The Tin Box, or, How to leave your affairs in order

Death is not a fun topic. But as executrix of my father's estate, I wanted to share one tool he made use of during his lifetime that made things much easier for me immediately after he was gone. I strongly recommend everyone set up a document box like this for their loved ones, and themselves.

He called it "the tin box," even though his was made of steel. It's not fancy, and not even that big: just 3"x5"x10".  Fireproof, it contained the documents I'd need right away after he died, and some simple instructions. He made sure I knew where he kept it in his apartment.


Here's what it contained:

• Will
• Living will/advance directives
• Social Security card
• Proof of military service and honorable discharge*
• Official copy of his birth certificate**
• Official copies of his parents' birth certificates **
• Statement from the bank account he shared with me, so I could immediately pay his bills and funeral expenses
• A printout of an Amazon page for a book about humanist funeral services, on which he wrote the music he'd like played at his service!

 
*If the deceased was honorably discharged from the military, he or she will get a discount on funeral expenses, and the funeral home will provide an American flag (folded into a presentation triangle) on request for no charge.

** The funeral home prepares the death certificate (I suggest asking for eight certificates, since you will need to surrender them for financial and other purposes). The funeral home application requires specific information from all these asterisked documents. The drudgery of filling out the long and repetitive application was made much easier on the traumatic day of my father's death by having these documents on hand. The funeral home will need copies of military letters and your driver's license, so unless you have a fax, it would be extra wise to scan these documents and keep the digital copies easy to find.

Why "tin box"? I think his parents must have kept their important documents in a tin box like the one at right, and he carried on the name. This one is for sale online from someone else's estate. If you want a new document box just like my dad's, the one at left got good reviews on Amazon.

Think ahead, and leave your affairs in good order, like my dear old dad. It will make your survivors' lives so much easier, and it will be very comforting to them on the day they lose you to know that you loved them enough to take care of these issues while still living.

Ukrainian cakes -- not too sweet, good for breakfast or dessert!

These two are my favorites from the Ukrainian Museum's "Christmas Recipes and Traditions," a pamphlet I received during a baking class I took there.

Photo Credit: The Wednesday Chef

CHRISTINE'S HONEY CAKE (Medivnyk)
11/4 lbs honey (half buckwheat and half clover)
4 cups flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
9 eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla sugar (Dr. Oetker)
1 stick butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat until small bubbles appear (a Kitchen Aid is nice for this task). Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for one hour. Do not open oven for at least 30 minutes; if you do, the cake will go flat. Once cool, take out of pan and wrap loosely in wax paper, and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. (The flavor is better after a day or two in the fridge.)


CHRISTINE'S TSVIBAK
6 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour, sifted with 1 Tbsp baking powder
1 cup dried fruits, diced (I used cranberries and golden raisins)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Take a tablespoon of flour and stir into dried fruit, so pieces are all coated and separate easily from one another. Beat egg yolks with sugar until light lemon color. Beat egg whites to soft-peak stage. Fold egg whites into egg yolks. Fold flour and baking powder into mixture. Add fruits and nuts and combine gently. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake for one hour. Let cool in pan.