Thursday, November 6, 2008

Bahhhhhhh. Bahhhhhhh.


So here I was Tuesday night, sort of finished early and ran home to watch the election results pour in. I called my east side colleague to be sure she was done too so we could both enjoy the evening. My phone didn't ring once after that. I hurried and finished my paperwork then listened to the news people spin their nonsense and push buttons on maps. Periodically, we peeked in on Fox News to watch the crybabies and see if we could catch a little drama. I didn't get a single call at night. Not one. Not even my alarm rang on my phone to remind me to call the time clock. Uh-oh.

Oh Jesus. Oh no. My cell phone was off. All night! Of course I didn't get any calls. Duh.My heart was in my throat thinking that I'd missed calls all night long. I called the answering service and sure enough, I missed 2 of them from the same person. It hadn't been a really big deal, more of a medication question so I was relieved. After I called the caregiver and apologized 90 times, I emailed my boss and explained, rather sheepishly, what I'd done. I was embarrassed. Also, if I hadn't disclosed this, the answering service would have reported it and then, I'd have been called on the carpet to splain myself. Here I am making money to sit on my arse and watch election results when I should be answering calls from dying patients and their caregivers. Oh, I'm such a schmuck!

Wednesday night, you can imagine how paranoid I was that I'd subconsciously do this again. I won't be sheepish or a schmuck if that happens again, I'll be an ass____! I got home from my rounds around 10:15 without incident. I checked my phone for 100th time before I sat down to chart. The phone rang, I answered and hung up. It shut off. The damn phone shut itself off when I closed the cover on it. I can't tell you how relieved I am to know I didn't do it to myself. I feel ever so slightly vindicated. I'm also annoyed because if I need a new phone, that means I'll have to program all those phone numbers into it one at a time. Again.

Since I'm in such a good mood having discovered this error wasn't really my fault, I'm going to share another family secret recipe. Have at it. It's my brothers' favorite cake which gets baked for their birthdays. I like it for breakfast even more. I need to bake this for my missionary friend Sister Jeanne when she comes to town next month. I don't know what she'll like more, money to buy chickens for that work she does in Nicaragua or this cake. Probably both.

Henri's Chocolate Chip Cake

1 cup chopped (pitted) dates
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1 cup hot water
1 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 cup soft butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour (you can use cake flour)
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Topping: 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons cold butter. Blend with fork or pastry blender until mixture is pea like.

Add soda to dates and pour hot water over this and set aside. Cream butter, shortening and sugar and cocoa. Add vanilla and eggs. Mix well. Alternate blending in water and date mixture with flour. Stir in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Place in a 9 inch by 13 inch greased and floured cake pan. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips and walnuts on top. Make the topping and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degrees for around 40 minutes.

10 comments:

Jane said...

I know a few people that have done that too. At least you know it wasn't your fault now

flydragon said...

I love it when being a dolt turns out to be the fault of one of my mechanical toys instead of some fault of my own.

Winifred said...

Funny how we always blame ourselves first and not the technology!

Anonymous said...

Ruth, the answer is YES!!!! in the Jewish way of saying 'both/and'!! I so enjoy your blog - and your blogging for me! The photo of Rachel is absolutely GORGEOUS. If I ever find one of those books, I'll pick it up for you. However, it's rather unlikely I'll find it in Nica land! And....the things you like most...what a great list! You are gifted and blessed and grateful. What a wonderful combo!
Love 'ya, your sister, Jeanne

Brenda said...

Couldn't remember if I had left a comment here or not. I have the baby and forget what I am doing sometimes. I had something like that happen earlier this week. I still say I was right but it is embaressing if I wasn't.

Anonymous said...

cake recipe looks awesome. thanks for sharing it. BTW, when you get a new phone they magically tranfer all your numbers to it.

Anonymous said...

hey Where is my piece?????



FTM

Rudee said...

OK Sister Jeanne. I had no idea you were reading this so often. Hmmmm. I better stop cursing. Ha! I'll try. I'll bake you and your fellow sisters this cake and I'll buy some of those chickens for a deserving family. I hope to get pictures when that happens.

Sue B.-It could only be so perfect if Verizon handled my phone transfer. What will happen is I'll be given a new phone and I'll be told by IT that they can't transfer my data. Then I'll sit down and have a good cry. I have at least 100 names stored in there with more than one number for each. Argh.

Ooh. Brenda, I'm sure you were right. hahahahaha.

Rudee said...

Miss, Flydragon and winifred, I'm so glad it was the phone and not me. Still, I should have checked the phone-but I am relieved.

Betty F said...

I know the RELIEF you speak of ! Thanks for the Recipe!