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Monday, October 24, 2022

Noel Next Door Review: Hallmark Christmas Movie

Hallmark begins the Christmas movie season with the premier of Noel Next Door starring Natalie Hall and Corey Sevier. Get ready for the tried and true Hallmark Christmas theme with neighbors, Grinches and the holiday season.

Noel is the next door neighbor who is attempting to reestablish her life with her young son. Jeremy is the Grinch next door neighbor with medical challenges as he attempts to navigate the season along with his grouchy holiday attitude.

As the two neighbors unknowingly interact outside of the neighborhood, the misunderstood neighborhood Grinch and Noel begin to establish a friendship and you know what happens in Hallmark movies!

Chemistry And Christmas Grinches

The key to any Hallmark Christmas movie or any Hallmark movie is the chemistry. Noel and Jeremy have good banter and believable chemistry. The storyline is Hallmark, nuff said which is why... Hallmarkies love Christmas Hallmark movies.

Overall I'd rate Noel Next Door a Hallmark B. Worth watching, but probably not on the rewatch list. And if you know Hallmarkies, rewatching is also key to Hallmark Christmas movie season!

More Hallmark Christmas Movies Reviewed

Hallmark Christmas Movies 2022 Reviewed by The Savvy Age

Hallmark Christmas Movies 2021 Reviewed by The Savvy Age

You, Me & The Christmas Trees by The Savvy Age

A New Year's Resolution by Cynthia

Hallmark Christmas Movies 2020 Reviewed by The Savvy Age

Finding Father Christmas by Cynthia

Christmas Tree Lane by The Savvy Age

Broadcasting Christmas by Cynthia

Top Ten Hallmark Christmas Movies by The Savvy Age

Debbie Macomber's Mr. Miracle Hallmark Movie Review by Cynthia

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Sunday, October 23, 2022

Have You Heard of DampRid? I Tried It, Check Out This Personal Review

Review of DampRid - Yes or No?

We don't have a dehumidifier in our basement.

We weren't in the mood to make that purchase yet.

We knew we had to do something with that typically musty smell you get in the basement, and I had seen commercials for a product called "DampRid."

So, of course, off I went to investigate.

What is DampRid?

Basically, DampRid is a hanging moisture absorber that helps to rid a space of humidity and, thus, odors.

You can use it just about anywhere; closets, basements, bathrooms, laundry rooms, storage, garages, boats, RVs, and more.

They're designed to last approximately 60 days. However, they lasted at least 90 days in my basement.

How Does Damp Rid Work?

It comes with 3 hanging moisture-absorbent packets per box.

Yes, it has a hanger hook on each one, so it's easy to hang anywhere.

Essentially it's a dehumidifier that doesn't need electricity.

The top half of the bag has scented (or unscented) absorbent crystals, and the bottom has an empty bag that will slowly fill with water as the moisture is pulled from the air.

How I Used DampRid

I took the three hanging bags and put them in three different spots in our basement.

Then, I forgot about it.

After going to check it months later, I noticed that the bottom bag for each had, in fact, filled with water it drew from the air.

I figured it would work, but I was still surprised to see the water there - yep, it indeed worked.

Did It Make Our Basement Smell Better?

Yes, DampRid did, in fact, get rid of the stinky/musty smell in our basement.

Just be aware that when you first hang the product up, the scented crystals are quite strong, but the scent does fade.

I like the strong smell, but others with sensitivities may not.

If you're sensitive to smells, they do offer a fragrance-free product.

Would I Recommend DampRid?

Heck yes!

In fact, I bought a second box of three hanging packets and put them in the basement again.

Our basement absolutely smells better, and humidity is being drawn out.

Obviously, it's not as good as an electric dehumidifier, but I'm happy with this product.

I don't want something else to plug in to drive up our hydro bill! So, this product serves the purpose.

Granted, I have to keep replacing it every 90 days or so, but I'm willing to do that.

I'm actually considering another box for my closets.

If you're ok with scented products, go ahead and give this one a try. However, they do offer a scent-free product.

Five stars.

You can find it on Amazon here.

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My Gal Sunday – Book Review

By Mary Higgins Clark

Image of a couple walking down a path in a park

Recently I have been reading my way through books by the Queen of Suspense, Mary Higgins Clark. Although I seldom read short stories, preferring full-length novels, I came across My Gal Sunday, a collection of four stories about an irresistible sleuthing duo. The stories were delightful and I was left wishing Ms. Clark had written more novels featuring this duo.

The Characters in My Gal Sunday

The book contains four short stories, each starring the same characters and continuing one to the next in order. By that, I mean that some of the other characters and situations in one story are mentioned in the next.... and the next.

The main characters are a dashing ex-president (Henry Parker Britland IV ~ wealthy, worldly and popular ~ and his new wife Sandra (Sandy) O'Brian ~ clever and lovely ~ a newly elected congresswoman from New Jersey. Sandy is the daughter of a motorman on the New Jersey railway and worked her way through school. The media loved it. When they married, a newspaper ran the headline LORD HENRY BRINTHWHIP MARRIES OUR GAL SUNDAY, a reference to the once popular radio soap opera that for years, 5 days a week, asked the question:

Can a girl from a mining town in the West find happiness as the wife of England's richest and most handsome Lord Henry Brinthwhip.

Because of this, Sandra, new wife of Henry, became known to all as 'Sunday'.

The Stories

The premise of stories in this book is that Henry & Sunday somehow become involved in solving baffling high-society crimes and make a formidable team.

In A Crime of Passion, Henry's former Secretary-of-State, a close friend and political alley, is accused of murdering his lover Arabella Young.

In They All Ran After the President's Wife, Sunday is kidnapped and a frantic Henry works with the Secret Service and his friend and former Vice-President (who is the current U.S. President) to locate Sunday and bring her home safely.

In Hail Columbia! Sunday & Henry reconstruct a long-unsolved case aboard the presidential yacht.

And in Merry Christmas/Joyeau Noel, we find Henry & Sunday getting ready for Christmas at home when a 6-year-old boy turns up on their doorstep. They take him in and work with the police, but the boy never speaks or answers any questions, so finding out who he is and where he belongs becomes a difficult problem. A sweet tale about a Christmas Miracle.

Summary

Mary Higgins Clark tells us in the book acknowledgments that as a child she was a big fan of the radio show “My Gal Sunday” and had a huge crush on Lord Henry and thought he and Sunday made a perfect couple. That's why, when she wanted to create a new husband-and-wife suspense team, she thought about Lord Henry & Sunday and asked herself “suppose Henry is a former American President, smart, nice, rich and handsome, and suppose Sunday is a stunning, savvy young congresswoman?” The stories in her book of short stories, My Gal Sunday are the result!

This really is a delightful, lighthearted and fun series of stories. I hope you enjoy the short stories in My Gal Sunday as much as I did.

Related Reviews:

Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary Higgins Clark

*My Gal Sunday Book Review written by Wednesday Elf

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Friday, October 21, 2022

Quick & Easy Baked Lemon Chicken Recipe Reviewed

Our son's favorite dinner is my baked lemon pepper chicken. I serve it over rice, which I make in my rice cooker while the lemon chicken is baking in the oven.

I normally make 6 servings, but the recipe can easily be doubled.

Six serving may sound like a lot, but each serving is 1/2 of a chicken breast. Baking the chicken in smaller pieces allows the flavor to bake fully through the piece of chicken and makes it very tender. The recipe, as shown below, is enough for 3 or 4 adults.

When my oven went out last year and I had to wait months for a replacement, I started baking this recipe in my Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Toaster Oven. Since it has a convection bake option, the lemon chicken baked up beautifully in the small oven without heating up my kitchen. Now, I bake it in my countertop oven every time I make it, unless we are having company and I need more chicken.

Delicious Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe

Because the rice takes 45 minutes to cook in my rice cooker, I start the rice before I put my chicken in the oven. I make 2 cups of rice for this dinner.

Prep Time	Cook Time	Ready In	Yields
15 min.	35 min.	50 min.	3- 4 servings

lemon slices on top of chicken for lemon chicken recipe

Ingredients

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Cut in half to make 6 pieces)

2 Lemons - Thinly Sliced
8 Tablespoons Butter, plus more for coating the pan
2 1/2 Tablespoon McCormick Lemon Pepper Seasoning
2 1/2 teaspoon salt
Chopped Fresh Parsley (if desired)

Directions

Heat the oven to 425°F. (Convection 400°F)
Lightly coat baking dish with butter
Wash and pat dry chicken breast with paper towels – Cut in halves
Melt butter in the microwave. Add Lemon Pepper seasoning & salt to melted butter. Stir until combined
In a large bowl, roll each piece of chicken in the butter mixture and place it in the prepared baking dish. (brush any remaining butter on top of the chicken pieces once they have all been rolled in it)
Place 2 or 3 lemon slices on each piece of chicken
Bake for 35 minutes
Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired

Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Toaster Oven Reviewed McCormick Perfect Pinch Lemon Pepper Seasoning Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker Reviewed

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Quick & Easy Baked Lemon Chicken Recipe Reviewed Written by:

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Thursday, October 20, 2022

Halloween Tree Review

I previously reviewed the Halloween felt ornaments that we made for our Halloween tree this year. When several people said they had never heard of a Halloween tree, I knew I needed to show you our tree.

Last year, we decorated a 5 foot skinny tree for Halloween with a variety of store bought Halloween ornaments. However, this year I wanted a smaller tree for our handmade ornaments. My husband selected one that could sit on our kitchen table or counter. That allows us to enjoy it all day long since it is not relegated to a corner in the den.

I love this little Halloween tree! It is the perfect size to accommodate our new handmade ornaments, plus it has orange lights that are battery operated. It is the perfect Halloween centerpiece and a great touch of Halloween decor in the room where we spend the most time.

Pre-lite Spooky Birch Halloween Tree

FUNPENY Lighted Black Birch Spooky TreeCheck PriceThe spooky birch Halloween tree makes the perfect centerpiece for our kitchen table. It is 2 feet tall, painted black and embellished with glitter that does not fall off or stick to your fingers.

Our tree has 18 battery operated orange lights. The switch is on the side and easy to turn on without having to move or lift the tree.

The tree also comes with spiders and web material, but we opted to not use those decorations because we wanted the tree to display our handmade felt ornaments.

There are a few options available on this little, inexpensive tree. You can choose orange lights, purple lights, or a combination of the two. 3 AA batteries are required to light the tree and they are not included with the purchase of the tree.

black birch tree perfect for Halloween decor

More Halloween Fun!

The Halloween Contributors Love Halloween

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Wednesday, October 19, 2022

An Old Idea Gets New Life ~ A Fitness Product Review

Are you interested in knowing how to increase your bone density, increase your circulation and generally feel better than you do right now? How about something that will help with weight loss, muscle toning and increased metabolism or help with balance! Keep on reading.....

Maybe I'm dating myself, but I want to know: How many of you remember the old vibrating belt massagers/exercisers that almost every woman swore by in the 1950's and 60's?

They would stand with a belt that went around the hips and turn on the machine that would then shake them up for 10 to 20 minutes or more. They were touted as the perfect way to get in shape/stay in shape/and get rid of cellulite for that perfect figure.

Well for years that seemed to be something that women did to keep themselves feeling better about their own looks (or to keep their husbands happy). Today we are not so inclined to do this for anyone other than ourselves.

Vibration Plates or Full Body Vibration (FBV) are one of the newest fitness trends and this one seems to have many health benefits as well. Vibration Plates or Platforms are easy to use, don't take a lot of time and the benefits seem to be almost instant. Even these little ones seem to be benefitting from a ride on the vibration plates.

Now in all seriousness, Vibration Plates are a wonderful way to exercise without having to stress your body beyond what is your normal. Even age is not a barrier to using this platform. What is important is that we do things to make our bodies work and feel better for ourselves and in turn our families will benefit when we are at our best.

Many doctors are on board with the benefits that these Plates will have on the body. They consider that with the vibrations our bodies are being toned as the muscles react to being activated by the movements. Doctors claim that Blood circulation is increased, lymphatic systems drain better and bone density is increased too. Fitness instructors also seem to love these machines as well.

We purchased one after reading about increased circulation benefits especially for someone with Peripheral Neuropathy! This is a condition that my other half has and his abilities to walk are becoming much more difficult. This condition makes it hard for him to feel his feet as there is very little nerve sensations in both his hands and feet. We were looking for something that would help him keep his sensations in his feet or even increase his nerve reaction. Circulation is a big part of this condition. So we are happy that this Vibrating Platform/Plate, is recommended as part of that process.

It seems that many Doctors, Physiotherapists, Fitness Trainers and Athletes are all using this new tool to recover, recuperate, exercise and strengthen their bodies. As you can see in the You Tube below this Doctor explains how these Vibration Platforms work. Now I'm not a medical doctor and before you buy something like this, you should talk to your own health care professional or do your own research.

There are many different types and manufacturers of these Vibration Plates and the prices range from $100.00 to many hundreds. I would highly recommend that you speak to your health care professional or a fitness trainer and get some recommendations for your own specific needs. You can even go to some gyms and try them out before you decide to buy one for yourself.

We purchased this one as it came recommended by friends and other family members. It suits our needs and was not too expensive. Both my husband and I use it for the health benefits and so far it is working well for both of us.

While we are making the most of this new fitness/health trend, you should check it out and see if it fits into your own lifestyle and see if you would benefit from using this type of physical activity.

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Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Reviewing Baking Irish Soda Bread With A Twist.

Soda bread is bread but made without yeast and there is no need to wait for it to rise or have resting periods. So it is a very quick and easy delicious bread to make.

You can find the basic recipe in many places online but I wanted to tell you about the things I do to make it a little extra special.

I first made Irish Soda bread with my Mum and have continued t make it throughout my life. It is a bread I really like and it is easy and fun to make.

What You Need To Bake Soda Bread

Weighing scales

A large mixing bowl

A normal eating knife

A teaspoon

A clean clear surface

A measuring jug

Basic Ingredients To Bake Soda Bread

Wholemeal strong flour 500g

2 teaspoons of sea salt or ordinary salt if you don't have sea salt

1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

400ml of milk. Whole milk is recommended but I have found you can use whole milk or semi-skimmed and I also use Almond milk.

1 lemon or about 4-5 teaspoons of lemon juice if you don't have a lemon to squeeze

2 teaspoons of honey - I have found you can omit this if you don't like or cannot have honey.

Baking Method

Pre Heat oven to gas mark 6 or 200C/180C fan
Mix together in a large bowl the flour, bicarb of soda and salt.
This is also the time to add any other optional dry ingredients
Mix the milk and lemon juice together in a jug then wait one minute and it turns into buttermilk. Add the honey at this stage if you wish.
Pour the milk mixture into the bowl and stir gently ideally using a knife, not your hands, so the dry ingredients and the milk mixture come together in a sticky dough.
Handle the dough as little as possible. This bread is much better the less we handle it.
Take the dough which will feel quite sticky and place it onto a floured surface. I use the same wholemeal flour. Quickly shape it into a round or oval shape covering all sides with the flour.
The dough should then be placed on a floured baking tray and make a cross on the top with the knife. Then put it straight into the pre heated oven. You do not need to allow any time for rising with this bread recipe, in fact the sooner you get it in the oven at this point the better.
It will need about 40 minutes in the oven. However, we have found in a fan oven it needs a little less. So I generally check it halfway through.
After baking leave it to cool on a wire rack. Or eat it warm.

Additional Ingredients To Make Soda Bread Special

I have experimented with quite a few ingredients and these are my favourites. All of these should be added to the dry flour mix before adding the milk.

If you add a lot more dry ingredients you will need to increase the amount of milk mix accordingly, so that it is not too dry.

Rosemary- we have lots of rosemary in the garden so I just cut some fresh green tender growth beforehand and wash it then chop it very finely and add it to the mix. It smells amazing and is lovely in this recipe.

I am thinking you could add any herbs you like to this recipe. I have wondered what it would be like with lavender or chives.

Cinnamon- We both love cinnamon and so add it to this recipe. It smells and tastes gorgeous and an added bonus is the whole house is beautifully scented of cinnamon!

I would also like to try ginger when I am making more of a bread-cake mix.

Oats. We just use normal breakfast porridge oats and add about a cupful to the recipe. If you do this you will find you need to increase the amount of milk accordingly or it will be too dry.

Adding oats gives the bread more body and makes it more into a very tasty and filling healthy cake.

Fruit. I have tried a lot of different fruits and I think the most successful are dried good quality raisins and cherries either fresh or frozen -ones defrosted beforehand. You could add whatever are your favorite fruits.

If you are making more of a soda bread - cake you can also sprinkle with icing sugar or decorate the top to your individual taste after baking. This makes it unique and individual for occasions like Halloween or Christmas bread.

Now you can add all these additional ingredients but it is probably best to exercise some restraint and add one or two extra and see how you like it.

You can eat it with butter, margarine, cream or jam or it tastes just lovely on its own. We often have the simple bread recipe mix with no extra ingredients with a stew or with chilli. When we add the extra ingredients we like to eat it warm on its own.

I prefer this soda bread mix warm but If it does cool completely and we want it warm we find it is perfectly fine to warm up again with 5 minutes in the oven without burning or losing its quality.

I like making this bread as it is very quick, easy and satisfying to make. You can adapt the recipe to suit you, and it can be vegetarian and diabetic-friendly.

I am honestly not sure how long it should last as a loaf is always gone in a maximum of two days here! I imagine perhaps three or four days stored properly would be about right.

This soda bread is wonderful as a supper snack, with the main meal and also, especially if you add oats as breakfast.

I like baking but I do not get much time these days so this quick recipe is great for me. I am sure the true chefs and avid bakers amongst you can make this even more delicious!

The whole task takes about an hour and most of that is the oven doing the cooking so maybe 15-20 minutes or less of preparation time so is easy bread making.

We find it is especially lovely to eat home made soda bread warm on an autumn or winter's day and often it does not last long enough to completely cool on the rack!

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Monday, October 17, 2022

Movie Review: Where the Crawdads Sing

I enjoy reading more than keeping up with the newest movie releases so I have mixed feelings when one of my very favorite novels is adapted for the big screen. I am often disappointed in the movie version. But not this time. Not with Where the Crawdads Sing. I have enjoyed this movie so much that I've re-watched it several times since purchasing the DVD just a few weeks ago. I think the producers did a phenomenal job bringing Kya to the screen and keeping her story true to the book.

Movie Review: Where the Crawdads Sing

The setting is a small town near the marshlands of North Carolina. The town is shook in the 1960s when the popular young man, Chase Andrews, is found dead at the lookout tower that stands watch over the marsh. But the story begins years before that with the Clark family.

The Clark family lives in a small shack near the water's edge, in the marsh. Mr. Clark is clearly fighting some sort of inner demons and takes it out on those closest to him. Mrs. Clark is a mysterious lady. She lives in that marsh, with an angry man, a handful of children, and a pair of alligator shoes. She is an artist of some sort; painting plein air. She loves her children. Including her youngest, 6 year old Kya.

Over time, the Clark family grows smaller. At one point, young Kya is living alone with the man who physically abused everyone in the family. She trusts no one, has abandonment trauma, and relies on the marsh. Missing her brothers, it is not surprising that she grows to become happy when she sees her youngest brother's friend in his boat. At first, she can only wave and call a greeting to young Tate while her scowling father steers their boat past.

Living at a level of loneliness that is suffocating, the marsh supports Kya. The townspeople call her "marsh girl". They bully her the one day she attended school as a very young girl. On any rare occasion that a human comes to her home, Kya runs and hides like a wild animal; disappearing into the marsh.

Kya slowly begins to trust the waterfront shop owners and they grow to love her. As she becomes a beautiful young woman she becomes more interesting to Tate and to Chase Andrews. We see that she has inherited her mother's artistic ability but what else will she inherit?

When Chase Andrews is found dead at the tower that overlooks the marsh, everyone immediately defines it as murder and everyone immediately blames "the marsh girl". Was it murder? Was it an accidental fall?

The marsh knows.

Behind the Scenes

This movie is gorgeous. The scenery is wonderful with birds, tides, water, vast expanses and micro close-ups. In the special features, the producers (Reese Whitherspoon and Hello Sunshine) talk about the setting.

This movie is emotional. You feel the changing moods of the people as clearly as you see the changing times of day on the water.

The actors and actresses were amazing. Most all of them were new to me and I look forward to seeing them in other roles.

This movie stayed true to the Kya I met in the novel. Author Delia Owens appears in the features also. It was interesting to see them speak about choosing the actors, setting, and how to get through the timeline of Kya's story in the condensed movie version. I think they pulled it off wonderfully and could only be improved (and not by much) in a mini-series length.

Special Features included with the DVD:

Adapting a Phenomenon
Lyric Video "Carolina" by Taylor Swift
Creating the World
Women in Focus

If you have never seen this movie, or read the book, I highly recommend both. It may be more interesting to see the movie before you read the book in order to avoid the spoiler of knowing how Chase Andrews came to be dead.

Find Where the Crawdads Sing on Amazon Prime.

The Book Reviews: Where the Crawdads Sing

Where the Crawdads Sing was such a good book that two of us reviewed it here on Review This Reviews. You can read my review of the book (and see a photo of the marsh near where I was living) here and read Treasures by Brenda's review of the book here.

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