I thought about all of you in line for the devastating ice storms and it just made me feel ill. I know what it is like have a rose like SDLM set back for three or four years after it took you that long to get a decent ready to fully bloom plant. It's not like all of us have all the time in the world to wait while the weather cooperates with us to allow the worlds best roses to become a substantial plant in OUR garden and allow us to the sastifaction and utter bliss to know our efforts made it into the plant it is. From April until Mid-July our weather is so unpredictable with killing frosts in May, straight line winds, tornados, hail storms, multi-inch rains in 2 hours, 90 degree heat for three days in a row after the first blooms open, japanese beetles(now here), extended cold fronts into June (we had no roses for our rose clubs rose show last year - too cold), the onslaught of black spot in July/August, fall with no rain, winter with no snow to cover our roses or snow cover but temps that reach so far below zero for so many days that insulation of covered or buried roses does no good. I don't know what to tell you to cheer you up or take away the painfulness of such robberies. I can tell you in so many ways we are all in the same boat and we will start again because of the promise of what can be and we are better off with that vision (the triumph of a perfect Souvenir De La Malmaison or Celestine Forestier) than we are to letting it beat us and giving up. But for today, you have earned your sadness and discomfort - the grief - the loss is real and I empathize with you greatly.

You can add a kitchen next year, or whenever you can afford it, not a spa. Spa/heater extends the use of your pool. Price looks good but realize those are all the most basic choices: standard plaster (not pebble), standard light (not LED), etc.

Thanks Daisy - I didn't realize that there was such a spice mixture available in the UK and Australia. Perhaps I'll see some of it next time I go to the English import shop here. Diane, I would use a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves if you didn't want to grind them as Daisy has suggested. Here's an English website that sells that mixed spice and lists the ingredients they use. I've haven't seen this type of cake done in a loaf pan. It might not turn out as moist in that shaped pan. I made my smaller cakes in round tins as well - about 6 inches across. As I remember I did 6, 8 and 10 inch round cakes, not all on the same day and used with inserted paper sides higher than the pan as per the recipe. I'm sure the times should be shortened if you're using smaller cake tins.. Darn - I'm kicking myself for not making careful notes last time I made these cakes. I have a notebook where I keep all my Christmas recipes and cooking experiences from year to year but didn't think to make notes in it when I was making Christmas cakes. I know that I used a metal skewer to test for doneness. I have a fan oven so I normally reduce cooking times for most things. I guess you just have to try it once and keep an eye on them as you wouldn't want them too dry or underdone. SharonCb

Amylou, I do hope you'll try "pink chocolate" for yourself. I had some "Ruby" brand bars last spring and they were delicious. Slightly fruity but definitely chocolate, is how the taste struck me. Perennialfan, I had rolled ice cream once at a local shop. It was fun watching it be made but for me it's a novelty thing, not worth going out of my way for. For your other question, ice cream bars are good for convenience, either portable or portion-control -- but given a choice I'd take ice cream in a bowl.