Summer on the patio – food and drink recipes!

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The weather is getting nicer, and aside from a few days of rain and cloudy skies, there are still many days of potential sunshine left to enjoy on a patio or deck outside! To stay organized when hosting family and friends over, or just enjoying an evening outside on the patio, try these appetizer and drink recipes that are easy and time-efficient to put together and serve.

Time spent outside should be as easy and stress free as possible – don’t make more work than is necessary. Enjoy the summer while it’s here! [INSERT TWEET THIS LINK]

Not only are these Antipasto Skewers from Dinner at the Zoo easy to make, they also have just about everything in them, and the recipe can be adapted to include ingredients that a person may already have on hand:

Ingredients

• 12 kalamata olives
• 12 small balls of fresh mozzarella (get the marinated type if available)
• 12 slices of thick cut salami
• 12 pimento stuffed green olives
• 6 whole jarred cherry peppers, halved
• 12 small pepperoncini peppers

Instructions

Take 12 7-inch skewers and thread one of each ingredient item onto each skewer. Serve immediately or store, covered, in the fridge for up to 1 day.

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Enjoy this delicious summer appetizer with a refreshing pitcher of Sparkling raspberry and lemon-aid.

Ingredients

• 12 oz fresh raspberries
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice, chilled
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or to taste)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 liter (33.8 oz) sparkling water or club soda, chilled
• Fresh mint and ice, for serving

Directions

• Place raspberries in a food processor and pulse until well pureed. Force raspberry puree through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl.
• In a large pitcher (if you don't have one large enough you may need two) whisk together water and sugar until sugar has dissolved.
• Pour in honey and mix until blended.
• Stir in raspberry mixture and lemon juice then pour in club soda and stir once.
• Serve with ice and fresh mint.

Emergency Preparedness – Getting Organized

In light of the devastating wildfires in Fort McMurray, it’s important to make sure that you and your family are prepared in the event of an emergency. It can be hard to get organized and come up with a plan in the moment, so it’s a good idea to be prepared and organized beforehand.

The Alberta Government has a fantastic document from the Emergency Management Preparedness Agency. It is a great resource for families, and will help you plan what to do in event of an emergency. Included are suggestions on establishing meeting places, creating emergency kits, and more. It is a great place to start when getting organized and prepared for an emergency situation.

First, determining what emergencies you should be prepared for is important. This will help determine the next steps, like establishing a meeting place and creating a plan of action in the event of an emergency. This plan should be made into a hard copy and stored with the emergency kit. Emergency kits with all the necessary items needed for each person in the family should be created. These kits, along with a hardcopy of the emergency plan, should be stored in a place that all members are aware of and can access easily.

The Alberta Emergency Management Agency encourages residents to prepare a 72 Hour Emergency kit that includes items such as food and water, bedding and clothing, light and fuel, personal supplies and medication, personal documents and money (stored in waterproof containers), and other necessary equipment like a radio (with extra batteries), rope, and basic tools. Small toys and games are also good items to include in an emergency kit to provide entertainment. For a more detailed list of recommended items, go here. It is also important to update the items in your emergency kit every few months.

The Alberta Emergency Alert App provides current information on any potential natural disasters or emergencies from communities in Alberta, and is a great resource for residents.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you! WE CARE#YYMFIRES #FortMcMurray Tweet that!

CBC- The Eye Opener - How to Manage Memories and Stuff!

I was on air with CBC last week to comment on the Kondomari method of organizing and had some fun with the morning crew at CBC - The Eye Opener. It was such a brilliant morning I wanted to share it with you all. If you are interested in hearing it, a copy of the clip is posted below. We had lots of laughs and giggles!  I enjoyed the morning crew and their array of “collectibles," treasures and other sorts of desk cluttering items immensely.

The office was full of personal memories, trinkets, nostalgic items and CBC Memorabilia. Just think of all the celebrities, stories and events that have transpired in that one CBC Calgary office over the years!  Messages of thanks and gratitude came in various sizes, shapes and forms - from hats, stuffed animals, plastic lobsters, and horns.. you name it! Each item had a story, event, special meaning or some kind of nostalgia behind it.

Let's face it, history, heritage, and life memories of our own lives are contained in a home. The CBC has a building full of employees, many of which have been there for years, and some a lifetime.  Each person who has walked through that door has stories and history to tell.  CBC has had every  imaginable guest, celebrity, cause, city event, world event, as well as subject matter, idea, accomplishment, and story to be told.

Keepsake or Clutter?

People insisting on keeping every item that is attached to a memory, special event, or person will end up with an overwhelming clutter of items that can no longer be enjoyed. Figuring out how to separate the memory from the stuff and what you can release is essential. Your precious keepsakes will become lost among the clutter piles, boxes, and bins where no one can enjoy them.

CBC Calgary Building up for Sale

With the CBC building up for sale, the reality is that office if going to be moving and there is a lot of Calgary and Calgary's people in that office; a lot has transpired in that office.  I would love to see CBC writers  take the time to create a book or document, take pictures, and record the stories and history of the many memories behind the desk-cluttering items and memorabilia that have accumulated in that iconic Calgary landmark office.

There is no better time than now to start recording the history of the Calgary CBC building. To the staff at CBC Calgary:  take 5 minutes out of your day to write about the lobster, my little ponies, the horns, the people and the whatchamacallits. You will be forever grateful you did. Don't forget to take the picture!

How do we deal with all that nostalgia and memorabilia? 

How do we decide which items to keep and which to discard?  Each item will be unique and beautiful - a laugh, a giggle, a story that you just don’t want to forget. However, you need to realize that not everything can go to the new place. That is the reality.

Create short video clips while holding your item and telling the story, make it real! Feel that great memory again! Share it often. Use things like Instagram where you can take a picture and post the story, picture, or video clip!

Keep the historic old radios and communications memorabilia and create a history wall display while capturing generations of time through the radio or donate these items to a museum  for all to enjoy. Display your radio heritage and your endless contributions to Calgary proudly.
 

Thank you to the CBC Eye Opener crew for a fantastic morning. Lots of laughs had by all!

http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2681511858/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/marie-kondo-cbc-calgary-angela-knight-1.3391996

Calm Order is a professional organizing service specializing in home organization and moving. Calm Order is committed to providing a more comfortable and beautifully appointed living space; offering sustainable customized organizing solutions that are effective with refined style.

Our approach is genuine and sincere with a keen eye for detail, and a personal sense of refined style. We believe you will have achieved a renewed sense of calm and order and a greater understanding for the importance of living in an organized, calm, simplified clutter free environment.