The check that I lost, but not really

I lost a check last week, or at least I was sure I had lost it. In reality it was right where I put it but had disguised itself as pocket lint. 

The neighbor stopped over last week to give me a check for some pasture he had rented from us. As we visited I folded the check in half and put it in the back pocket of my jeans, the left hand pocket. I keep my pocket cash in the right hand pocket and occasionally put my phone in the left hand pocket. I got to thinking later that I might pull it out with my phone and not notice it so I put it in with my pocket cash.

In hindsight, what I should have done was put it in my purse, with the checkbook and savings books, but I didn’t and that almost caused me to have a panic attack. The reason I didn’t do that is that my purse was in the pickup, and I was in the house at the time, but no matter it is what happened a few days later that counts. 

I headed into town the day before Thanksgiving to deposit that check and get some stuff from the store. I went to the store first and after spending some time trying to find things in the store after they have reset it I stopped at the bank. I reached in my pocket with my pocket cash and there was no check. Then I reached in the other pocket and felt nothing. Then I looked in my purse, nothing. 

Now I was really starting to panic. I was afraid that I had somehow pulled that check out with my pocket cash and dropped it somewhere in a store. My mind started racing, thinking of all of the contingencies. “Should I call the neighbor right away and have him put a stop payment on the check? Should I wait and see if it is in my other jeans? Where could I have put it?” 

I came on home, checked my other jeans, nothing. I checked my purse about 5 times, nothing. I checked the pockets of all of my shirts, nothing. I was starting to get pretty concerned and quite frankly very upset with myself when I reached deep into my right hand back pocket and there it was. Folded over about four times and pushed down to the very bottom of the pocket. Apparently I had stuck my phone in there a few times and every time it pushed the check further. 

I unfolded it, took it to the pickup brought my purse in and put that check in the savings account book that it was going into. Then the next trip into town that check went into that account. Whew, that was quite an experience. But like all things like that, I learned a lesson, one I should already know. Always put things where they belong. Always. 

Homemade Cracker Jacks

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup butter

½ cup corn syrup

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 quart popped corn, peanuts or mixed nuts

Boil the first four ingredients for 5 minutes. Remove from hear and add soda and vanilla. Stir into corn and add nuts. Spread in large pan so corn can be stirred every 15 minutes. Bake at 200º for 45 minutes. Store in an airtight can. 

I got this recipe from Rick’s sister. It is the easiest and best caramel corn I have ever made.