Wednesday Wise Words - Time

Today's quote is by Harvey Mackay, an American businessman, author, and syndicated columnist with Universal Uclick for which he gives career and inspirational advice.

You've probably heard or read his most famous book, How to Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive.

One of the secrets of success is learning how to use your allotted time each day rather than frittering it away on unimportantmportant tasks.

Mr. Mackay is 94 now so he definitely knows the importance of using time effectively. Here's what he said.

"Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it, you can never get it back."

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Like money, time is something you can't take with you when you die. When you're living, time is more important than money because yo can always make more money, but you can't make more time.

Romance Gems...Where Authors and Readers Meet 

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Review - Everest - Netflix

For several months, I've foound very little of interest on the streaming services. It's times like this that I question why I'm paying so much for so few well-written, well-crafted movies and TV series.

In fact, the only streaming service I don't complain about is YouTube Premium because it's an excellent research source for writing. But Netflix, HBO Max, and Prime since they started ads? I could easily jettison them, but I'll probably keep Prime because Amazon is a primary shopping destination for us.

Indeed, it seems as if the older movies and TV shows are so much better than the movies and TV since 2020. A case in point is the movie EVEREST, a 2015 movie based on the true story of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.

I remember seeing this several years ago. I didn't remember the complete details of the production so I thought I'd watch it again.

The story is about the 2 rival expedition groups that attempted to reach the summit only to find their lives at stake when a massive storm struck.

Starring Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Martin Henderson, and Emily Watson, the movie is edge of the seat suspense. 

This high drama film is suspenseful and ultimately heart breaking as it tells the story of the ill-fated expeditions. Eight climbers died. Several had to undergo amputations. The horror of it makes one wonder why anyone wants to attempt Mount Everest climbs.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you're looking for a suspenseful, scary movie that's absolutely true, check out EVEREST, now streaming on Netflix.

May 16, 2026, A READER'S EVENT

BEGINS AT 11:00AM CDT

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MONDAY MAGIC - ANOTHER CYBER SECURITY TIP

Welcome back to Monday Magic. Today I'm offering some more Cyber Security Tips.

Previously, I posted CYBER SECURITY TIP a couple of weeks ago if you want to check it out which I advise you to do because you need to take the action it explains.

If you receive a phone call from an unknown number, do 1 of 2 things. 

1. Answer but saying nothing, and make sure there is no noise in the room, just total silence. The caller may say, "Hello, is anyone there?" Do NOT answer. Do not say, "Yes."

After a few attempts, scammers who repeatedly call your number—probably purchased from the dark web on a list of 1000's from data breaches—will assume your number is out of service or not assigned. They'll remove it from their list and move on to another potential victim.

2. Again, say nothing. Follow the silence scenario above because if you DO say something and the call is from scammers, they will record anything you say. 

If you say, "Hello, yes, I'm here or yes, I can hear you," they will use your recorded YES to "prove" you agreed to whatever scam they are trying to perpetrate.

If you follow the silence routine, you'll notice that most of these scammers ask, "Can you hear me?" They want you to say, "Yes, I can hear you." Don't be a victim. Be silent.

SCARIER SCENARIO

If you say anything—like telling them where to go or cursing or any cutting remarks—they will be recording everything you say. They end up with a recording of your voice which they can then sell to anyone or any group they want, and they'll get paid for it. Those who purchase voice recordings will then use AI to market your voice, possibly to duplicate your voice and get paid for selling it.

EVEN SCARIER SCENARIO

They may use your voice in an extortion scheme. Example? Your son receives a phone call, "Honey, don't panic, but I've been kidnapped. You've got to access our bank account and send $50,000 to this routing number. Please, if you don't, they will kill me."

The crooks have a 50-50 chance that one of your kids may have access to your bank account. (Please read my previous post with a Cyber Security Tip. 

How on earth do people think up these horrible things to victimize people? Don't answer any phone call if you don't recognize the number. If it's your doctor or something equally important, they will leave a message. If you choose to answer, be silent in a silent room, and listen. After a few weeks, you may notice these calls decrease enormously.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Don't be a victim. Be smart. Be safe. Contact the FBI if you receive any kind of extortion attempt.

Mark your calendar to attend this event on May 16!

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Time Keeps On Ticking Ticking

Lord Chesterfield famously said, "Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do today."

We all bemoan the lack of time to do everything we need to do and want to do, but ask yourself: how do I use my time?

Do you spend your allotted hours each day effectively or do you frivolously spend your hours in the purusit of entertainment?

 Everyone is given the same 24 hours a day. How do some people create success, prosperity, and happiness and others muddle along in a life full of discouragement?

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Success starts with attitude, desire to live full of joy, belief in oneself, and learning to use time effectively. There are a million books, classes, videos, and lectures that teach one how to harness the potential inside. Believe.

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Saturday Share - Chef Mama's Beef Stock

Who is Chef Mama? That would be my Mom who was an amazing home chef. She had family recipes, contemporary fad recipes, and cookbooks from churches as well as the most popular ones of her era.

She never watched a chef teach how to make something in a video or anything like that, but her food was amazing.

She made stock in her kitchen, and she didn't call it bone broth. It was called stock, and it smelled so good and tasted so good, you wanted to drink it.

Today, I want to tell you how she made beef stock to produce a liquid that would make gravies, sauces, and soups mouthwateringly delicious.

You'll need a roasting pan and a large stock pot or Dutch oven, and you'll need what were once called soup bones.

Mom used real beef trimmed from roasts as well as soup bones which could be bought for cents a pound. 

In today's world when short ribs cost $9.99 a pound, just look for the cheapest bone-in beef you can find. If you frequent a butcher shop, you can probably get soup bones from them.

You'll also need celery, onion, carrots, salt, and herbs. I do like my mother. When I cook with those vegetables, I wash and trim them then save the trimmings in a big container in the fridge for the sole purpose of making stock.

CHEF MAMA'S BEEF STOCK

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds meaty beef bones
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 10 cups of cold tap water
• the equivalent of 2 celery staoks, 2 carrots, 1 onion, all coarsely chopped
• a bouquet garni which is usually a bundle of herbs placed in a cheesecloth square and tied together. Use 2 sprigs each of fresh thyme and marjoram, 6 black peppercorns, 6 sprigs fresh parsley, and  bay leaf.
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Sieve from Amazon

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350º F. (180º C.).
•  Place the soup bones in a roasting pan and drizzle with the oil.
• Bake for 1 hour or until the bones are well browned.
• Remove from the oven and transfer everything to a Dutch oven or stock pot. Add the cold watr and all the other ingredients.
• Turn the heat to high and bring everything to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 3-4 hours.
• Skim any impurities that rise to the top of the simmering stock.
• At the end of the cooking time, remove the soup bones. If there's any meat on them, reserve it for use later. Discard the bones.
• Strain the stock throough cheesecloth or a fine sieve and discard the bouquet garni and veggies.
• Chill at least 24 hours before using the stock.
• Fat will accumulate on the top of the stock. You can scoop this fat off and use as you would use butter, shortening, or cooking oil. If the source of the bones was organic, this fat is very healthy. Saute vegetables in it, use to make roux, sauces, etc.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I make stock on a weekend. After it's chilled and I've removed the fat, I pour it into quart-sized freezer containers, mark the date, and stack the containers in the freezer so I'll always have this quality ingredient on hand.

 

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

A READERS AND AUTHORS EVENT ON MAY 16.

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Friday Facts About SlingWords

On April 12, 2005, I wrote and published the first post on SlingWords. It was a Japanese Proverb I learned when I lived in Japan.

Yes, I've been blogging for 21 years on SlingWords. Since that date 21 years ago, I've written and published 4,562 posts.

Wow! That even impresses me.

Once I blogged every day, but my life became so busy these last few years that I no longer had that luxury.

When I do blog, I put my best effort into the process. I do my own research, verify facts, select graphics to accompany each post, and try to make sure it's error-free.

Normally, I post this "birthday" blog on the anniversary date. This year, I've been inundated with too many projects which is why it's 2 weeks late.

Many people say blogs are dead, but I don't find that to be true. Blogging is alive and well and will continue to be so as far as I can see.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I'll keep writing and publishing SlingWords until it's no longer satisfying. That's always been my plan. Hopefully, all of you who read SlingWords will continue to do so. To me, that sounds like a win-win..

I literally wrote the book on blogging. Get BLOG OPS today on

Amazon or read on Kindle Unlimited

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CYBER SECURITY TIP

In this world where Artificial Intelligence is capturing more and more of our time and attention, we are faced with puzzling questions and frightening scenarios.

How do we protect our family in a world where privacy seems to be declining?

FAMILY PASSWORD

This is something we've had in our family for a couple of decades. Create a secret password that each member of your family can remember.

If that password is ever used in what seems like ordinary conversation, it means: "I'm in trouble. Call 911. Send help."

If you receive a late night phone call from one of your kids: "Help. I've been arrested. Wire $5000.00 for an attorney to SOME WEBSITE." If the call is really from one of your kids, he would say the password to verify it's really your child.

WHY IS ALL THIS IMPORTANT?

Because we live in a world where people put their real birthdates and private information on social media. They have their phones set so they can take calls from social media followers. 

They post pictures and videos of spouses, siblings, children, and grandchildren. They log their daily movements and restaurants they frequent, vacations they take, and so much more.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

All of the above is fodder for scammers and crooks who can take those images and information and use Artificial Intellience to take advantage of you.

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Exciting New Book - Devil's Advocate - MJ Schiller

Looking for an exciting book full of passion and romance? Look no further—I've got a book for you, and it publishes today.

DEVIL'S ADVOCATE by MJ Schiller is Book #11 of the Devilish Desires Series, and it will thrill you.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The verdict’s in. He’s guilty of falling for opposing counsel.

Nick Adams doesn’t have time for the existential crisis he’s having. 

But when I wind up being charged with contempt of court and discover her at the shelter where I’m serving community service, she brings out a side of me I’ve never seen. Could this be the true Nick?

B.J. McCaffrey doesn’t form attachments with anyone. And playboy counselor Nick Adams would be the last person on the list if I did. But, then again, this isn’t exactly the Nick Adams that people have made him out to be.

Could he heal his broken heart by discovering that, despite outward appearances, she has one? One thing’s for sure. It’s hell being the DEVIL’S ADVOCATE!

LET'S READ AN EXCERPT

(Warning: Language!!! Nick's a bad boy.)

I have it all, and it means absolutely nothing to me.

I can still feel the punch to the gut that was Zack’s returning to claim Zoe, just as I was about to seal the deal and make her mine. I can still smell the exact fragrance of the air when I stepped out onto the balcony, still hear my voice as I told her, “I can be whoever you want me to be, Zoe.”

What the hell was I thinking? I wasted eight years of my life on one woman. 

A woman not unlike B.J. McCaffrey, who was sitting across from me now, acting as opposing counsel. I looked at her. As drop-dead gorgeous as she was, she was just another woman. 

“Mr. Adams? Are we boring you?”

I could hear him somewhere on the edges of my thought, but it didn’t matter to me. Change myself. For a woman. Where was my pride? Where is my pride?

“Earth to Mr. Adams.”

I turned my head slowly to face the judge. He was a prick.

“Does the accused need another lawyer? Or are you going to continue to sit there and let him destroy himself on the stand?”

I looked at my client. He didn’t even wear a tie. “Yeah. I think I am.” 

At first, I couldn’t believe the words came out of my mouth. But they felt good. Felt right, somehow. “I’m sick of working my ass off on cases and having my clients ignore everything I tell them about their demeanor on the stand.”

Judge Walters looked at my rival, B.J. McCaffrey. She shrugged. “Mr. Adams. Your job is to defend this man. Are you incapable of doing that?”

“I don’t know.”

Again, the judge and my opponent exchanged a look.

Pull it together, Nick. Find that damn pride of yours. “Wait.” My eyes ricochetted around the desk in front of me and finally fell on the yellow legal pad with my scribbled notes for the case. “I apologize, Your Honor. It’s been a rough—”

Eight years? Two months? Life?

“—day. My apologies to the court.”

“I repeat, your job is to defend this man. Are you capable of doing that?”

Damn. I just apologized. Can’t you let it go?

I didn’t have the time or patience for the existential crisis I was going through, but it would have none of it. It was bound to torture me all the same. 

Of course, the reason for it was undoubtedly her. The woman I loved—or thought I loved—was on her honeymoon with my best friend. And I was beginning to see how crazy it had been for me to wait around eight years for her. 

As a result, I was approaching thirty and still didn’t know who I was. I straightened my back. This is what Zoe had brought me to. 

“Yes, Your Honor. It won’t happen again.”

“It better not, Mr. Adams, or you won’t see the inside of my courtroom again.”

Yeah, yeah. You’re in charge, big boy. We all get it.

“Now I’m going to do you a solid, Mr. Adams. It’s late. I’m—”

He likes to use slang. He thinks it makes him look cool. I managed to roll my eyes inwardly this time.

“—going to adjourn this court until one. I suggest you take the time to pull yourself together.” He looked at my client. The rail-thin, gray-haired, unshaven man sat with his mouth hanging open like a guppy. “You can get down now.” 

The man nodded and Walters pounded his gavel. He glared at me. “The court is adjourned.”

I gathered my things, cursing quietly.

Can't wait to the end of this post to get DEVIL'S ADVOCATE? Okay, you can get it from these booksellers at Books2Read or from Amazon. 

But read on and let me tell you about the Author, MJ Schiller.

M.J. Schiller is a retired lunch lady/romance-romantic suspense writer. She enjoys writing novels whose characters include rock stars, desert princes, teachers, futuristic Knights, construction workers, cops, and a wide variety of others. In her mind everybody has a romance.

M.J. is the mother of a twenty-eight-year-old and three twenty-six-year-olds. That's right, triplets! So having recently taught four children to drive, she likes to escape from life on occasion by pretending to be a rock star at karaoke. However…you won’t be seeing her name on any record labels soon. 

Visit M.J. Schiller Online: 

Website: https://mjschillerauthor.blogspot.com/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/m-j-schiller

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MJ-Schiller-Romance-Author/286382241460365

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mjschiller/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjschiller

Tumblr: http://mjschilz.tumblr.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mjschiller

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6479377.M_J_Schiller

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/M-J-Schiller/e/B009JOQFQQ

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you're looking for a new book or a new author to you, grab a copy of DEVIL'S ADVOCATE by MJ Schiller. You'll be glad you did!

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

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Hang Tough

I've been coping with some challenges lately. Just thought I'd remind myself and my readers of this truth.

Sometimes, you have to look for something good when what you see and hear are bad.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Hang tough, baby. Life isn't for sissies.

Deciphering Online Typograpy Characters

Here's a quick tip to help you identify the difference between a lower case L and the number 1 when seen online.

To many people, those two look the same. Example, I'm typing l and 1—which was which? In this blog window what I typed looks identical.

In actuality, the first character I typed was the lower case L (l) and the second one I typed was the number 1— side by side, lower case L and number 1—l1l1l1.

It all depends on the font. In the compose font on my blog interface, they both look the same, but when you read this, the font will show a difference between the two with the lower case L being a straight line and the number 1 having a little slanted line at the top.

On Google apps, the lower case L has straight line at the top and the number 1 has a slanted line at top.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Hope this keeps you from making mistakes with passwords and other important information.

Review - Better Off Dead - YouTube

If you're looking for a quirky, absurd, hilarious movie kind of like Airplace, then you'd probably enjoy the John Cusack film BETTER OFF DEAD.

This eighties film full of teen angst and suburbia cliches is ridiculous and laugh out loud funny in so many places you'll want to jump back and see the scenes again.

Written and directed by Savage Steve Holland, this 1985 American film was billed as a teen black comedy. 

When it was first released, I don't think anyone knew what to think about it because the reviews were mixed, but it's become a cult film since then for the very things critics didn't get back in 1985.

Joining Cusack are David Ogden Stiers as his dad, Kim Darby as his weird mom, Diane Franklin as the French exchange student, and Curtis Armstrong as the wacko Charles de Mar.

What's the film about? Let's just talk tropes: high school misfits,  popular girl heartbreaker, bullies, French exchange student, weird parents, 80's music, genius psycho little brother, awesome muscle car, sports competition, and complete absurdity.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

When you need a good laugh and don't want to over-analyze something, watch Better Off Dead free on Netflix.

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Monday Magic - Character Count Tool

In creating my latest Facebook ad, to make sure I had no more than the specified characters allowed, I plugged my proposed Headline into an app I've used for years.

In fact, every time I must fill out an online form that limits the number of characters, I use this app. 

I can't remember if I ever shared it with you so I'm doing that today.

Online Character Count Tool is free and it's priceless!

You can use it to count actual characters or characters and spaces. It's invaluable for anyone who has to restrict the size of text to a certain number of: Characters, Words, Sentences, Paragraphs, or Spaces.

In fact, I plug in what I want to say and then edit in the app until I hit the magic number allowed. You can use it on the website, no registering or download required.

Yes, it's ad supported, but the ads aren't popping up all over the place. They're not that intrusive.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I think you'll find this is one of the most useful website apps ever.

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Sunday Thoughts - 15 More Things Money Can't Buy

A while back I wrote a post, Top 15 Things Money Can’t Buy based on a quotation by Roy T. Bennett.

That post was full of wisdom. Nothing on the list above can be purchased, but anyone can possess each item shown.

Today, I thought I'd add to the list if I could.

This is today's list of things you cannot buy, but you can possess.

Knowledge. Resilience. Wisdom. Friends. Self-Confidence. Sense of Humor. Good Judgment. Generosity. Creativity. True Success. Compassion. Empathy. Innate Talent. Optimism. Gratitude.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

That's my list. Do you have some qualities to add to my list or Mr. Bennett's list in my original post? If so, leave them in comments.

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Saturday Share - Baked Potato Casserole

Does this describe your daily routine? You work all day then it gets late, and you realize you need to cook dinner.

That's when you get that sinking feeling of "I'm too tired to cook" and all you want is an easy way out.

What can you cook?

If you have potatoes ad cheese, then there's an easy casserole you can cook that will get rave reviews.

In fact, if your family loves mashed potatoes, this will become a family favorite casserole. Even better, if you have leftover ham or roast beef, you can dice that and add it to the casserole.

Today's recipe makes 6-8 generous servings.

BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE

Ingredients

• 8 medium size potatoes (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds if you want to weigh them)
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded chedddar cheese + 1/2 cup shreded cheddar, separately
• 6 slices bacon, fried, drained, and crumbled
• Chives for garnish

Directions

1. Peel the potatoes. Place in a laarge saucepan and cover with water. Sprinkled in a couple of teaspoons of salt. Cook over medium-high heat about 15-20 minutes until fork tender. Drain and set aside.

2. While potatoes are cooking, preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Prepare a 3 quart casserole dish with baking spray, butter, or neutral oil

3.  Return the potatoes to the saucepan, add the milk, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Beat with a hand-held mixer until smooth.

4. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of cheese and half of the bacon. Then spread the mixture into the casserole dish.

5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the 1/2 cup of cheese and the rest of the bacon. Bake an additional 5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Let me know if you love this recipe!

Books are a little vacation between two covers. You can read books as print, ebooks, or audio. Looking for bargains? Subscribe to Joan's free newsletter, I LOVE READING, and receive exclusive content and news about book bargains and new releases.

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The Faster I Go, The Behinder I Get

Like Dr. Seus once said,  "How did it get so late so soon?"

I can't believe my blogging fell off a cliff.

I've been so busy with an authors' group I'm in plus writing my current book and trying to figure out the best cover for that new book, that I've ignored you beautiful SlingWords Readers.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I promise not to ignore you again. (I sincerely hope that's a promise I can keep.)

APRIL FOOL BRIDE, a Modern Marriage of Convenience Romance

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Severe Case of Spring Fever

Yes, I guess I've diagnosed myself with spring fever. It's been a week since I've blogged because I've been overcome with all things spring.

My purple iris are blooming and so are my knockout roses—so many roses covering the bushes that it's breathtaking.

The vitex trees in our patio pots have grown a foot and have leafed out. They're so green and pretty. The plumes of purple won't be far behind.

Yes, the world is alive with fresh green leaves and blooming flowers. It's SO difficult to stay inside in the office when I want to be outside installing a new flower bed on the west side of the back yard.

So pardon me for not "chatting" with you since last week. Today I forced myself back inside and to the computer. After all, I'm supposed to be a writer, not a gardener.

Ah, Spring Fever has me in its grip. Torn between two loves. But, I've plugged away and pulled 700 words out of my brain this afternoon. Alas, I won't have this book finished by the end of March. Now I'm aiming at the end of April. 

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Sometimes being your own boss is a problem—especially if the boss (me) is easy-going. This first week of Spring? That's me. Easy-going and refusing to put my nose to the grindstone.

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Review - War Machine - Netflix

War Machine starring Alan Ritchson aka Jack Reacher in the popular Prime series, Reacher, premiered March 6 on Netflix.

The film is a 2026 Australian-American science fiction action film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Patrick Hughes. In addition to Ritchson, Dennis Quaid pops in and out with co-stars, Stephan James, Jai Courtney, Esai Morales, Keiynan Lonsdale, and Daniel Webber.

War Machine was released to theaters in Australia on February 12, 2026 and received generally positive reviews from critics, praising it as "a fun, old-school, throwback action movie despite its familiar, formulaic storyline." 

What the critics said pretty much sums up what Darling Hubby and I thought about the film. 

Regrettably, much of the dialogue seems aimed at an aaudience that might not know much about the military, military vehicles, or tactical actions. 

The characters are basically stereotypes you've seen in many films, and the plot mines the usual cliches. It's just good escapism that doesn't require you to tax your brain.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

So toss a bag of popcorn into the microwave, turn on the movie, and enjoy the flick.

April Fool Bride, now on SALE.

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Saturday Share Recipe - Summer Lemon Pound Cake

When the weather turns chilly as it has the last few days, I think it's a good time to bake something.

Since I have a lot of lemons left from the bag I bought at Costco a few weeks ago, let's bake something that's light and delicious and delightfully lemony. To me, something lemon flavored suggests summer.

This is an old-fashioned cake with a fine crumb and a dense texture yet it doesn't taste heavy.

It does require a lot of ingredients, and it is not a low calorie cake. Having said that, it is delicious and satisfying unlike a cake you buy because it has real ingredients not a lot of fake chemicals.

Let me know if you make this old-fashioned pound cake and think it's worth the time and the wealth of ingredients.

SUMMER LEMON POUND CAKE

Ingredients - Cake

• 
  3 cups AP flour
• 3 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup soft butter at room temperature
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 5 eggs
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions for Cake

1. Preheat oven to 325° F.  (165° C.)

2. Prepare a bundt pan by spraying with baking spray or buttering it and dusting lightly with flour.

3. In a large mixing bowl place the ingredients in the order given and turn on your mixer to low and beat for a minute.

4. Increase the speed to medium and beat for another 2 minutes.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.

6. Bake time is 90 minutes, but after an hour and 15 minutes, check the cake. I recommend looking at it through the window in the oven door if possible.

You should be able to tell by the appearance of the top of the cake if it might be done or still needs another 15 minutes.

7. When done, check with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean.

8. Let it cool in the bundt pan about 15-20 minutes.

9. Invert the pan onto the plate from which you'll serve it and remove the pan carefully.

10. Cool the cake completely before glazing it with the recipe that follows.

 

LEMON GLAZE

Ingredients

• Juice and zest from 1 large lemon (or 2 small lemons)
• 1 to 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. Into a medium-sized bowl, zest the lemon.

2. Then roll the lemon on the counter with your hands. The heat of your palms and the slight pressure from rolling it on the hard surface increases the amount of juice that can be squeezed from the lemon.

3. Squeeze the lemon juice into a strainer held over the bowl. Any seeds fall into the strainer rather than the bowl.

4. Check the powdered sugar. If it's lumpy, stir it around to break the lumps or sift it. Add it to the juice and zest in the bowl a little at a time until the glaze is at a pourable consistency.

5. Drizzle the glaze over the cake, and it's ready to serve.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I was once a chocolate cake fan, but my taste has changed over the years. Now, desserts that are lemon-flavored are my favorite.

Phtotpgraphs from Pixabay  (1) Lemon-Limone-Lemon Tree by Hans  (2) Lemon-Squeezer-Lemon-Juice-Citrus by Stevepb

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