Growth and change of an economy is not frictionless. The economy can be thought of as a tree. As it grows and goes through each season, leaves will fall as they become less effective in converting one resource to another. This does not mean the lives of these leaves are over. They fall to the ground and fertilize the tree from the earth, once again becoming a part of the tree thereby continuing the cycle. The problem is that policy makers often do not look at things logically. Instead of thinking, "how can we get these leaves back into the cycle as quickly as possible?" They ask "how can we make sure the dead, useless, or otherwise defunct leaves do not fall from the branches?" Economies are as organic as living systems. You cannot fight growth as if it is a disease. Binding a child's feet so they will not grow, then putting the money saved towards college is not a logical method of providing for the future of that child. To ensure proper development a parent of a child or an economy must accept natural development patterns while anticipating and providing for their consequences.

I understand now why people are only expected to give two weeks' notice when they leave a job. Any more than that and you lose all interest in being helpful/polite/productive/law-abiding. I gave almost a month's notice. Guess how I'm feeling these days, in my last week at the library? Mostly, I feel like a visitor, benevolently assisting wayward patrons while thinking, "This isn't my job, you're lucky I'm being so nice." Funny how the brain can make a shift from "employed" to "unemployed" before the body has even walked out the door for the last time.

I have cleaned out my files and cabinets which, when you work in the children's department of a library, means unearthing a fair amount of kid stuff and craft stuff. Some of it is coming home with me, some of it I'm leaving there for future generations of Library Assistants to marvel at and exclaim, "What the hell is this?" It's the thought that counts, right?

I'm trying to be organized about my leaving, making sure whomever takes my place won't flounder like I did that first year. Of course, someone has already taken over my hard won book club for kids. I know he'll do an excellent job, probably even better than me since he has a background in working with children, but it's difficult to give up something that meant a lot to me. Yes, I know I'm not giving it up, I'm quitting. Still. I'd like the tiniest pretense that I can't be replaced even if I know better.

Like many people I know, I 'collect' recipes. And like those same people, my recipes are often forgot about, too much trouble to want to deal with, or just don't want to bake it and be 'forced' to eat the whole thing But that all changed the beginning of the week when I went looking for a special recipe.
I bake each week for our department at work, and once a month I do the birthday bash cake. I received a request from the birthday girl for a chocolate and raspberry cake. My mission began. I personally always liked the combo of white chocolate with raspberries, so I was thinking along those lines, since fresh raspberries were available.

After sifting through many recipes, I found the one I wanted to try. And as long as I have had this recipe, this would be the first time I actually made it. The recipe? Frozen White Chocolate Mousse with Fresh Raspberries. The results? Yummy! The birthday girl, as well as the others who had some, really enjoyed it. The consistency of it was like ice cream.

It wasn't too difficult to make, just time consuming. Melted chocolate has to cool completely, sugar and water need to boil to 240 degrees and then get mixed into the meringue that was already done. Let me tell you; a perfectly good meringue gets completely deflated when you add 240 degree sugar water to it! My poor Kitchen Aid must have churned on speed 10 for 25 minutes before that meringue came back to life again. Once that gets folded into the chocolate mixture, more whipping to be done to the cream before that gets folded in to the previous mixture. Then it's time to pour it into the Oreo cookie crust and let it freeze. Once completely frozen, the raspberries are placed on top before being devoured.

Not only did it taste good, it looked good too! The combination and contrast of the Oreo crust against the white mousse, with the raspberries on top...Very striking.

Since this one was so fun to do, who knows what will happen for the October birthdays...