What's Blue and Taller Than Sally—NB

Steve and Sally

Seattle is raining and cold today, the street is full of puddles and the wind nips at your face.  And in all this drizzle and grey, a big old white truck rumbled down our street, filled with big white boxes (and boxes).  And tucked inside each box were the new 2011 LATCH manuals, the color of a Seattle sky on a warm summer day.  A feeling good, happy day, lay-in-the-grass-with-nothing to do blue sky day. You know what I mean?   That blue.  


At 9 AM today, Consolidated Press came with a special delivery of manuals!  Consolidated Press is major cool, guys.  


The majority of the run is still at the bindery, but, just for us, they pulled 669 off the floor so we could have some before Christmas. (I told you they were cool!).  


Their usual truck was in the shop, so they used an old one, without a lift.  The driver (Don), Sally, Steve and I hand unloaded the boxes. Each box weights 25 lbs.  We all got a bit of a work out.    


Ok so Sally is only 4 ft 11.  But still that's a lot of boxes.

Seattle Marathon

Greetings from the sweat shop of Safe Ride News! (Photo of our work table)

I just left the office feeling like I'd run a Marathon.  I call our bi-annual race to finish the LATCH Manual  my "Seattle Marathon" (the real one was run just last weekend).  We found the race course had an unexpected, steep up-hill grade in the last mile -- a tether-related recall from GM and a proposed rulemaking notice from NHTSA that just might someday have an impact on LATCH anchor weights, both announced just a week ago.  We managed to make it to the finish line with a last-minute surge of extra energy fueled by lattes from the nearest independent coffee shop.

I know Nancy, Denise, and the rest of our team, Linda, Nancy L, Katrina, as well as Steven, Sally, and Molly (our mas-cat) are equally tired and happy that the manual is now headed for the printer, right on time.  I hand-carry it down there first thing in the morning, December 1.

The exhilaration hasn't quite hit me yet—probably tomorrow.  Tonight, I'm just content to curl up with a book (fiction)  and some herb tea.  I doubt I'll stay up very late.

Hoping you all had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving and that you will enjoy the coming holiday season.

Stay tuned -- you blog readers will be the very first to learn the new color, when the first shipment of books reaches us in a few weeks.

Deborah

P.S. The photo contains a hint about the color!

Visions of Sugar Plums — Deborah Stewart

No, the manual isn’t candy-striped—keep guessing!  Ever since spring, all of us at Safe Ride News… have been thinking ‘way ahead to December.  (I feel almost like a toy manufacturer's gnome, always working at least two seasons ahead.) Our team—now 5 people—began gearing up for the 2011 LATCH Manual back in April. 

The writing of three detailed questionnaires—for vehicles, CRs, school bus seating and CSRS—led up to the summer research period.  I’m always delighted that our manufacturer contacts are all so willing to fill these out in detail, despite the challenges they have getting their own new products ready for September roll-outs.  This shows their dedication to keeping kids safe.

Editing the chapters, several of which had major makeovers this time around, is always an adventure, particularly as new product information reveals itself during the research phase.  I’m constantly learning, especially as I rethink our presentation of advances in the field.  And now that we can analyze all the responses, there are some interesting trends!!!

So, while we taste the sugar plums yet, we are doing more than just dreaming of getting the best LATCH Manual ever to press on time. We are on track to hand it over to the printer December first so we will be able to dream of something other than LATCH connectors and weight limits—maybe a ride on the Polar Express. 

Pick a number between 1 and 7547-NB

Really, who could choose just one?  I am woman who wears mostly black, because it's easier / faster to get dressed in the morning with less choices.  

I am an artist, I LOVE colors (and paint,but that's a different blog).  I love how they interact with each other, enhance and speak to you.  I love the psychology of color (tired? cranky? find some pink, cold?  sit in a sunshine yellow room, studying?  green walls are best) 

So you can see the problem, what color to choose from a fan of a zillion, bright, beautiful choices?  Orange?  Yellow, Red, Green, Blue?  Black? It’s one of the most fun tasks and the one of the hardest for me.  

We have come to the point where we need to pick a color for the new 2011 LATCH manual (due back from the printer in January!).   How exciting is that!? 

We started the manual April 2010, and it is indeed a team project.  There are hours and hours of research, and more research.  Long days, small delays. One answer to a question will invariably lead to another question and then another.  You would be amazed at how many people work together to bring the child passenger safety community the best / latest/ most up-to-date material available.  Right now we are knee deep in writing, gathering final information, illustrations and pulling it all together.  We have a printer date / deadline to meet, and it looks like it’s going to be the usual late night and weekend duty to pull it together in time. 

There is a lot of discovery, a lot of stress, a lot of love and pride-for-what-we-do, that goes into publishing a new LATCH manual edition. And there is even some fun. 

Even after 26 years of graphic design, I still get a thrill picking out a cover color.  One of the perks of this project for sure. 

A few weeks ago we three (Deborah, Denise and me) met at Deborah’s and a cover color was chosen. No dark back room, no secret knock, just a lovely lunch, a Pantone book  (printers ink swatches), and a bit of socializing.  It didn't take us long to all agree.

So what color is the manual this year?

My lips are sealed.  (for now anyway).  But here's a hint—it's one of the swatches between 1 and 7547. 

N

Mary Anderson-NB

An important member of the SRN family has lost her battle with cancer. And we have lost a friend and colleague.

We are a fairly small company, a handful people and a curious cat. We become friends, good friends. We share photos of family, and laugh at each others bad jokes. We swap recipes, favorite web sites and holiday stories. We worry about the weather 2,000 miles away from home and sing happy birthday (off tune) over the phone to each other. We fix hurt feelings, have home remedies for sunburns, wind burns, long work days. We laugh a lot.

And we shared this journey with Mary and her family. She was well and full of plans in September. Knee surgery was coming up after the first of the year, so in typical Mary Anderson fashion, she was getting all her ducks in a row. Lists made, things sorted, items checked off. The woman was wonder woman of organization. Not a dull pencil in her box, not a detail overlooked.

In January, when the blood work for knee surgery was done, it was a shock to everyone when it came back and the C word was connected to it. How could that be? Everything was fine 4 months prior?

Mary took this on, like everything else in her life, head on full force ahead. She made lists, she baked meals and froze meals for her family, she wrote, she organized, and she geared up. And she fought—a good fight, and a courageous battle. She posted her progress, we became familiar with her treatment, we looked each day to see how she was doing, we all prayed, lit candles, sent cards and wrote notes. And sometimes we held our breath.

Mary Anderson did not win her battle, but neither did she lose. On June 22 she entered Hospice care. She said her good byes on her terms. And on June 28 she died, holding the hand of her husband, her best friend and soul mate, Andy.

My heart aches for the loss of such a dear person. And I miss the quick (and not so quick) chats, the laughing, the plans for a Seattle retreat.

What I have not lost and will hold on to forever is the lesson in love, compassion and respect one person can generate. Like a stone tossed into a pond, it continues to ripple out. I hope to pass this lesson on, to the person at the other end of the ringing phone, to my colleagues, to my family, and to you.

Nan

Doggie LATCH

The Latest Use for LATCH

Our ever-diligent researcher Katrina just discovered yet another creative use for LATCH – for a doggie harness attachment. The leash is a “tether” strap that attaches with a SafeGuard push-on connector to a lower LATCH bar or (with a webbing loop) to a buckled seat belt. Never mind that the weight limit for the dog might be over 40 pounds (it is shown on a large Lab), that the dog is attached only by one bar, that the strap is loose so the dog can move around (meaning the dog would be thrown forward before being brought up short by the strap), and the harness is up around the dog’s chest (gasp) as well as over the shoulders. Here’s a link.

Well, at least it might keep the dog from being thrown into the front seat occupants. And now there might be a need for LATCH anchors in the backs of pickups (oops, then kids might be buckled up back there, too!). Unintended consequences...

You can’t say we don’t keep up with technology!

Deborah

Hello Ben-NB

This month Denise and I went to Philadelphia for the LifeSavers Convention. (Deborah, poor dear HAD to go to Italy-I turn a weird color of green, not unlike Kermit,when I think about this).

Philadelphia is a beautiful city, lots of old lovely buildings, lots of very friendly people.

Denise had a class early Friday morning, I had the morning off. There was a Starbucks IN THE LOBBY of our hotel. Lucked out there! Although no doubt there would have been one on the next corner(s). I grabbed my water colors and sketch book and set off a bit after 7 am.

It was a great day for walking, which is a good thing, as I got turned around and was going in the wrong direction (more than once). Not just blocks, but miles in the wrong direction. It's a good thing I had most of the day and it was a good way to see the city.

Philadelphia is very flat,and walking was easy. No hills like Seattle! I walked from our hotel to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall (skipped the tour), got completely turned around and ended up asking someone for directions ("better get a cab honey, you are miles from where you want to go"). He also told me as long as I was THAT lost, I should go two more blocks out of my way and visit Ben Franklins grave. I love the beauty of cemetery's so headed over. Did you know people throw pennies on Ben Franklins grave, which is a flat raised slap of marble? Kinda cool-creamy white marble with bright copper colored pennies scattered all over it.

At the end of the day I had put in 8.6 (something) miles, from one end of the city to the other, and over 30,000 steps. I told Denise if 10,000 steps a day is considered really good, I didn't have to walk for 3 days. Couldn't find anyone willing to carry me around though, so that ended that idea.

This year at Lifesavers the exhibit hall and the conference sessions were open at the same time. Sometimes they do that, sometimes not. If I wanted to go to a session, then we had to put all our stuff under the skirt on the table. I hate to tell you this, but my notebook of the current Fact Sheets (handouts), the LATCH manual and the School Bus Safety Handbook seem to grow legs when left unattended. Who knew?

I didn't worry about missing most of the CPS sessions because Denise (ace reporter / editor and traveling buddy) will be reporting in some of the up coming newsletters. So you all can sort of pretend you were there too, minus the rain and traffic (see what lengths we go to keep you all informed!). I did get to a session on transporting children in ambulances. Got hit with a very sobering dose of reality when we viewed a isolate exploding into a zillion pieces in a crash test video. We know the stats, we read the stories, but nothing quite hits home like a graphic video.

We flew home on the 13th. I got pulled out of line by a TSA person, that is something of an experience. Didn't make the evening news, did make the flight, so all was well. (note: do not have tea called Gun Power in your carry on). Going home seemed longer than going to. And actually it is, takes an extra 30-40 minutes usually-although it seemed like DAYS after the first hour. I felt sorry for the poor guy in the middle seat, he was tall and built like a linebacker, and crammed in. I didn't feel sorry enough for him to change places and give him my aisle seat, but I did feel a twinge.

The next day was a work day. The Work Fairy forgot to come by when I was gone, so I had lots of e mails and my desk looked like someone (Molly the cat?) had had a parade and didn't clean up any of the papers afterwards, or the sparkly stuff (-what is that? maybe the Fairy was there— if she was she was sleeping on my desk, not working at it).

The first day back I hit the wall around 3 PM and had to fight the urge to take a nap. Molly gave in to it though. Smart cat.

If you ever get to Philadelphia, be sure and stop by Ben's place and tell him I said hello (and don't forget to bring pennies)

N

Really, we are not slow-NB

It just looks that way. Wow the last post was months ago. We did not run off to some warm place with soft breezes and sandy beaches. Tempting as that sounds. Trust me on this, we are not slow just really, really busy (really).

The 2010 Fact Sheets are finished and ready to go, Deborah is back from India, the 2010 catalog is at the printers (and posted on the web site-www.saferidenews.com), we have added Spanish topics to our pre-printed Fact Sheet pads, per your requests. The instructors Hooked On LATCH power point presentation is done AND I got my sock drawer straightened out (not on work time of course).

I'm sure you all were wondering about that. I know my Mom was. 2010 is going to be a great year. I hope you will all come along for the ride with us. We are ready to roll (belted in of course). —N