. EXCITED.

    Thanks Leslie. And thanks Dave! :)

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  2. Hi Leslie. I was reading your little section on the knobs from Anthropologie and started laughing. :) Then I knew I had seen knobs on a piece of wood before and found this instead. it's a whole tutorial, maybe you could tweak it to fit your bathroom aesthetics better ;) http://poppiesatplay.blogspot.com/2011/03/shelfy-shelf-shelf.html

    In Christ,
    Rachel

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  3. Ok well first of all, here in NY(or at least my section of the state) there arent any TJ's. I always read about their products in blogland but have never had the pleasure. And Ive been to alot of different areas of NY. SO you cna be sad for me:(
    And then...if that was an offer to come visit you and eat Mexican food, Im totally game. What are you doing later today? Hahaha...obviously kidding. But I WILL be coming to BlogSugar so keep me on the invite list, pretty please?
    And thirdly, the course your brother is taking sounds amazing. And so worthwhile! Love it
    Have a beautiful day:)
    XO,
    Sarah

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  4. Wow, that course sounds really interesting. I wonder if they do them here in Italy... must go do a search now!

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  5. i think we were supposed to be friends. for lots of other reasons, but also because a) TJ's is the best. i'm sad for people who don't have one. i drive past six regular grocery stores on my way there, because i wouldn't dream of shopping anywhere else.

    b) anthro is obviously the best. though i really can't afford anything there, i just love being inside it. and sometimes their homegoods are slightly reasonable, so i splurge. knobs as a towel rack= incredible!

    c) fish tacos are my hands-down fave, too. i crave them weekly. taco tuesday? yes please. reese's top three favorite foods = beans&rice, tortillas, and yes, "rockamoley". i also make mexican food at least twice a week for dinner and we usually grab some at our local "hole-in-the-wall) mexican restaurant on the weekends at least once, sometimes twice.

    and also, that CERT info is awesome. a 30,000 boulder? i can't even comprehend that!?! what a rockstar!

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  6. Wow, that's an awesome program! Good for your brother!!

    Mexican food daily? Yes, please!

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  8. mmmmmmm fish tacos....... my husband and i went to san diego for our honeymoon and had fish tacos there for the very first time. we had never heard of them before and when we saw them on the menu we were like, "FISH tacos?! that seriously sounds gross." but luckily our san diego native friends persuaded and insisted. we ordered them and were. in. heaven. we still dream and drool over the thought of them. : )

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  9. I love mexican food! My husband has been asking me to make my enchiladas again soon. We live in No Cal, so we're blessed to have great mexican food here too! Thanks for the cup of coffee, have a great week!

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  10. p.s. you should make a button for your blog; i'd love to post it to my blog!

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  11. Where in California are you? I am in San Clemente. I too love fish tacos and mexican food and anthropologie and everything TJs! Love your idea for using the knobs...you could always stain or paint the wood you attach them too so it matches your bathroom. Thanks for tea!

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  12. First, I must say that I adore your blog.

    Second, I'm a sucker for Mexican food. It is practically the only food I can really make with any skill.

    Third, thanks for the coffee. I can't wait to come back again.

    Alita

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  13. {Sigh} You're totally making me miss Anthropologie. And Trader Joe's. And Mexican food. But mostly Anthropologie. I bought some adorable hooks from there a few years ago when I was updating the look of our apartment. Too bad Thailand doesn't do vintage that well. :)

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  14. i love fish tacos! wahoos are delish but so are so many other places around me. i have a great recipe for grilled ones on my blog and they are one of our favorites. i can't imagine living without trader joes. there are many things that only they carry and it is so wonderful! we finally made our earthquake kit last weekend ... ugg! visiting for coffee!

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