Hump Day Blurb

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Greetings and salutations!

How's everyones week passing? Things around here could have been better - but they definitely could have been WAY worse - so I guess it's been on an even keel.

Last night at work, the owner of the store had a "sit-down" with me regarding a last Tuesday. I conducted a transaction where I charged a customer two times. It took a while but I vaguely recollected the occurrence. I entered the incorrect total into the credit card machine and thought I'd been able to cancel the transaction before it went through. I interpreted the read-out on the credit card machine that transaction was cancelled; I called the supervisor on duty over for a look and she agreed with me. Then I guess I couldn't run her card again and she gave me another one. I put the correct total on that and she left. Long story short - the incorrect transaction actually went through; she had to come back in for a refund, and my drawer ended up being $40 short. Blech!!

The rhythm of the day job is much smoother. The potential for more hours has popped up, and I need to speak with the HR manger about being on-boarded as an actual employee instead of a temp. The holiday party is next Friday from 3 - 7, and the laundry list of raffle giveaways includes, but is not limited to: a laptop, a digital camera, a Kitchenaid mixer, mystery piggy banks, and a Coach purse. Looks to be a jolly good time!

Monday evening, a magnificently sharp pain exploded right between the third and fourth toes on my left foot then dissipated when I lifted my foot up. Ever since, an invisible ice pick has been stabbing at this area of my foot at odd intervals throughout the days. My original thought was reasonable - it must be because my comfortable-but-still-high-heeled boots have become semi-permanently affixed to my feet since mid-September. I even wear them to my night-and-Saturday job - where I'm always on my feet. Then my inner hypochondriac started screaming, "You have MS!" A close friend of ours has MS (and I hope she and her wonderful family don't think I'm making light of the situation) so this didn't seem a completely unreasonable leap to this paranoid whisper.

Upon waking at 5:15 a.m., Ben and I had a our grumble session. He summed up his crappy day and I told him about my night. After I mentioned my foot pain, Ben said, "Turf toe." For whatever reason, that he had an answer soothed my nerves. I had no idea what "Turf toe"was,  but I Googled it after making coffee. The first link was Web MD's definition; it had NOTHING to do with my pain - but I was on a mission. I typed "sharp pain that comes and goes in third and fourth toe area" into Web MD's search area. It came up with TWO useless links. Then I typed my symptoms into Google. Here's the first link from Google. Morton's Neuroma!! Hurrah! My original assessment of wearing my high-heeled boots too often whizzed back to the forefront. Think I'll be alright..

TODAY'S CONFECTION

CHRISTMAS TURTLES

These cookies redefined the easiest cookie ever. Until I made these, Mummy's Hello Dolly Bars, which are a layered cookie, were the easiest cookie ever. Hello Dolly Bars were the first cookie Mummy made when she started her weekend cookie-a-thon, and were Daddy's favorite. Ben's not the biggest fan of coconut, or super-sweet delectables and Hello Dolly Bars are both. Then he gave me the recipe for his favorite Christmas cookie - these Christmas Turtles. They take a grand total of thirty minutes to make from start-to-finish. After sampling one, every new person I introduce this cookie to finds themselves grabbing three more (good thing they're cut into tiny cubes..)

Crust:

2 c flour

1 c brown sugar

1/2 c softened butter

Caramel Layer:

2/3 c butter

1/2 c brown sugar

Topping:

1 c (or so) pecan halves

1 c chocolate chips (I've recently discovered using mini chips is easier)

Preheat oven to 350.

Crust:

Dump all ingredients in a mixer. Stir on medium speed for about a minute or so. Just be chunks of butter aren't yellow, that it's completely incorporated with the flour and brown sugar.

Caramel layer:

In a 1-qt saucepan melt the butter and sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 30 - 60 seconds. 

Press the crust firmly and evenly into a 9x13x12 baking dish. Sprinkle the pecan halves over the crust, then pour the caramel layer over that. It's okay if you don't get every corner. You can tilt the dish round-and-round for a few seconds if you want to get some missed areas, but don't fret. Put it in the oven for 18 - 22 minutes. Whence the timer dings, pull the shelled amphibians from the oven then scatter atop copious amounts of chocolate chips. Using a rubber spatula, schmear the melty, chocolatey goodness all over. It is now okay to take a sharp knife and begin sampling. Be sure to save some for your loved ones!