3 emergency tips

All:

I know that you are weather aware. Barbara Brown and I have been getting materials together (news releases, programs, tools) that you can use. I will be doing a program at OHCE this summer about building a kit on a budget. We wanted to have 250 homemade kits by the end of 2012. I have bumped the number up to 500. We can do this together!

If there is one message that you can get to your clients, consider these three emergency tips:

Identify a safe place

Wear sturdy, lace-up shoes

Have some bottled water ready

Be safe!

GP

Bright Ideas for Ladies

Dear educators,

You know that I really enjoy history. I was recently given a booklet titled:

Bright Ideas for Ladies

or

What to Teach Husbands About Electric Lighting

1960

Typically, I am good a putting text into a historical context. Times have changed and the language and sentiments towards gender role and norms have changed. The mores have shifted. However, this little booklet is utterly ridiculous as seen from today's lens.

It's the story of two women and their husbands [our narrator (no name provided) is married to Bill; Helen is married to Tod]. The narrator is visiting Helen and Tod at their suburban house that dates to the 1930s. Helen was going to turn a porch into a year-round room. Instead of extending the heating system (ductwork), Helen was going to use electric heaters to keep the space comfortable.

The story continues in a dramatic way, with Helen and our narrator worked on the issue, discussing the merits of planning ahead, calculating electrical needs, and safe wiring. This is indeed good information. However, the language was smug, condescending, and patronizing. It made me laugh out loud ... It was a good read :)

We'll talk about the dangers of old wiring in an upcoming post.

Thanks, all!

GP

Gentle Readers

Gentle readers,

I am borrowing a colleague's copy of the Emily Post "Etiquette" book, copyright 1937. The book is a delight to read. We know that etiquette has changed over the last 76 years. Interestingly, there are many entries devoted to the household and household decision-making behavior.

This one is of particular interest. From "The Well-Appointed House" (pg. 182)

"The personality of a house is indefinable,
but there never lived a lady of great cultivation and charm, whose home,
whether a palace, a farm cottage or a tiny apartment,
 did not reflect the charm of its owner."

Enjoy the photo of the "Every-Day Afternoon Tea Table" (pg. 224-225)

Launching the 2013 Spring Challenge!

Launching the 2013 Spring Challenge!
What are you doing to your home? 

Let's challenge each other to do one thing that makes us feel good about ourselves, our homes, and the environment. Everyone can make a difference, no matter how small. You have until next Friday (April 5 to respond).

Vermicomposting

My family is vermicomposting our kitchen waste into something the garden can utilize. My daughters and I went on a field trip to Dr. Doug Hamilton's vermicomposting epicenter to gather the red wigglers we needed. Doug and his wife Paloma were absolutely gracious! Check it out... 

This is where the worms live. Dr. Hamilton used a molasses solution to "call" the worms up to the surface.

Hampton Sloane (age 6) getting ready to harvest the red wigglers.

Jenkins (age 10) and Hampton getting a lesson on how to harvest. Note the expression on Hampton's face :)

Jenkins after a successful harvest.

Some of our new worms! They are living in my garage in a vermicomposter. It is SO easy to do and an interesting project, to say the least.

Where does this fit on the ISSUE TEAMS?

Environment, of course! EPA estimates that food scraps represent 14% of household waste. Worms also eat shredded paper, which 28.5% percent of household waste. Worms can eat this trash and add value to our home in the form of nutrient rich compost.

For information, please visit... http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw_2010_rev_factsheet.pdf.

Thanks!
GP

Falls at home

News you can use

On Saturday, January 26, I was painting the ceiling in my husband's study (aka the cozy bear's den). I was standing on a 2-step steps tool, admiring my work. I stepped back. I missed the step. I landed (all of my weight) on my posterior on a flagstone floor. My 6 year-old daughter was with me and said, "Mom, please stop screaming. Use your yoga breath."

I managed to make it through the rest of the day. The next morning, I woke up and my hand puffed up like a ballon. I went to the clinic, and the health care professional took x-rays. They determined that I sprained my wrist and ankle, and bruised my tailbone. Needless to say ... this has not been ideal!

I fell from a step stool just like this one.

Where does this fit on the issue teams?

Safety, of course! According to the University of North Carolina (UNC) Injury Prevention Research Center 2010 Annual report, most injuries occur in a home setting. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that each yea, 2 million adults aged 65+ are treated in emergency rooms for falls (http://www.cdc.gov/features/olderamericans/). 


Risk reduction is key. A relatively quick home safety check can help eliminate hazards. In my case, I should have been more careful. In the meantime ...  We are working on a falls risk reduction pilot project ... stay tuned for more info!

Why I called 911

News you can use

You all know that I am interested in emergencies and safety. I recently had to call 911. Here's why.

It was a recent Saturday. I was at work putting some materials together, when my 10-year old daughter Jenkins called my cell phone. She said, "Mom, please come home quick. Dad is bleeding all over the place." I got my stuff and drove home (2.3 miles).

Sure enough, I went to our guest room. We had a construction project tearing out an awful built-in. My husband (Jason) was laying on the ground holding his head, and there was indeed blood all over the place! His skin was paper white, too. He was dizzy and couldn't get up, so ... I called 911. My neighbor came and got the girls and I followed the ambulance to the hospital. It turned out that he had a laceration and concussion (no damage to the bone, thankfully).

Jason at the hospital (yes, he gave me permission to take his photo).

Where does this information fit on the ISSUE TEAMS?
Safety, of course! I did not lecture Jason. He later said, "If I were at work, this never would have happened. I would have been wearing my hardhat and safety glasses." My thoughts exactly. Did this event change his behavior in a measurable way? YES! It has been a little over two weeks, and he is just now starting to feel like his himself. Never again will he work without the right PPE.

What is the disconnect between work and home? Why do we take chances at home and follow safety rules at work?

Have a great weekend.

Roomscapes, thrift shops, and heavy metals

News you can use

My 10-year old daughter and I volunteer once a month at a Stillwater thrift shop. It's lots of fun! If you've never been thrifting, consider visiting a shop near you. I have found that there is a fine line between the goods in some antique shops and those found in thrift shops.

I recently received a catalog from "The Land of Nod" with a wonderful holiday roomscape. I really like the look of the room, but it would be a bit expensive to purchase everything at once. Why not recreate the look using items found at the thrift shop in addition to items from the catalog? Decorating on a dime!

Photo: Land of Nod
http://www.landofnod.com/Catalog/View-Online.aspx?Catalog_name=1159214_329220d0_b52142f8&RFX_Res=high&n=0

Where does this information fit on the ISSUE TEAMS?
Indeed, thrift shopping can be a matter of safety. Many times, I find products that are old, from other countries, and sometimes a combination of the two. I am MOST concerned about lead and other heavy metals in consumer goods. Watch for more information about this in the near future!

Anything else I can think of that might help you in your work
I am creating a lead in consumer (household) products program complete with eye-catchinh props. Watch for it soon on D2L!

Thank you,
Gina Peek