Salt

I threw together a batch of butterscotch brownies this evening, because, hey, I had some time and I was almost out of macaroons. But get this, the salt container is nearly empty.

My usual method of purchasing salt goes like this:
1. Move at least 250 miles
2. Buy salt

...because you don't move salt. The container is so large and the cost so small, it makes no sense.

But I've been here four and a half years, and I've nearly used up the salt.

I don't think moving 250 miles is practical at this point, though honestly, every time someone quotes that "Pittsburgh has been named the worst city to be single in" stuff at me, every time I try to get the courage to start applying to jobs again, I think maybe moving would not be the worst idea. Except those articles usually are about being 18-24 and going to bars a lot, and the jobs aren't much of anywhere, even if I did know what job I wanted to do.

Four and a half years feels pretty long to me. I made it five years in both Tacoma and New York. Tacoma was a hundred million years ago with college and no need to decide what to do with myself just yet. New York, I had a secure job that I believed in, even if the manifestation wasn't always what I wanted it to be.

I am still kicking myself, even though it was the decision I needed to make at the time.

I wish I could just write "salt" on my shopping list and have that be all.

But hey, brownies. I don't know where my mother got the recipe, but they were my favorite when I was a kid, probably because I was the only one who liked them.

Melt 1/4 c. butter
Stir 1 c. brown sugar into it.
Cool slightly.
Beat in 1 egg and 1 tsp. vanilla.
Stir in 1/2 c. flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt.
Bake in a 9x9 pan at 350 for 20-25 minutes.