Sunday Hymn - O Sing a Song of Bethlehem

O sing a song of Bethlehem, of shepherds watching there,

And of the news that came to them from angels in the air.

The light that shone on Bethlehem fills all the world today;

Of Jesus’ birth and peace on earth the angels sing alway.

O sing a song of Nazareth, of sunny days of joy;

O sing of fragrant flowers’ breath, and of the sinless Boy.

For now the flowers of Nazareth in every heart may grow;

Now spreads the fame of His dear Name on all the winds that blow.

O sing a song of Galilee, of lake and woods and hill,

Of Him Who walked upon the sea and bade the waves be still.

For though like waves on Galilee, dark seas of trouble roll,

When faith has heard the Master’s Word, falls peace upon the soul.

O sing a song of Calvary, its glory and dismay,

Of Him Who hung upon the tree, and took our sins away.

For He Who died on Calvary is risen from the grave,

And Christ, our Lord, by Heaven adored, is mighty now to save.

Changes

This morning, I've been making some changes to my blog. Some of them I decided to do, some were done for me (or were a result of what I did). Changing templates really does not save all the elements of a page!

I've realized recently that as parents, sometimes we need to make changes in our lives. Sometimes what we decide to do at this time is completely different, sometimes even opposite, from what we had decided years before.

We are going to be getting cable TV next week. We haven't had cable since 1998. At that time, we decided it wasn't worth the money or the time for us to have it. But we're changing that, mostly because our family has changed. Our oldest (and his dad) loves watching hockey and he usually goes to Grandma's to watch it. But you know, I like having my family together at home and when two out of six members are gone regularly, we started to realize that maybe we needed to make changes. We also like watching some of the other house and home shows together.

Does this mean that I think every family should have cable TV? No more than I thought over the past 8 years that no family should have cable (or satellite).

I still think there are dangers associated with having television in our home. We're going to have to be very careful with our younger children because they can watch TV for hours on end. We'll have to be careful with the older people too, who can also waste a lot of time watching TV. I'm a little apprehensive about it but I think at this time, it's appropriate for our family.

Sometimes I think as parents and as Christians, we can get locked into the "we've always done it this way" mode and not take into consideration that circumstances and people have changed. Maybe someone in our church wasn't ready to be in a leadership position several years ago but now, that same person has grown spiritually and it is time for them to move into that position. Or the opposite - someone has always done that job and maybe needs to take a break.

As parents, it's easy to forget that our children are growing older and are more mature. When the Harry Potter books first came out, my aunt asked if we would like them. I looked at them and decided at that time (I think our oldest was about 9) that they weren't appropriate for our family. However, a few years later, after another friend talked about them, I started reading them and let our older two begin. It was appropriate at that time. Now our next one, who is almost 8, is starting to eye those books. She won't be starting them for several years, not because she can't understand them (she's a very good reader) but because they aren't appropriate, in my view, for her. Other parents may have other opinions for their children.

Even when we do allow something that wasn't formerly allowed, we still need to be careful and wary of what might happen. Perhaps it's not something that will be beneficial, either to our family or to others around us. We may not have cable for very many months before we cancel it. But at this time, it's appropriate for our family.

Changes - sometimes anticipated, sometimes scary but always interesting!

When "All" Really Does Mean "All"!

So, when changing templates and the warning comes up that all the customizations in the template will be lost,

Pay Attention!

Yes, it really does mean all. All the extras I've added on the side.

Oh, well. I was going to complain that I was bored but no longer. I guess I have some work to do.

Watch up for more updates!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Hope you are all having a great day! I know we are.

Sunday Hymn - Angels We Have Heard on High

Rembrandt (c. 1640-42). Pen and brush drawing; 17.6 x 20 cm; Hamburg, Kunsthalle


Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Refrain
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?
Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Refrain

See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.
Refrain

I like my messy desk!

And apparently other people agree with me:

Saying Yes to Mess

That's not to say that it doesn't hurt to dig out from under it once in a while but I have found it to be virtually impossible to keep a clean desk all the time, especially when I'm in the middle of a project.

Speaking of projects, I'd better get back to mine!

Temptation

My mother in law gave us some gifts tonight for Christmas, since we won't be together on Christmas Day. I thought the gifts were quite nice but then she said that they were more like stocking stuffers and gave us an envelope. The envelope says "Do not open until Christmas Day."

You know how much I want to peek in that envelope tonight?

I think I'll go put it in a suitcase somewhere so I'll forget about it!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

The butter tarts are made. This is just under half of what I made together with a friend. And I had some mincemeat in the freezer so I made another dozen and a bit mincemeat tarts.

The tree is decorated (ignore the mess on the table) and the presents are mostly wrapped. The stocking stuffers are mostly bought and the projects are mostly done! Christmas cards are not even started but I'm not thinking about that right now. I'm almost there.

Today, I'm finishing off projects and wrapping. Tomorrow we pack all our stuff into the Suburban (there is a reason we drive a Suburban!) and Saturday we make the trek, Lord willing, to Vancouver Island. If the roads are good and the ferries are running on time, it will likely be about a 15 hour trip.

I've been joking to a few people that my motto at this point is "Better Late than Never". We'll see how the next few days go.

I guess this is a good thing

You are 100% Canuck!

You rock, you are an almighty Canadian through and through. You have proven your worthiness and have won the elite prize of living in a country as awesome as Canada. Yes I know other countries think they are better, but we let them have that cuz we know better than they do, eh?

How Canadian Are You?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Considering I live in Canada, it's a good thing I got 100%. :-)

Movie Review - My Favourite Wife

I watched Cary Grant & Irene Dunne in My Favourite Wife yesterday. What a charming film! My older daughter & I chuckled all the way through. I would highly recommend it. It's a little slapstick and the storyline is somewhat predictable but the performance by the main actors makes it all worthwhile.

I was thinking as I watched it about the stereotyping of the 40's and 50's. To hear feminists talk today, all the women then were completely under the thumb of their husbands. But watching a movie like that shows that people then had a much higher regard for the relationship between husband and wife. Grant & Dunne show a married couple who have been separated for 7 years (she was presumed dead after a shipwreck) but whose relationship is still as strong as ever.

I remember watching Mrs. Miniver a few years ago and thinking the same thing. The marriage relationship was great in that movie too. And it's not even that they draw a lot of attention to it - it's just solidly together. The writing doesn't presume to make fun of marriage and the actors obviously are comfortable with the idea that a married couple can have fun, can communicate and can truly be together. It's not often we see that type of relationship in more modern movies.

I don't think a lot of people, especially those who would call themselves feminists, can conceive of a strong woman together with a strong man and understand how the woman can be strong and yet still not take the leading role in a marriage. Part of the problem is that I don't think people have seen a lot of marriages that work well in that way, at least not in recent times. And maybe part of the problem is that they don't know what they are looking for and they are so busy looking at the "problems" with the structure of the marriage that they miss seeing the true relationship.

So enjoy watching My Favourite Wife and then contemplate what it tells us about marriage!

Sunday Hymn - Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Come, Thou long expected Jesus

Born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us,

Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel’s Strength and Consolation,

Hope of all the earth Thou art;

Dear Desire of every nation,

Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,

Born a child and yet a King,

Born to reign in us forever,

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all sufficient merit,

Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

This is a devotional that I gave at a recent baby shower. The topic was prompted by some thoughts I’ve had while talking to a few different ladies over the past few months. I realize that these mothers love their children but sometimes I wonder what that really means to them. There was a mixture of women there, including some singles, which is why sometimes I refer to women who have children around them. It may not be exactly as spoken since I’m transcribing from my notes, which weren’t complete.

Children are a Treasure from the Lord

Ps. 127:3
Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Steve Green sang a song years ago entitled “Children are a Treasure From the Lord”. The complete lyrics are at the end of this talk.

It’s easy to say that children are a treasure or a heritage but I was thinking recently about whether we really mean it. Because if we mean it, we need to act in certain ways or it shows we don’t really mean it. As women of God, whatever situation God has placed us in, whether we are young mothers, singles or grandmothers, how should we act toward the children around us?

There are three ways to consider this. We’ll be considering how we think, speak and act.

Titus 2:4,5 tells the older women “that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”

I always think it’s interesting that older women are to teach younger women to love their husbands and children. We tend to think that it’s something that will come naturally but Paul recognized that we all need to grow in this area.

The first way we can consider how we treasure how children is how we think about them. What we think makes a difference to how we act. How do we think about the children around us?

“Those rotten kids” or “those interesting kids”?

Do we dwell on the negative or do we look for the positive? Do we look forward to being involved in their lives or do we look for ways to have them not involved with us? Sometimes women can get so focussed on doing their own thing, they fail to look forward to being with their children and enjoying them. Our thoughts will be reflected in our attitudes.

The second way to show how we treasure our children is how we speak. I’ve come to realize how important how I speak is to my attitude and to the people around me. I think there’s two ways to consider our speech regarding the children around us: how we speak to them and how we speak about them.

First, to them.

Are we speaking to our children in a way that is glorifying to God? I Cor. 13 is a familiar passage – do we speak in a way that is kind? Are our words rude, are we easily provoked to anger? Is the Fruit of the Spirit evident in the way that we talk? Are we patient and kind? Self-controlled?

When we correct our children, do we yell at them or are we calm in our discipline? I think it’s important to think about how we speak to them in this area. My mom used to say that as a teacher and then later as a mom, she found that the most effective way to deal with children when disciplining them was to whisper. It gets their attention much faster than yelling at them, it’s hard to escalate whispering during an argument and it keeps everyone calm. Proverbs is indeed right when it says that a soft answer turns away wrath. Remember that when we are disciplining, the goal is have their hearts changed, not to just punish them or change their behaviour.

Part of speaking to our children is setting clear boundaries and expectations. How can they know to be obedient unless they know what the expectations are? Last June, Pastor Kenneth Maresco at Covenant Life church gave two messages to parents on parenting. In them, he taught that if we haven’t trained our children to do something, such as greeting people with “hello”, then we shouldn’t punish them for not doing it. It was such a good reminder to me how important training is and the role that it plays in discipline.

Finally, as we speak to them, are we praising them when it’s appropriate? Do we “catch them doing good”? If we never speak positively to our children and praise them when they are obedient, why would they want to pursue obedience?

Now let’s consider how we speak about our children. I have learned throughout my marriage that I need to be careful how I speak about my husband to others. I need to be careful not to tear him down to others, even in a joking way, but rather build him up. I need to be discreet.

Prov. 11:22 says “As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a lovely woman who lacks discretion.” You may have noticed that Paul tells Titus to tell the older women to teach the younger women to be discreet. It’s an important character quality and it doesn’t just apply to our relationship with our husbands – it also applies to how we speak about our children.

I have heard words coming out of my mouth that would be hurtful to my children if they heard. Lucy Maud Montgomery, who wrote the Anne books, often relates about her characters that they remember older people speaking negatively about them when they were young and the hurts that these women carried with them for the rest of their lives. Our words can hurt and moreover, they can help or hinder a child’s behaviour. If a child is constantly hearing his mother refer to him as a brat or that he’s unhelpful in so many ways, it’s no wonder if he does indeed live up to her expectations!

Remember to be positive to others about your children – brag on them! Watch for their gifts and accomplishments and tell others about them. Not in a bragging way but be thankful for what God has done in their lives and what he is doing in your life through them.

But some might be wondering – what if you have questions or concerns about your child’s behaviour? Don’t talk about it in general company but instead take your concerns to a trusted older woman and look for her advice. Your attitude makes a difference – are you complaining or honestly looking for advice?

We have looked at how we think and speak about our children in ways that show we treasure them. Now I’d like to consider practical ways in the way that we act.

It’s important to spend time with our children. That doesn’t mean just being in the same house but setting aside time to do things with them that they would enjoy. When your child is speaking to you, stop what you are doing and look at them as they talk. I often listen with half an ear and I end up missing what they are saying. So I’m learning to stop and look at them.

Another way to show that we treasure our children is to discipline them as they need it. There are many great resources for helping us train our children in the way of the Lord. If we don’t discipline them, how can we say that we treasure or value them?

Enjoy your children and count your blessings daily. My oldest is 14 – believe me, those years go by quickly. Ask any grandma!

Don’t always be looking for ways to be separated from them. It is important to spend time with your husband but it doesn’t have to be as often as sometimes we are told. It’s important for women to be able to do the hobbies they enjoy but recognize that sometimes, the season of life you are in will not allow a lot of free time, especially for those with preschoolers. And choose activities that are family-oriented, even for trips and holidays. Just enjoy being together as a family!

The most important way to treasure them, of course, is to teach them about their need for a Saviour. Teach them to pray. Read the Bible together. Go to church every week as a family. Talk about the things of the Lord every day. And if you have a Christian heritage, be thankful for it. Treasure it and pass on to your children a desire and hunger for the Lord. Only He can move in their hearts but we as parents can nurture our children so they are open to the leading of the Lord.

Treasure your children by not comparing them to others. How often do we come home from church or a school event, discouraged because our child is not just like little Johnny. Instead, look for the gifts and abilities that God has given our children. Maybe we do need to do some further training to help our children behave in a way that is appropriate to the occasion but don’t compare them to other children.

Finally, build family traditions. They won’t be the same as any other family’s traditions but they will be yours. Again, don’t compare but you can take ideas from others. Just don’t expect it to look exactly the same! But building traditions together binds a family together and shows children that we love and value our family just the way God has put it together.

I referred to Steve Green’s song earlier. Here are the lyrics to close:

Children are a Treasure from the Lord

Halls ring with echoes of laughter
Long after they've come and gone
For the memory of a tiny face and playful grin
Still brings a smile, reminding us again
That children are a treasure from the Lord

Songs sweetly sung by the cradle
Prayers whispered just before bed
And we taught them "Jesus loves you" in a simple song
And we pray they won't forget their whole life long
Children are a treasure from the Lord
Those bright and trusting eyes
Seem to take us by surprise
And they see what others older seem to miss
May the gift of faith they hold Grow as they grow old
May they always know God will never let them go

At six they're beginning their school days
Sixteen and they're driving the car
And at twenty-one we'll let them go on their first date
But of course they'll be at home in bed by eight
Yes, children are a treasure from the Lord

Homes ring with echoes of laughter
Long after they've come and gone
And just knowing that our children really love the Lord
Is a faithful parent's passion and reward,
children are a treasure from the Lord
Children are a treasure from the Lord
Yes, children are a treasure from the Lord

Words and music by Jon Mohr, Phil Naish and Greg NelsonCopyright 1989 Feed and Seed Music/LCS Songs (a div. of Lorenz Creative Services)/Pamela Kay Music/Beckengus Music/Greg Nelson Music. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.

May God bless you and the children you interact with and may you build a closer relationship with them as you treasure the gift they are from God.

An elderly lady in our church is away visiting her granddaughter and had a bad fall down the stairs there so she is in hospital. I was looking up the address for the hospital and came across a neat program this hospital has. I don't know how many others have this program but I think it's a great idea.

It's called "Well Wishes" and it's a email delivery program. They have a form to submit online with room for a letter. The emails are checked daily and printed off and then taken to the patient.

Isn't this great? Not that we shouldn't send cards but sometimes, especially since patients are sent home quickly, it's hard to time a card just right. This way, you know it will get there that day. And in our online age, it's an encouragement for people to take the time to send good wishes for recovery, without having to get a card, etc.

I thought it was a neat program and I'd be happy to hear if other hospitals do it.

Sunday Hymn - O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Caterers Who Don't Like Desserts

Recently, my husband and I have both been to a banquet, separately. On both occasions, the dinner was fine. I think my turkey dinner was a little better than his, but overall, the meal was appetizing & tasty.

However, on neither occasion was the dessert appetizing, tasty or even appealing. In fact, it was somewhat appalling. At the banquet I was at, it was obvious that they tried hard and I would give them "A" for effort. But a small piece of chocolate cake, covered with some custard/pudding stuff, and topped with either bright pink or bright green whipping cream (piped at least) and sprinkles didn't only look unappetizing but didn't taste great either.

At my husband's banquet, there didn't even seem to be much effort. I think it was probably called "Strawberry Shortcake" but it was a small piece of white cake with a couple of strawberries and a smear of whipped cream.

These are only two examples of numerous events we have been to where the meal was great but the dessert left something to be desired.

Now I will admit right up front that I like desserts. I like to eat them and I like to make them. I'm somewhat frugal so I tend to search out recipes that look and taste great but don't take a lot of unusual and/or expensive ingredients. So maybe someone could say that I'm being picky. That may be so.

But I ask, how hard is it to make a wonderfully tasting dessert? The KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid) definitely applies. Wouldn't you rather have a simple apple or rhubarb crisp topped with a dollop of real whipped cream rather than an awful tasting fancy dessert? I know I would. Or what about a real chocolate cake or pineapple upside down cake? Or trifle? Or a simple whipped cheesecake with a simple fruit topping?

There are so many choices for desserts out there. I wonder why caterers feel they can foist these awful tasting desserts on their clients and why their clients let them! Why do we put up with it? Why don't we tell them that all of the meal needs to taste good, not just the main course?

And do caterers not realize how it impacts their business? We have been having our ladies' banquet at the same place for several years. I think next year, we'll be looking for another place to host it.

My brother got married several years ago. They chose the caterer that had the best reputation. Part of her reputation? Fantastic cheesecakes! They were truly wonderful. And you know what? Even I, the frugal one, would be willing to pay more to be guaranteed a wonderful meal.

It's not really that expensive either. Like I said, there are ways to be frugal but it's still possible to use real food as the ingredients. That goes a long way to making each part of the meal very yummy.

Someday, I think I will go into business and make my name on having the best desserts around!

Scrapbooking Musings

I was thinking today while scrapbooking gifts for Christmas about a phrase that the Deputy Headmistress has used. This post is the beginning of the use of the phrase "What's in your hand?"

As I was working today, I was looking for a particular type and colour of ribbon. I didn't have what I was looking for but then realized that with a little ingenuity, some ribbon I did have would work quite nicely.

It struck me again how easy it is to get caught up in the acquisitiveness of our age, especially in regards to hobbies. Sure I could have gone and bought some ribbon that would have been more like my original thought, if I could find it in a store in town, but that would have involved a lot more work, possibly frustration, and definitely money than simply using what I already have.

In scrapbooking, as in many other hobbies, I am sure, there are trends. It becomes somewhat laughable to see what the latest and greatest is. Fibers are in; fibers are out. Buttons are in; buttons are out. Ribbon is in; ribbon is out. There's always something new that is the latest thing. Meanwhile, scrapbookers have stockpiled hundreds of dollars worth of product to be sure they have the latest and greatest, only to see the next trend on the horizon.

I am as prone to this failing as anyone else. It's so easy to think that just the right products will lead to a fantastic scrapbooking page. It's easy to lose sight of my true goal - to keep track of my family's activities and experiences. But when I remind myself of this, it helps to bring me back to earth.

I am not saying that no one should ever buy anything new. Eventually, you would run out of tools to scrapbook and then there would be no point to continuing. And as in anything, companies are constantly developing new tools that make the hobby a lot easier and more interesting. But what I am saying is that in scrapbooking, as in the rest of life, you must be careful to keep your goals and financial situation in clear sight and to not get caught up in just collecting products without ever using them.

It is also true that sometimes that one new little product will make a page go from boring to beautiful. The trick is to figure out when it's needed and when it's not.

This is my challenge to myself for the day - what's in my hand? Whether it's scrapbooking, cooking, getting dressed (!), or whatever the activity, am I consciously using the resources God has given me in a way that is glorifying to Him or am I wasting those resources through carelessness?

My sincere thanks to the Deputy Headmistress for writing about this in the first place and encouraging us all to carefully consider our choices.

Christmas Baking with a Canadian Twist

It's December, isn't it? Amazing how that happens.

And since it's December, I'm starting to think about baking. Rebecca is asking for Christmas recipes so I thought this was a good time to post some favourite recipes that I've had since childhood. As I was thinking about it, I realized that it's a good time to showcase some Canadian favourites.

I was shocked to learn a few years ago that my American friends didn't know what butter tarts were. I still don't really understand how someone could not have had butter tarts but thought I would try to rectify this by posting a recipe. A friend and I usually make about 14-16 dozen in a morning to split between our families.

And then there's Nanaimo bars. They are named after a city on Vancouver Island and are very popular. True Confession? I don't really like them. Every once in a while, I have one and I'm reminded of why I don't usually eat them. But millions of Canadians can't be wrong, can they?

My grandfather was British and I think there are other British/Scottish ancestors in my family tree, which perhaps explains why I love fruitcake. I know - everyone loves to hate it. But you haven't tasted my mother's fruitcake! Mmm.... Last year, she brought some to me and this year, we're going to visit them so I don't need to make it again. I have made it but hers is better!

And last, but not least, Rocky Roads. I suspect these aren't completely Canadian. They are a family favourite, though. Mom used to hide them in the freezer. They taste awfully good frozen. So do butter tarts - slightly thawed is great!

Here are the recipes:

Butter Tarts

Some recipes take corn syrup. My preference is to keep it simple with just brown sugar, butter (or margarine) and eggs. Also, instead of mixing raisins or currants with the syrup, simply place 5-6 on the bottom of each shell. That way, each tart has the same amount of fruit and it's not too overwhelming for those who aren't as fond of raisins as others.

1 C. brown sugar
2 T. butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 t. vanilla

Mix together (you can soften the butter first) and pour into unbaked tart shells. Bake at 400 for about 12-15 minutes but watch carefully. This is a small batch but it would be good to start with.

Nanaimo Bars
2 squares of Bakers semi-sweet chocolate, melted
combine with1/2 cup softened butter
2TB sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Add
2 cups graham wafer crumbs
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Press into 9" pan and chill

Combine:
2 TB custard powder with
3 TB milk
1/4 cup butter
2 cups icing sugar
Beat until smooth and spread over base. Chill 15 minutes

Melt:4 squares Bakers chocolate with
1TB butter

Spread over custard layer. Chill. Cut into bars.Makes about 3 dozen.

Dark Fruit Cake
(my Aunt Stella's recipe, from an old "Hometown Recipes of Manitowaning" on Manitoulin Island)

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 scant c. white sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. raisin
1/2 lb. dates
1/4 lb. mixed peel or fruit
1/4 lb. nuts, almonds & walnuts
Juice & rind of 1 lemon
Juice & rind of 1 orange
1 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. cloves
1 t. soda dissolved in 1/2 c. sour milk
1 1/2 c. unsalted cracker crumbs
1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt

Cream butter, brown and white sugars together. Then add the rest and bake for 2 1/2 hours at 250. This makes 3 small layers.

Rocky Roads

6 oz. chocolate chips
1/2 c. butter

Melt together.

Add 1 egg, beaten & 1 c. icing sugar. Cool slightly. Add 2 c. miniature marshmallows. Line a 9x9 pan with graham crackers. Pour the chocolate mixture over the crackers. Chill and slice into small pieces - these are very rich.

Enjoy!