Odds and Ends

We have a car seat! If you live in California, did you know that the Highway Patrol and local fire stations can provide clinics on safe car seat installation? I think other states provide similar services, so it's worth browsing around the internet. The officer who assisted us said that the vast majority of car seats coming in are not done correctly. So please call and get yours checked on this week! It was a great experience, because we got a one on one instructional session and learned a lot. Thank you CHP! (Below is the intersection of Topanga Canyon and PCH - it was a beautiful day to drive through the canyon and by the ocean!)

Our installation was out in the valley, and I used my time on the other side of the hills to enjoy a beautiful day in the valley. I know that if you don't live here, the San Fernando Valley has kind of a bad reputation, and I want to say that it is not deserved. The valley is a great place to visit with great restaurants and is warm and sunny on days when this side of the hills is foggy and cold. Maybe similar to New York, LA is clogged and traffic-infested, and the Valley is nice and suburban. I went to a lovely and uncrowded Target and Trader Joe's...heaven big parking lots, wide aisles, and a generally more pleasant shopping experience.

I availed myself of these opportunities and stocked up. We now have toilet paper, paper towels and cleaning supplies to get us through a month or so of baby-included chaos (including visits from my mum and N's dad and stepmother and his mum). We also have all sorts of frozen goodies from Trader Joe's and there is a lasagna cooking in the oven. I played around with my mother's recipe, so I'm going to test it, and if it worked, I'll share, otherwise I'll just post her original version (which is awesome).

After exerting myself, I am perched on the couch with my little buddy. Happy Monday, and if you're some place warm, please have a glass of chilled rose or some other summery drink for me.