Walkabout

I recently checked this DVD out from our local library. Walkabout was filmed over 40 years ago and is still appealing. It is a story about two English children, a boy of 7 or 8 and his teenage sister who are stranded in the Australian desert. An Aboriginal teen on "walkabout" helps them to survive.

The cinematography was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed the glimpses of the animal and plant life of Australia. The view of the two cultures--the primitive Aborigine world and the more modern "civilized" Australia was interesting also.

Walkabout is a wonderful adventure/survival story with a good amount of depth and tragedy in it. I didn't care for the plot at the beginning that left the children stranded and would rather have seen it as some sort of accident. There is no outright sex in this movie, but definitely some nudity and sexual tension; also some harsh and brutal scenes. It is a very simple story and doesn't go off on some crazy unbelievable tangent. There are some parts of the movie in which the meaning is not always clear but overall, I enjoyed it.

I Love Jack Reacher

He is a character . . . in a series of novels (16 so far) by Lee Child.  I really love books with interesting characters, and the fact that Child continues to write great stories using him is a real bonus.  Jack is a man who travels (no car or driver's license) with just a toothbrush in his pocket.  He is an ex-army MP, butt-kicker, escape artist, cool-headed, quiet, a loner and drifter who defends the underdog and has a "moral code that outweighs his sense of duty to the law."   What's not to love?

Child's most recent novel, The Affair, is actually a flashback to Reacher's Army career and tells the story behind why he is now ex-Army.  If you have never read any of the series, you can start anywhere.  Each book stands on its own.

I've been thinking that these books would make some great movies and see that One Shot is coming out in February of 2013 as a movie.  Tom Cruise is starring.  Not my pick for the character (6'5" and 200+ lbs--I don't think so), but they didn't ask me.

The next Reacher thriller--A Wanted Man-- is due out in September or October 2012.  I'm putting it at the top of my list.

My Favorite Recipe for Beef Pot Roast

I ran across a  recipe for beef pot roast not too long ago and thought it sounded interesting.  I really love the flavor that the coffee and rosemary gives this beef--it is really rather subtle.  I just use the cheap chuck roast cut and it always turns out tender and delicious but you could probably use other cuts also.  This is my version of  the recipe I found on food dot com (#37258).

I like cooking a big hunk of meat so I can have leftovers and not spend so much time cooking a night or two later.  Of course, you can also freeze extras to reheat again in a week or two.  I'm sure this would probably come out great if using a crock pot also.  If you try it, let me know what you think!  I think I'm addicted.

Ingredients:

1 (2 1/2-3 lb) beef chuck roast
1 T of fat to brown in (I use coconut oil for it's high heat tolerance)
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup brewed coffee
1 cup chicken or beef broth
1 teaspoon dried rosemary (I just throw in a fresh sprig of rosemary and remove the stem later)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Brown roast on all sides in a Dutch oven.
Add onion and cook for a couple of minutes.
Add coffee, broth, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer on low for 2-1/2 hours or until the meat is fork tender.
Slice and serve with juices (or make a gravy if desired).

The "No-Bologna Facts" from Fat Head

I was recently reading the Fat Head Blog and noticed that he posted some facts about saturated fat and health which include:

--There’s never been a single study that proves saturated fat causes heart disease.

--Many epileptics have reduced or eliminated seizures by adopting a diet low in sugar and starch and high in saturated animal fats.

--Despite everything you’ve heard about saturated fat being linked to cancer, that link is statistically weak. However, there is a strong link between sugar and cancer. In Europe, doctors tell patients, “Sugar feeds cancer.”

Read the rest of the facts here.

If Charlie was a cat . . .

Hat tip to http://weightmaven.org/