This weekend was the Knights of Columbus garage sale at Pat’s Church.  They have been requesting donations from the members of the church for the last two months.

I cleaned out tools and lights and assorted items to donate.  Start of the process to clear our inventory and delivered many items along with half the congregation on Friday.

So Saturday we went to attend the sale.  Lots of great items at great prices, but the last thing we need is more stuff that we would have to get rid of on day.

I ended up with a DVD “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and a double CD of Aretha Franklin’s greatest hits.  Total cost $1.

We watched the movie last night and enjoyed it.

I ripped the CD into my sonos inventory.  Turns out we have a lot of Aretha but never too much.

This evening we sat on the patio as I grilled pork chops and just listened to her.  The sun was shining on the golf course and the skies were blue and the music just worked perfect.

A Paradise evening with Aretha.

All our kids have at one time or another, fallen and ended up with skinned knees.  Usually resulting in some tears, a wipe and Patty kissing them better.  Off and running again.

Last week I was on a hike to Ripple Rock.  This is considered a difficult hike for our senior group because of vertical stretches that challenge our legs and balance over roots and loose rock.

No big issue for younger people and the view at the summit overlooking the Seymour Narrows is worth the effort which makes it a very popular hike (although one lady died on it last year)

Still an awkward hike for those whose knees and ankles are not up to the rocky terrain.  As it happens I tripped at one point and fell forward.  I was in shorts so skinned my knees badly.

I was kind of embarrassed that I had tripped so quickly got up and moved on.  The knees did hurt but I braved on.  At the next water break stop the group were alarmed by the blood running down my legs into my socks.  As I am on warfarin, which several of the group knew, they were concerned.  Wiped it up and bandaged but it continued to bleed through the hike.  I nursed the sympathy.

Neither Patty nor my mother were there to kiss it better so I had to suffer through.

Got home and washed out grit and I am now the proud owner of a couple of skinned knees with the scabs.  I think I will live.  Like I told my kids at the time… buck up it will get better.

Far be it from me to use my family blog to discredit an appliance supplier, but I am a little ticked off today.

10 years ago we bought a high end Stainless Steel LG fridge on the recommendation that it was … well a premium fridge manufacturer.  Double door with bottom freezer.  Even paid the extra for the LED lighting and the tempered glass shelves.  It has been a very good fridge, (aside from the ice maker jamming up, but that is another issue)

Last month I closed one of the doors with a pull out compartment partially open.  A roller on a side rail broke.  Again not a design issue I claim full responsibility.  The rail is an easily replaced plastic component.  I went on-line and could not find it.  Contacted LG service in Canada and they do not carry parts for OLD REFRIGERATORS.  I mean 10 years old.

Kind of ticked off.  I will have to search the internet to find the part.  Somewhere there is an appliance repair place that might have this part (that lets face it could be a common repair)

Again I am not looking for a part for a 1972 General Electric Fridge, THE LG IS ONLY 10 YEARS OLD.

Now back to my normal programming……..

I am not sure if you, in my Blog family, have noticed the unusual exponential cost of Celery.  Well here in Paradise it is becoming very serious.

Now I have to admit I am neutral on celery.  It is the chewy part of a salad.  Best use is cut into 2″ pieces filled with Cheese Whiz as a side dish for Chicken Wings.

The reputation for Celery is that you consume more calories chewing it than you gain.  Okay a fundamental diet item.  Basically a veggie with little flavour but crispy texture to make you think you are enjoying your diet dish.

However Patty likes to add it to our evening salads.  Again for the texture.

But the cost has gone through the roof.  A stalk of Celery at our local store is $6.  I mean who would pay this?

The TV documentaries and the on-line excuse is that the demand for Celery juice has driven up the price for all of us.

Gimmee a break.  Who, of my Blog fans, would choose to have a glass of Celery juice versus…..well… every other alternative.  I do not care if it cures Cancer, this is not right.

Granted if I could have invested in Celery futures several months ago…I would be rich.

Meantime I think we will add Daikon to our salads until reality comes back.

My followers will remember that I have published a blog about my Chicken Pot Pie in the past, but this is a special version.

We just returned from a great week in Calgary.  We had a two day drive back home (to give breaks for Reese) .

Our normal meal when we arrive back in town in the late afternoon is to pick up one of those BBQ chickens at Superstore with all the fixins.  Easy peesy meal.

We always blend up a batch of Swiss Chalet dipping sauce to go with the meal.

In the old days I would have consumed half the chicken and Pat a quarter, but these days we are left with a 2/3 of the chicken.  Our normal solution is to harvest the meat and I make a Chicken Pot Pie later.  I have blogged this meal in the past.

I normally roll a pie crust for the topping but this time I chose to use 7 layers of phyllo pastry to celebrate our great week.  Beautiful result with a crispy topping.  Granted, taste the same as my normal pot pie…   but always in the presentation.

The bride was very happy with the meal, which was worth the extra effort.