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Sunday, February 9, 2020

Man's Birthday Cake - A Family Favorite Recipe

Man's Birthday Cake - An Easy Family Recipe

Passed Down from Generation to Generation

For the past several reviews I've shared family favorite recipes and today I'd like to share another.

Some people love to cook or bake, however, I'm not one of them. Don't get me wrong, I can cook; it's just that it's not my favorite thing to do. Because of that, I tend to stick with recipes I'm used to and that have been proven from generation to generation.

Most of us have favorite go-to recipes that we whip up when we need something quick. Here are my previous family baking favorites:

In the chocolate cake recipe, you'll notice that the ingredients are very basic, but I point out which ingredient I believe makes the cake taste so good. Be sure to check it out.

A Man's Birthday Cake - What Is It?

Man's Birthday Cake is a raisin spice cake. I suspect the name of the cake was given generations ago because that's what we've always called it. The men in our family do like it, but so do the kids and women!

This recipe comes from my maternal grandmother's family, is a family favorite, and is simple to make.

What's Different About This Cake?

Like the banana loaf featured above, this recipe doesn't use milk. This raisin spice cake is made with raisin water instead.

Man's Birthday Cake Ingredients & Instructions

1 Cup of Raisins

2 Cups of Water, Keep the Water

1/2 Cup of Butter

1 Cup of Sugar

1 Egg

1 and 3/4 Cups of Flour

1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon of Salt

1 Teaspoon of Cloves

1 Teaspoon of Allspice

1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

Boil the raisins in two cups of water. Keep the water. (Note: Bring it to a boil and let it boil for five or six minutes).

Mix the butter, sugar, and egg in a medium-sized bowl. Once mixed, add the raisins and water. Give it a stir to blend it all together. It's ok if the water and raisins are hot.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon.

Then combine the two bowls of ingredients together. Stir until blended.

Place the cake mix into an ungreased baking dish (9 by 13). It will be a thin-looking batter and may seem like there's not much for such a large pan. However, when you use a pan this size, you can cut it into nice bite-sized squares for individual serving if you prefer.

You can use other sized pans of course.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 40 minutes depending upon your oven. Check it after 20 minutes, if it's still not done, leave it for another 10 minutes. Keep doing that until it's fully baked. In my oven, it cooks in 20(ish) minutes.

When it cools I cut it up into squares and stack the squares in a covered cake dish for the family to grab and go.

I rarely ice this cake, however, my grandmother used to top it with a cream cheese icing. Yum. If you decide to ice the cake, of course, you know you need to let the cake completely cool first.

By the way, without icing this is a delicious cake, when hot, with a bit of butter melting on it. Yum.

If you're making it as a birthday cake, you'll want to put the icing on it.

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

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Saturday, February 8, 2020

Reviewing the Perfect Valentine's Day Card

What is it that makes the perfect Valentine's Day Card? Do you know? I do!

What makes the perfect Valentine's Day card is YOU! Knowing and caring for your special person means that whatever card you choose will be the perfect Valentine's Day card.

There can be so much pressure on new couples around February 14th as they try and find the perfect card, the perfect gift or the perfect date. I've even known someone who always broke off his relationships (if he happened to be in one when February began) just so he didn't have to deal with Valentine's Day! Luckily he has now settled down with the love of his life and they don't celebrate Valentines Day at all.

My husband and I don't usually celebrate Valentine's Day as it's only a week after our wedding anniversary, but when we first started dating we did and I couldn't tell you what gifts I received, but the cards were the important thing. My husband always says he's useless at choosing cards (and I must admit I do wonder where he goes sometimes until I open them up!), but he always finds one that says the perfect thing (for me that is) or a blank one when he's feeling like writing me a few paragraphs about what I mean to him.

So what is the perfect Valentine's Day card? It's the one that shows the person you care for how much you care by either knowing what they love or by expressing your feelings for them or both.

If the person you love enjoys poetry by the likes of Poe then they may appreciate a Gothic Valentine's Day card, if you first bonded over the Walking Dead or on a Zombie walk then check out some of the Zombie Valentine's Day cards available.

Maybe your partner is a math geek or loves the Doctor in which case one of these Geeky Valentine's Day cards might be up their street.

If I was purchasing a card for my husband this year then any dog Valentine's Day card would be a winner, but this one would probably get him misty eyed -

Cheek to Cheek Staffy Valentine Holiday Card
by ameremortal

If my daughter was getting her partner a Valentine's Day card (and I suspect they will be) then she'd probably get either a car one or one like this -

Boxer Dog Happy I Love You Card
by ironydesignphotos

Would you guess they both love boxers? Whereas my hubby is a total sucker for any Staffy type of dog.

The perfect Valentine's Day card is one that says I know you, or I'm listening to you. So what type of Valentine's Day card would be perfect for the special person in your life?

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Friday, February 7, 2020

The Liberty Bride Book Reviewed

Daughters of the Mayflower - Book 6 in the Series

I've never found a series of books that I enjoyed more than the Daughters of the Mayflower series.

Every book is based on the life of one of the female descendants of a married couple from the Mayflower ship. Each descendant plays a part in a pivotal moment in American history.

Just as each book has a different main character, each book is written by a different author. Together, these books make a magnificent historical fiction series.

In The Liberty Bride, Emeline Baratt is sailing home to America after the death of her aunt in Brighton. Unfortunately, that voyage is during the War of 1812, which is fought between America and the United Kingdom.

Her allegiance to America is greatly tested when the unthinkable happens.

The Liberty Bride

1814 Baltimore - The War of 1812 (Jun 18, 1812 – Feb 18, 1815)

The Liberty Bride
Daughters of the Mayflower - Book 6Check PriceIn spite of the ongoing war between America and Britain, Emeline's father has sent his best ship, under the command of his most experienced captain, to bring his daughter safely home from the United Kingdom. However, even a privateer ship is vulnerable to capture in wartime. They are simply no competition to a heavily armed warship.

Emeline, the captain and his crew are taken captive when they are attacked by a Royal Navy frigate, the HMS Marauder. Being a prisoner on a warship and being forced to work for the enemy is not something anyone would desire. But, there is obviously an even greater danger for a female.

Realizing her perilous plight, and with the encouragement of her companion, Emeline makes the decision to tell the Captain of the Marauder that she is in fact a British loyalist following her father's demands to return to America. She convinces everyone, including the crew from the American ship, that her loyalties lie with Britain. As such, she is given tremendous freedom onboard the Marauder. She hopes to be able to gain military plans and information that she could somehow pass along to American commanders. What she doesn't realize is that there is already an American spy onboard and she has just make an enemy of a much needed ally.

More about The Daughters of the Mayflower Series

If you have read my previous reviews on books in this series, you already know these books are not only historical fiction, but they all have romance woven throughout the pages. However, in the case of Emeline Baratt, she has no desire to marry, which is the basis of her conflict with her father. She would prefer that men stop pursuing her and her dowry. She wishes to be an artist, not a wife tied to a home and domestic chores. I very much enjoyed the way the author, Mary Lu Tyndall, developed a romantic plot in The Liberty Bride.

Previously Reviewed Book from the Daughters of the Mayflower Series

The Mayflower Bride Book 1 Reviewed

True American History woven into the fabric of fiction! An excellent historical romantic fiction about the Mayflower voyagers: Separatists & Strangers.

The Pirate Bride Book Review

At the innocent age of 12, Maribel Cordoba's life changes forever. Her formative years & education are guided by nuns, but she never truly forgets the pirate who stole her heart.

The Captured Bride Book Review

An unlikely team is assigned a mission that is fraught with danger. It becomes necessary to trust a previously perceived enemy. I highly recommend this historical Christian fiction.

The Patriot Bride Book Reviewed

After enduring several life tragedies, this wealthy young widow finds the strength & needed alliance to serve the patriots as a messenger. Highly recommended!

Check Out More Book Reviews at
ReviewThisBooks.com

The Liberty Bride: Daughters of the Mayflower - Book 6 Reviewed by:

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Thursday, February 6, 2020

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl - Book Review

Read an Excerpt

Every extraordinary book has that moment when you fall irrevocably in love with it. For me, that oh-I-just-love-this-so-much moment in Catherine Ryan Hyde's Brave Girl, Quiet Girl came from the mouth of a babe. You can pretty much count on a two-year-old to get right to the heart of the matter and Etta doesn't disappoint. When she whispers brave girl, quiet girl to her trembling rescuer, the story is made... the book's soul is revealed... and this reader was completely smitten.

Because you can follow links to the official book synopsis, I won't spend time rehashing what you can discover for yourself. Let me just give you the broad strokes and then cut to the chase. After all, that's what I want in a review—not so much facts, as the alchemy of what makes for an unforgettable reading experience.

I have already mentioned Etta. If you ask me, this amazing toddler is the pivot upon which everything turns. As the story begins, Etta is ripped away from her family in the course of a carjacking. Her mother, Brooke, is desperate to find her baby, but the odds are stacked against a safe return.

And then there is Molly, a cast-off teen, living on the mean streets of L.A. after being discarded by her rigid, unaccepting parents. It is so perfectly fitting that a child who has lost all sense of worthiness is the one who comes to find, and protect, Etta after the jackers abandon her in the dark of night.

Despite the bleak circumstances that embrace both Brooke and Molly (or, I'm now thinking it is because of that bleakness), the broken pieces of two psyches will discover a way to fit together in perfectly imperfect ways to form a new sense of acceptance, belonging, and family.

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl is ultimately the story of how the light gets in through the broken places to illuminate the beauty that was formerly hidden within the bleakness. I've come to the recognition, after reading a majority of Catherine Ryan Hyde's books, that one of her many gifts as a writer is something I can only compare to the Japanese aesthetic known as wabi-sabi.

The thing I find so appealing about this aesthetic, especially as it applies to CRH's consistent approach to bringing together beautifully flawed people, is how the imperfection causes me to love them more. Just as the Japanese do, the author highlights rather than hides the flaws. In her skillful hands, the flaw becomes the work of art.

Just as wabi-sabi features that which is authentic, and acknowledges that nothing is finished, so too do we see that in this book's work-in-progress characters. We experience them in their raw state of becoming. It makes them entirely relatable and, in my case, made me feel great empathy for their plights.

Finally, I was deeply struck by how the homeless in this story viewed those who sought to help them. It made me reflect on my current relationships with those who are without a home. Why is help offered? When is help not at all helpful? What is the best way to reach out to those in need? How do they define the need?

Those who appreciate the humanity at the center of Catherine Ryan Hyde's writing are sure to find much to love, just as I did, in Brave Girl, Quiet Girl. I knew I could count on coming away from this read with a feeling of greater compassion—not only toward Brooke, and Molly, and Bodhi—but also for my own flawed self.

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl releases on May 19, 2020. I received an Advanced Reader Copy (e-galley) from NetGalley in return for my honest review. I highly recommend this book and encourage you to pick up your copy today.

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Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Not All Sunscreens Are Equal - Looking for A Friendly Product - My Review

Sunscreens are necessary, but make sure you are buying the right one! Not all are created equally! My Review!

It's the beginning of February and depending on where you call home, you just might be getting a little antsy for some warmer and more hospitable climates. I know I will be. So along with heading to the south, I need to think about my wonderful other half, who is very prone to getting sun burnt.

Being a natural red-head, his skin is typically prone to burning under the rays of the sun. We have already had a few bouts of melanoma and don't want to have any more of that. So in order for him and me to enjoy the sun, we are fully committed to sunscreen for our health and well being.

Now, did you know that not all sunscreens are created equally? On another trip south, we were going snorkeling off the coast of Mexico. Our tour guides took one look at our sunscreen and would not allow us to use it. Why not, you might ask? Here we were out on the ocean, sun shining down on us and no sunscreen protection. Our guides, while sympathetic to our needs, let us in on a secret. Many sunscreens contain chemicals that are really bad for the ocean environment.

We were left with no choice. Thank goodness that day just happened to cloud over enough that we were not left looking like overdone pieces of bacon.

This year we again are headed to the south. We are going to Hawaii and planning on doing some Island hopping. Needless to say, sunscreen was on our minds again.

Travelling by air nowadays, makes you follow certain safety regulations. We are not allowed to bring lotions/liquids that contain more than 100 mls. If you do, they will be confiscated at your boarding location. So now we are looking for a sunscreen that is eco-friendly and comes in a size that is acceptable for all safety regulations.

Thank goodness for the Internet and Amazon. First we did as search on acceptable sunscreens. We love Mother Nature and don't want to add unwanted chemicals to our water. So a search on the Internet led us to several brands of sunscreen that do no harm to the oceans. Then we ordered from Amazon and now two days before our trip, we have what we need. Two tubes of sunscreen with less than 100 mls in each tube.

One tube of sunscreen for my other half and one for me and our bags are packed. There will be no sunburns on this vacation, just good memories waiting to be made. And with an SPF of 50, we should be able to do lots of walking, swimming, and just soaking up the sunshine without worry. Now that makes for a happy holiday.

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Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Furnace Filters By Filtrete Reviewed

Looking For Hard To Find Furnace Filters?

Do you have trouble finding the size of furnace filter that you need? Let me review some possibilities that you might not have thought of. Recently, I have been on a quest to find the right size of filter required for my Dad's furnace. Let me tell you, I was beginning to think it might be an impossible task!

Fireplaces don't require furnace filters
image courtesy of pixabay.com

I visited every single big box store in my area looking for the size that I needed. First of all, it is amazing at how many sizes they did carry but none of them had the size that Dad's furnace requires. I would find ones that were close but not quite the right measurements. Now, just like with a lot of things in life, close only counts in the game of horseshoes. To say that I was beginning to get frustrated would be putting it mildly. I mean, come on, it isn't like Dad has a furnace that is rare. It is a well known brand for goodness sake!

A Light Bulb Moment in My Search

About the time that I decided that if nothing else, I was going to take the vacuum sweeper and try to clean the existing filter my brain cells kicked and the proverbial light came on in the gray matter of my head. "Why don't you look to see if they can be purchased online, Bev?" said that little voice that only I can hear.

Sure enough, when I searched on my favorite website for ordering things that I need; the filters that I have spent a month looking for were there. For goodness sake, why didn't I think to look there first? It would have saved me time in the car, gas and a whole lot of frustration if I had.

Anyway, my point this morning is; if you have a furnace filter that seems to be a less than standard size; take a look online. I'll just bet that you will be able to find the one you need. The bonus is, it can be delivered right to your door. There is a possibility that you might need to order more than one. The size I needed came in a package of six. I couldn't seem to purchase just one. Actually, that turns out to be a bonus in my mind, too. Now, I'll have extras and will be ready when it is time to change the filter in the future. That isn't such a bad thing, now is it?

Filtrete Furnace Filters

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Monday, February 3, 2020

Reviewing the Honbay Convertible Sectional Sofa

When furnishing a living space your first thought might not be to shop Amazon. It sure wasn't my first thought. That is the last place I would have considered shopping for a sofa before now. But I ended up purchasing the Honbay Convertible Sectional Sofa through Amazon Prime and it turned out to be a great decision in several ways.

Reviewing this sectional sofa from Amazon.

My son recently moved to the area and was in the process of setting up short-term living arrangements in a small apartment. My youngest son and I wanted to give him a sofa. Small living space translates to small furniture. We searched nearly every furniture store in the Baltimore metro area to find a compact, inexpensive sofa that would fit the space and be easy to handle during his next move.

Every local small sofa on sale was nearly $400 and included approximately a $100 delivery fee. And some deliveries were scheduled for weeks out.

My son suggested Amazon and I was not initially agreeable. We chose the Honbay Convertible Sectional Sofa and I skeptically waited for delivery (expecting to feel regret at the purchase).

He is very pleased with the sofa! I was thrilled that it arrived quickly and with Amazon Prime's free shipping. I know that he really likes the sofa but when asking for the purpose of this review what he likes, he immediately listed:

easy to assemble
sturdy and well-built for the price
tear-resistant linen cloth
excellent size for a small space
seating for 3 adults comfortably

It is currently priced at $319 with no delivery costs - saving us nearly $200! It was delivered as easily as any other Amazon package.

This sofa has been great with the dogs. The cloth is durable - no punctures or rips from those sharp dog toenails. Because of the low price tag, I expected the covering to feel scratchy or cheap. It does not.

The chaise portion can easily be changed to either the right or left side by changing the placement of the ottomon and long cushion.

HONBAY Convertible Sectional Sofa

I highly recommend this sofa for:

small spaces
living spaces that are up or down stairs
temporary living situations
folks who relocate frequently and want easy-to-move furniture
people with a tight budget
college students
young families just getting started
older folks who are down-sizing
furnishing that guest suite
seating for a large bedroom
seating for entertaining and conversation areas

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Sunday, February 2, 2020

The Best One Bowl Chocolate Cake According to My Family

Easy One-Bowl-Chocolate Cake - a Family Recipe

My grandmother used this recipe, then mom, and now me. It has been handed down from generation to generation, and I suspect that trend to continue in our family.

My family always requests this chocolate cake. In fact, for birthday celebrations, store-bought cakes are not an option; this home-made cake is always preferred.

What Makes this Cake So Good?

It's not difficult to make a cake, and I'll bet the ingredients for this recipe are standard to most cakes. However, if I had to pull out one ingredient that makes this cake taste amazing, I'd say it's the Cocoa.

I've always used Fry's Cocoa. I use it for our home-made chocolate icing as well. See below for a link to that recipe.

I've tried other baking Cocoa, but my family always says that 'the cake doesn't taste the same.' So I stick to Fry's Cocoa. Maybe they're just used to it? However, their friends also comment on how good the chocolate cake is - so yah, maybe it's the Cocoa?

You can get Fry's Cocoa in the USA; it's imported from Canada and is available here via Amazon. Canadians can visit Amazon's Canada site to order it, or head to the grocery store; it's easy to find.

Chocolate Cake Recipe Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 Cups of White Sugar
1/2 Cup of Cocoa (Fry's Cocoa if you have it - I pack it a bit to get a little more)
1 and 3/4 Cups of White Flour
1 and 1/2 Teaspoons of Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon of Salt
1/2 Cup of Softened Butter (not melted)
1 and 1/2 Cups of Milk
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract

Put everything in one bowl and lightly beat the ingredients until they're mixed together. Never over beat a cake. Once the ingredients are mixed and blended, that's good enough.

I bake this cake in a three-quart oblong glass baking dish or cake pan (9inches by 13inches).

How to Make the Best Home-Made Icing

You can use a non-stick spray if you like; however, I never use that. I'll rub the bottom and sides of the dish with butter, then lightly coat it with flour. To coat it with flour, put about a teaspoon of flour in the middle, then pick-up the cake dish and tilt it in all directions until the flour spreads very thinly over the bottom and sides. If there's too much flour, dump out the excess.

You can use different shaped cake pans as well. I've used two round ones before, then stacked them to make a round cake.

Bake the cake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes depending upon your oven. Check it at the half-hour mark, then judge the length of time left at that point. With my oven, it's usually 40 minutes or so.

Let your cake cool, and then ice it with delicious home-made chocolate icing; here's the recipe. I've also linked the above photo to the Icing recipe. My grandmother taught me how to make it, so be sure to check it out; it also uses Fry's Cocoa.

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Saturday, February 1, 2020

Dungeons & Dragons - Fantasy Role-Playing Game Review

Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Role-Playing Game (Source: Pixabay)

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game first published in 1974. Designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, it is now published by Hasbro's Wizards of the Coast subsidiary.

What is Dungeons & Dragons?

D&D was originally based on miniature wargames, but departs from traditional wargaming because it allows each player to create their own character to play, who embark on imaginary adventures in a fantasy setting.

D&D uses polyhedral dice to resolve
in-game events.
Source: Wikipedia

A Dungeon Master (DM) serves as the game's referee and storyteller, maintaining the setting where the adventures occur, and playing the role of the inhabitants of the game world. The characters form a party and interact with the setting's inhabitants and each other where they solve dilemmas, engage in battles and gather treasure and knowledge.

Today Dungeons & Dragons is recognized as the beginning of the modern role-playing games. It is the best known, and best selling, role-playing game in the US, with an estimated 20 million people having played the game.

D&D Starter Set

My son Greg discovered D&D in 1978 at the age of eight. For several years, all he wanted for gifts and to buy with his allowance were additions to the game in the form of published pamphlets (modules) which typically included a background story, illustrations, maps and goals for players to achieve. He most often played the game with his two best friends, brothers Kevin & Russell. I remember one night in particular when the brothers were spending the night with Greg and the 3 of them were in his room playing D&D. I went in to call them to dinner and Russell (only 7 years old) said “wait, I can't leave now or my character will be in trouble. I have to finish this play first.” Made me smile. I have to say, as a mother, I really liked this early version of D&D as it heavily encouraged a child's imagination and taught them problem solving skills and strategy. It also taught them important social skills and how to work together as a team to win the game.

An elaborate D&D game in progress. Among the gaming aids here are dice, a variety of miniatures and a dungeon diorama. (Source: Wikipedia)

Today's version of D&D has evolved to include miniature figures and a grid map and even a dungeon Diorama, among other advanced gaming aids.

D&D Resurgence

This week, my local newspaper ran a story about the massive resurgence D&D has recently had:

"Paladins, sorcerers and wizards unite. A new generation of players has become ensorcelled by the fantasy role-playing board game “Dungeons & Dragons.” You don't need to be familiar with the game to figure out “Ensorcelled” means charmed or be-smitten."

Long-time players and newcomers will tell you the game is making a new resurgence with players of all ages, especially younger players.

I see this resurgence in interest in D&D in my own family. My eight-year-old son is now grown and a father to four sons he is teaching the game to. His sister has joined a group who play D&D a couple Sundays each month.

In my local community, there are teachers who run such clubs and our local Public Library is hosting Dungeons and Dragons games every Wednesday afternoon.

D&D is Here to Stay

With technology making so many video games available, it would seem that board games would become a thing of the past. Not so with Dungeons & Dragons, the most popular fantasy role-playing game of all time.

(c) Dungeons & Dragons Review written by Wednesday Elf (1/30/2020)

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Friday, January 31, 2020

Baby Yoda (The Child) & The Mandalorian Star Wars Series Reviewed

With the release of "The Mandalorian" on the Disney channel, Star Wars fans have gone crazy over the adorable "Baby Yoda"!

In the The Mandalorian episodes, "Baby Yoda" is simply called "The Child". After all, he is not Yoda. He looks like Yoda to fans, therefore he is widely known off-screen as Baby Yoda.

One look at "The Child", humans & creatures on and off-screen are smitten with his enchanting personality, as well as his looks. A slight tip of the head is all it takes for "The Child" to have you under his spell. You, too, will wish to hold and protect him!

Star Wars The Child Plush Toy, 11-inch Small Yoda-like Soft Figure from The Mandalorian by DisneyCheck Price & Preorder Options

Star Wars: The Mandalorian Series

Star Wars The Mandalorian Poster BookCheck PriceMandalorians are an elite group of trained warriors who never reveal their own identity. In the series, "The Mandalorian" is a bounty hunter for hire. When a bounty hunter is commissioned to track, find, and capture a target, opinions of the target are not his concern. However, when the Mandalorian sees the child, he doesn't have a clue about his species and wonders about his clients intent for this youngster. As the story progresses, what becomes obvious to him is that "The Child" needs protection from his client.

To break the Guild code of conduct and steal the child in order to protect him, the Mandalorian must choose a lone existence, which makes him the hunted as well.

At times, he finds aid from friends, as well as a few who don't mind alliances as long as they are paid. But every step alone this protective path has dangers. The Child is fortunate to have a true warrior by his side and the Mandalorian finds out just how fortunate he is to have The Child by his side.

This is a fabulous Star Wars series that I highly recommend! As a matter of fact, just reviewing it makes me wish to stop and watch it again. I can hardly wait for season 2. Beware though, "The Child" will steal your heart!