Earthquake Strikes! Coping with Natural Disaters, Friends and The Pool, Grocery Finds

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Hi Friends!  It’s only fitting that a mere 5 days after being back in San Diego, an Earthquake Struck!!!

 

“Swarm of earthquakes strikes southern San Diego County

 

Nearly two dozens earthquakes, including a magnitude 5.7 temblor, struck Monday night near the U.S.-Mexican border in southern San Diego County. (that’s where we live, Southern San Diego county!)

The largest of the quakes was recorded at 9:26 p.m. and was felt by residents across a wide swath of Southern California, including Los Angeles.

The temblor was centered five miles southeast of Ocotillo in San Diego County and 16 miles east-northeast of Jacumba in eastern San Diego County, the U.S. Geological Survey said.”


Considering we live in a Tall and Skinny Four-Story House…

 New house in San Diego

…As I was sitting at my desk on the 4th floor of the house at 9:27pm waiting for Scott to come home at 9:30pm, I thought at first the shaking was the garage door opening.  No.

 Curtains hanging on windows

Then I thought it was our neighbors getting jiggy and the walls were just shaking a little.  No.

It was a freakin’ 5.7 Earthquake!  


I have been in tons of little tremors during my previous 6 years living in San Diego, but this one was the longest and biggest I have felt.  The entire house was swaying and it lasted for about 30 seconds.  They even stopped the Padres baseball game as Petco Park was swaying.  A stadium was swaying!  You can imagine my house was swinging and swaying like crazy!  Visions of being trapped underneath rubble flashed through my mind.  I watched way too much 9/11 footage that’s forever etched in my mind!

We are fine, there is no property damage, and I filled out the Did You Feel It Government Form.
But it does make me re-evaluate my natural disaster readiness.  I am basically ready for nothing.  That’s my “readiness” level.

But, my day preceding the Earthquake was action packed!  I do mean, Action. Packed. 

It started off with cardio and lifting, and then I drove to my friend Jenny‘s house and had a great day with her!

Outside patio with lounge chair and umbrella
Her Firepit and Deck
 
Pool and Whirlpool
Pool and hot tub

It was so awesome to connect with my friend who I hadn’t seen in 9 months.  I was reminded of the value and benefit of having real life, in the flesh not just online, friends after spending a few hours catching up with Jenny.

As I mentioned yesterday, it’s important that I don’t live my life at the computer here in San Diego as much as I did in Phoenix. 

Woman and child in bathing suit waving
 Sitting poolside with my friend and Skylar clearly beats life at my computer chair.  Only fitting I was sitting at my computer chair when the earthquake hit.

Jenny and I caught up on life and Skylar played in Jenny’s garage which has been converted into a little girl’s paradise!  Jenny has a 2.5 year old little girl and Skylar was happy to play with all the toys!

Shelves full of toysToy room with multiple toy set ups and young girl playing
Various vanity and kitchen toy set ups
From mock kitchens to Barbie “Hair Salons”

 

To Dress Up Clothes
Young girl playing in toy room by dress up clothes

 

To Pushing Baby Around in a Stroller
Young girl pushing around baby doll in stroller
 
She was in heaven!
Young girl standing and smiling

 

And so was I!
Lounge chair with towel and pillow

And we just had a great time! 

Woman and child in front of pool smiling
Woman and child in front of pool waving

Here in San Diego, Jenny is like what Madeline and I were in Phoenix.   

Woman sitting on leather couch

Jenny is 10 days away from giving birth so she was not feeling like being photographed and I don’t blame her!   But I am always game to recycle a Madeline photo…love you too honey!

I cannot wait for more pool and girl-talk days!   Here’s to Living Life outside and in the real world, not at a computer desk!  

I wanted to thank everyone who chimed in on yesterday’s post about Tattoos!

Cover of Tattoo Magazine

Seems that everyone’s pretty tolerant of tats, even if you don’t personally want one, you are okay with them on others.  I also had people coming out of the woodwork whom I would have never guessed who have ink, and lots of it!  I love how these topics bring out random facts and things I would have never known otherwise about my readers and friends!

Photo in magazine of arm tattoo of flowers and butterfly

I am really wanting to get a quarter sleeve.  I just have to find the perfect design and images.  Not sure if that will take a a month or a year, but I’ll keep you posted!  Thanks to those of you who chimed in and said you think I could rock the sleeve!

And I metioned Reality TV Shows and Mindless TV Watching and Bethany’s new Show.  I still need to make a date with my DVR and watch the first episode.  Glad to year you guys liked it so far!  Bethany seems pretty “real” and I find her funny as heck on the RHW of NYC so it should be fun to watch her new show.


Let’s not forget the microwave discussion.   I had no doubt that the majority of you were going to report that you use and like your microwave.  It’s a tool.  Yes, food tastes better being prepared other ways like the oven or stovetop and yes, there are hazards to microwaves, but it seems most of you prefer to use it as needed for convenience, and not stress too much over it.  

Stainless steel microwave

Katie said:

I’m totally cool with microwaves. Honestly, I think people freak out over little things like that. Go for a run outside, downtown, weaving between traffic and smog and exhaust fumes, but cook food in a microwave?!? NO WAY. Please. I’ve been known to cook entire meals in the microwave – it’s more efficient than stovetop, and only one dish to clean. Just make sure to use glass or ceramic, not plasitic, and it is really not bad for you. 

Danielle said:

Ahhh the microwave. It’s one of those things that I *know* isn’t good for you…changing all the molecular properties of nutrients in your food. But I’m too busy to sit at the house all day roasting (or even steaming) all my veggies. When I have the time, I do. But for now I use the micro when it’s necessary and I always do it in a glass bowl rather than plastic!

However, there was a sizeable number of you who said that “microwaves scare you“.  I heard that over and over in the comments.

Robyn said:

For me I say a BIG NO to microwave cooking. I have a microwave but it has been moved to my laundry for guest use only. For me I feel the convenience of a microwave is to the detriment of my health.

New studies have shown that microwaves can
1. cause leaching of toxins from plastics and paper that you are heating your food in
2. change the chemical structure of your food to the point of becoming carcinogenic – can distort and deform the molecules of whatever it is you are heating
3. they have been known to leak radiation (usually the older models as opposed to the newer ones) but even through the looking glass (hence why I keep mine in another room!) Can actually cause changes to heart rate and also have been proven to change the blood sugar levels in diabetics or those prone to blood sugar problems
4. Heating food already causes some loss of nutrients but ‘microwaving’ is a huge waste of money I may have paid for my organic food, which is now rendered ‘dead’ after microwaving.
5. Microwaves are used in gene altering technology because of their ability to weaken cell membranes

 
I would like to pretend I’m not changing the molecular structure of my food or having a Plastic Wrap, Toxic Soup, Leach-Fest onto my food when I use the microwave.   But…Oh wait, I already do pretend that and use it anyway!  As I used it to nuke up some microwaved corn!
 Wrapped ears of corn in microwave

Anyway, thanks to everyone who chimed in on tats to microwaves.  It was a popular post!

Oh and remember yesterday when I said that I hadn’t gotten any interesting comments about my post on Gays and Gay Pride

Well I got this comment yesterday:

From Shayna: It worries me that you bring your daughter to pride parades. I don’t believe being gay is right or moral. I love them, but wished they chose to live a moral life. The same goes for anyone who choses to be sexually promiscuous.   (Click Here to Respond to her)

She loves them butdoesn’t believe being gay is right or moral.

Okay, I have a full day ahead of me and could write a book but haven’t the time.  Maybe some of my other readers want to address this.

Moving On!!!!
Yesterday, after I left Jenny’s, I had to swing through the grocery store.  I hit the Summer Fruit Jackpot!

Whole Pineapple on countertop

 

Bartlett Pears
Three Bartlett pears on countertop
 
Asian Pears
Overhead of two Asian Pears
Close up of two Asian Pears
 Normally these suckers are expensive but they were the same price as the Bartlett’s

Bananas which will turn into….

Bunch of bananas on countertop

Softserve Recipes Including:
 
Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Softserve

Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Softserve in bowlClose up of Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Softserve

 Peanut Butter Soft Serve

 Peanut Butter Soft Serve in blender
 

 

Mango BananaVanilla Softserve in bowl

 

Or  Vegan Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Coffee Softserve

Vegan Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Coffee Softserve in blender
Vegan Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Coffee Softserve Sundae in white bowl
Close up of Vegan Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Coffee Softserve Sundae

Vegan Vanilla Chocolate Chip Softserve and Sundaes

Vegan Vanilla Chocolate Chip Softserve and Sundae in white bowl
 
Close up of Vegan Vanilla Chocolate Chip Softserve and Sundae in bowl with spoon

Who knew that bananas could turn into all that softserve yumminess!  Gena did, of course!

Bunch of bananas

And the Fruit-Fest Continued with Green & Red Grapes

Red and Green Grapes

 Cherries

Cherries

 

Plums & Pluots
Plums & Pluots

 

 Lettuce
 
 
 
 
Close up of lettuce
 
 Brussles
Close up of Brussel Sprouts
Fresh produce and a well-stocked fridge makes me happy!

Dessert is a reminder to put summer fruit like Pears, Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Pluouts, Apricots, and more to good use!   

Substitute them for apples using my Raw Vegan Apple Crumble Recipe

Raw Vegan Apple Crumble in clear container

Side view of Raw Vegan Apple Crumble in container
 That’s Cinnamon-Infused Agave in the Raw Vegan Apple Crumble RecipeSlurp.

Gym & Weights Workout Today From This Tab: Full Body Workout

Tip of the Day:  
Remember when I received some Vega Shake and Go and had a Give Away for it?  Well you can save on it!

 

New! Vega Shake & Go SmoothieFor one week, save 15% off all packages of the newest Vega product – Shake & Go Smoothie!
Enter promo code:
VNEWS-SHAKEANDGO
at the e-Store checkout. Offer valid through June 21, 2010.

Questions
1.  Do you have a friend that you haven’t seen in ages (or can go long periods of time without seeing) but that when you see each other again, it’s like you were never apart?
I have a few friends like that, Jenny is one of them as is a friend of mine from childhood.  And it’s a great feeling to have people like that in your life.  You don’t need to give the backstory or explain yourself.  They already know the whole story and if they don’t, they can piece it together in 3 seconds. 

2. Favorite summer fruit you’ve loving right now?
Me = Too many to pick but cherries, plums, and pluots are so good right now!

3. Toys.  Do you have any toy memories (or games) from your childhood you could not imagine your life without?
Me= Cabbage Patch Dolls, Barbies, Legos, Monopoly, Battleship, Nintendo Super Mario Brothers and Zelda, gosh and so many more but those come to mind right away.

4. Are you ever too tired to “defend” or argue or “change the world’s mind”?  I have posted about this before.  What’s something you don’t bother correcting people on or getting involved in discussions about anymore?
Me = Today, yes.  Not to mention I have a really fun day away from my computer waiting.  More on that tomorrow!

5. Natural Disasters.  Have you ever been in one?  Have you ever had a relative or loved one in one?  Do you have a readiness plan?  Do you fear any disasters in particular?
I grew up in Minnesota and spent some very white-knuckle moments as a child in the back of cars that were in the ditch in 20 foot snow drifts with blowing snow and wind and temps in the -50 F below zero range.  Where you freeze to death in a half hour type of thing.  

I have also been Scuba Diving with Scott and we are dive buddies and his regulator (oxygen supply) malfunctioned and he had to breath off my line and we had to do an emergency ascent from about 60 feet deep.

In the San Diego Fires in 2007, we were under mandatory evacuation from our home.  We didn’t evacuate though.   It was on the heels of the Hurricane Katrina disaster and visions of going to a crowded stadium with a newborn baby and no beds was not something I wanted to do.  We were about 2 miles from the fire line.  We did have time to truly escape if need be, but didn’t need to.  However, the soot and ash covered our neighborhood for months.  Many children born around the time Skylar was born have permanent allergies and asthma because of the ash in the air for months.

Earthquakes.  Like I said, this was the strongest one I have been in and makes me realize I need to figure out a better plan than what I’ve got now (read: no plans!)

So that covers air, land, and sea.  I respect the power of Mother Nature, and then some!  However, I don’t live in fear.   There is no point to that, either.  I don’t have weeks worth of canned food and water.  I don’t have a generator, I don’t have gas masks, I don’t have flashlights up the ying yang.  I think there is a way to mentally prepare as well as some easy stuff one can do, but I am not a “survialist” and don’t plan to work myself up.  Why worry about Mother Nature…I cannot change her wrath or fury with my worry anyway!
Do you worry about natural disasters?  Why or Why Not?  Have you taken and steps or made plans?

Stay Tuned For more of my (eclectic) Life from San Diego…

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