Author #175 : Alexandra Day shares her Good Dog Carl in book form

Alexandra Day has numerous tales of Carl, a very loveable Rottweiler that she has also illustrated.  See her website at: https://www.gooddogcarl.com/

A cake in cookie form: German Chocolate Cake as Cookies

Recipe adapted from Sunny's German Chocolate Cake Cookies from Food Network. 

German Chocolate Cake Cookies  (with some adaptations for high-altitude)

1 cube butter (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup butter flavored shortening (not pictured)
3/4 cup white sugar (granulated)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 tsp. baking soda
 pinch salt ( I omitted the salt since the butter was salted) (not pictured)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used mini chips)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Cream together butter, shortening, and sugars. Blend in vanilla and eggs. In a separate container sift together flour, cocoa, soda, and salt (if using).  Blend flour mixture into creamed mixture just until mixed.  Stir in chips, coconut and pecans.  It should be a thick, slightly sticky dough. I formed golf-ball-sized chunks and put 12 per large cookie sheet because they spread as they bake.  Bake for about 8-10 minutes.  I needed the 10 minutes and cooked them until the tops were dry but they still looked underdone.  Let cool for several minutes on the cookie sheet or they'll fall apart when you try to put them on a cooling rack.  These were gooey and rich right out of the oven and soft and chewy a couple of days later but I don't think they'd store well or mail well because they were somewhat crumbly.  The flavor is incredible. 

Sunday Randomness #74: Oh, what can you find inside your library? ( A continuing tale-intermittently posted)

Did they want us to do the pressed-leaves-in-a-book art project? (Sent through the sorter and it actually made it all the way to the end to the exception bin!)

 No case to return the missing disc?  No problem!  Just make a substitute case out of paper to deliver the disc back to the library in the book drop!  (Warning: Please don't try this at home kids-the chances of the disc getting damaged are just too high. Items in the book drop just pile on top of one another and a poor little disc in a paper case could suffer an untimely fate if a heavier book cousin were to land in the bin after.  And usually books brings more books along with them-it's rare that a single book is returned-they like to travel in packs.)

We were honestly happy that they found the book as referenced by their note-we just felt bad that they returned it to the wrong library system-oops!  (We sent it on its way back to the right library.)

Our library AC went out for about a month this summer-there were various attempts at levity. These included our manager buying us popsicles that we could have any time and many, many cartoons involving heat, hot, warmth, sweating, etc...

The after holiday reality check. 

Our banned/challenged book display this year.  I volunteered and made the padlocks, flames, and signs.  After putting on a smattering of books, I requested help and my wonderful co-workers added more book selections, thus keeping the display filled.

Sunday Randomness #338 : Vote! It's not too late!

https://vote.utah.gov/vote/menu/index

Here in Utah you can register online or in person to vote until October 30th! 

And you don't have to know about everything on the ballot.  They will only count the votes you make.  If you leave a section blank they will still count your other votes.  Don't want to vote on any of the propositions?  Leave them blank. Don't want to vote for any of the candidates? Leave them blank.  Only want to vote on the retention of the judges? Only mark the boxes by the judges.  You have many choices-please vote on at least something. 


JUST VOTE!  The more things you vote on, the better, but some voting is better than not voting.

And if you need some furry four-legged motivation:  https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dogs-voting-election-day-photos_us_5821fcd9e4b0aac624874b41

Sunday Randomness #471 : From Bagger to Checker to Dept. Support Staff

I enjoyed working at Dan's Foods for many years through high school and college and a little beyond.  I started as a bagger when Dan's was on the west side of 2300 East, moved with them over to the east side when they took over the Smith's store, went down to the 9th store for a bit, and returned to the previous store.  I started back at a time where we had some customers with accounts that they would settle up once a month and paying with credit/debit cards was not a thing.

 I was there for the transition from ten key checking to scanners.  In fact, the 9th East store never got scanners-it was all ten key and we had to memorize all the codes and key in all the prices.  I had both good and mediocre managers, good co-workers, and great hours.  Dan's didn't pay that well compared to the other grocery stores at the time but they were the best at giving employees workable hours.

We also use to sell small quantities of staples like a single cube of butter, a six-pack of eggs, small packages of flour, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder.  Dan's also used to have big sales during canning season with bottles, fruit fresh, pickling cucumbers, fresh local fruits and vegetables, and other supplies for great prices.  They also had baking sales during the holidays with everything from spices to staples to candied fruit on sale.  That's when I use to stock up on a lot of things.

I worked most of my time in the front end although I did work in hardware some and bakery once.  It was interesting to see the changes when I'd come home for the holidays or summer from school and go back to work at Dan's.

     The Customer Service counter changed a number of times during my tenure.

I still miss Snelgrove's ice cream.  Red Button ice cream is a new company here in Utah and they have a Canadian Vanilla flavor that's close to the old Snelgrove's flavor.  Plus they have a malted chocolate which is chocolate ice cream with a marshmallow swirl that we really like.  Their sherberts are also very good along with other flavors.
 http://www.redbuttoncreamery.com/ice-cream-flavor-list/

  Most of the store was blocked off-especially over by the produce section.  I didn't get any pictures over there because that whole half of the store was cordoned off.

  Sorry for the blurriness of the photos.  I did ask if I could take photos and that I was an old employee.  No one was certain if I could take them or not so I tried to hurry and just get as many as I could take.

Now the Rite Aid across the street has also closed.  Life is always full of changes.

  Even the little dry cleaning business had to go.  They tell us that Dan's is soon to be replaced with JoAnn's Fabric and DownEast Basics.

Sunday Randomness #21 : Spotting Sequential Signage

https://www.facebook.com/ParentsEmpowered/videos/10152806561649644/
(This billboard placement was near a local restaurant and gas station.)