You Can't Fight Fate

No matter what you do, no matter what you say
When it's meant to be it's gonna be that way.

                                   - Taylor Dayne

Not to get all existential up in there, but I don't really believe in "Fate."  However, I'm thinking that the world was really trying to tell me something the past couple of days.

Tuesday was Carrie (Boss Lady #1)'s birthday; Thursday was Mark (Boss Man #1)'s birthday; and Saturday was/is another attorney's birthday.  Since I'm not rolling in the dough, and I'm lazy, the other attorney's assistant and I collectively decided to just bring food in on one day.  I knew that Carrie, being a woman and an adult, would be ok with the plan.  The other two, being men,... well..

We decided to do the food on Thursday.  So I, at least, didn't have to worry about any manly angst over there not being any hoopla over "my birthday!"

Anywho, Tuesday, I talked with Carrie regarding her preferences vis-à-vis what I might bring in.  She was flexible, but said she really liked my lemon cake.  I am well known for my lemon cake in these parts, you know.  Then I asked Mark if he had any preferences.  Now you have to keep in mind that a week ago, he came out of his office and said, "Do you know what next Thursday is?"  Another thing to keep in mind is that it is a rare birthday that passes by on which someone in our firm doesn't bring something edible!  So back to Mark's preferences.  His response was, "Oh, you don't have to do anything for my birthday."

Regular readers know that my patience level has been tested of late due to pharmaceutical exploits, so they won't be surprised to hear that I almost leapt from my chair, over my desk, and throttled him.  Fortunately for him, his wife, and their family, I didn't want to waste the energy.  So I rolled my eyes and said, "Mark.  We are going to bring food in.  That is a given.  Now, if you imagine me bringing in food, what is it I'm bringing in?"  His response:  "Cake."  That's good.  I can work with "cake."  I said, "Ok, do you have a special request?  Like, I can do a lemon cake (hint, hint), or I make a mean Upside-Down German Chocolate cake..."  Before I could finish my sentence, I had seen his eyes flash at the prospect of the UDGC.  He got a winsome sort of look on his face and said, "well, your lemon cake is good... there's no chocolate in it.... but either would be good."

On my lunch hour, I planned on going out and buying cat food for the livestock and hitting Target because in their ad this week they had Count Chocula which at some point in the past 20 years went from being a regularly available cereal (of the chocolaty-sugarbomb variety) to being a seasonal item that only comes out at Halloween.  What's up with that??  Where was I?  Oh, so I'm roaming around Target and it occurs to me, DUH!, while I'm here, I should buy the ingredients for the cake.  I dig out my phone with the lovely Pepperplate app which holds all of my painstakingly collected recipes from over the years.  I find the recipe for the UDGC cake and head down the aisle.

The first item, a German chocolate cake mix.  In the buggy.  Next, coconut.  I don't know if we have coconut.  I'll call mom.  As I'm calling her, talking to her, finding out from her that yes, we have plenty of coconut, I put a bag of coconut in the buggy.  Pecans, I know we have plenty.  Next, cream cheese - don't think we have any, make a mental note to get some when I get to that part of the store.  I gaze through the rest of the recipe.  Margarine.  Note sure we have enough, better get some.  Powdered sugar, I'm sure we have plenty.  I head toward the check out, nabbing a package of cream cheese on my way.  A success!

So I get back to the office and tell the other assistant that works with me here in the Labor pod that I picked up the ingredients for my cake.  "The lemon cake?" she asks.  I'm like, "no, the UDGC."  She points out that I told her that I'd decided to make the lemon cake.

Sigh.  Fortunately for Carrie, she said she'd make the lemon cake if I gave her my recipe.  Deal!

That evening, I get home with the shopping.  Mom helps me put away the stuff and she sees the coconut.  "Why did you get coconut?  I told you we had a full bag.  Do you not remember our telephone conversation?"  Of course I remembered it.  I just obviously wasn't listening.

Wednesday, I'm on my way home, gotta make the cake.  As I'm driving, I remember I never got the margarine.  So I called Mom to ask if we have enough.  She snarkily asks, "If I tell you we do, are you going to stop and buy more?"  We don't have enough.  I tell her I'll stop and pick some up. 

I get home and start making the cake.  Coconut and pecans in the pan.  Make the cake mix.  Pour it over the stuff in the pan.  Melt the margarine and cream cheese.  Get the powdered sugar.  I need a whole box.  Hmm no box, just a piece of a bag.  I know from previous experience that the box is about 2 1/2 cups.  There is 1 1/2 cups in the bag.  I'm in my pj's and do NOT want to go back to the store.   Is Mark worth this?

Epiphany hits.  I call my friend Lori who recently purchased, with her hubs, a condo in my building.  Praise God, she had some powdered sugar I could borrow!  We're cooking with gas, baby!

I get the cake into the oven.  Then I start looking for the cookie sheet/jelly roll pan that I use to put the cake on when it's done - remember, it's upside down, so I can't leave it in the pan I'm baking it in.  Can't find it.  Mom and I turn the house upside down (figuratively, of course) - it's not here.   But that's ok.  We have other (much larger) cookie sheets and one of them will work.

By 10:30, I'm tired of waiting for the cake to cool so I can do the flippy thing, and I want to go to bed.  So I do it anyway.  Of course the cake comes out beautifully.  All the good gooey stuff stays in the pan.  Mental note, next time, use parchment paper.  After scooping all the goo out and spreading it on the cake, it looks like a toddler was playing in it, but I'm going to bed.  It will be better in the morning.

Morning.  It doesn't look better and I'm wondering why it is I like this cake.  I get it to work and apologize for how it looks (see below), but promise that it tastes good.  And it did!  One bite and I'm reminded of its deliciousosityness and once I find that jelly roll pan, and get all the ingredients, I'll make another one!

The birthday spread was quite a success.  Mark got what he wanted - there were four cakes, as well as other stuff.  Everyone gained about 4.2 lbs as a result.