It was a beautiful weekend but now I am listening to a potential snowstorm that could bring us a lot of snow. Of course, I have friends that are saying it is not going to happen, so I will wait and see what I report next week.

Happy Birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to Benjamin Fuller and Alissa Habekost who celebrated Dec. 12; Peter Argie and Jenna Hathaway, Dec. 15; Mikhalia Lewis, Dec. 16; and to Pillco Apaza and Shamere Coke who celebrate their day today, Dec. 18.

Even though there was not a lot of fanfare this weekend, I am hearing people loved all the decorations and lights. Stores were open and people were shopping. There was no parade, no chowder or chili contest, but people did what we have been doing all this year, which was to make the best of what we had.

Ever since I can remember, like everyone else, Christmas has been a time for baking or making favorite candies, cookies and breads. Even though I was little, I can remember my parents taking me to downtown Fall River to go to the, as I call it, the fruitcake store. I don’t remember the name of it, but I remember the smell. It had all the makings you needed to make any kind of baked good. It had barrels of that dreaded dried fruit that you needed to make fruit cake. I only call it that because she made many loaves and you needed a cup coffee for one slice and I am not sure if people really liked it. But you had to make it. She also made date and nut bread. I think those were my father’s favorites and, in that store, you could always get the best.

This year I am trying to master my mother’s fudge recipe. She would get all the pans and ingredients ready and then proceed to cook. She would stir and stir and then after what seemed like an eternity, would take a shot glass with cold water in it and put a small amount of the mixture in, then let it cool for a minute and then taste it. I got to taste it too — that was my favorite part even though I had no idea why she did this. After the right taste she would add the chocolate, stir and pour it into a cookie sheet. Now that seemed simple enough but for me it was not. I now know she was testing to make sure all the sugar was not in crystal form anymore. I learned this the hard way, and after many attempts gave up. I then learned you must be patient. So now I am trying again, and I have to say I am getting better. Hopefully by Christmas I will have some fudge to give out.

As I was finishing this column, I realized that next Friday is Christmas. I hope you all have a wonderful day and have a Merry Christmas. Please remember our troops and keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Have a great week and keep the home candles burning.