Source: Dar49 Daily
Archive for August, 2015
Source: Dar49 Daily
Source: Dar49 Daily
The Ultimate Do-It-Yourself Mobile Home Makeover: by Campbell Spicer by Upgrade two mobile homes into a country cottage!
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Since I am moving into a double-wide on an acre, I am trying to learn about mobile homes and their capabilities of being redecorated or added on to. I have collected books on tiny homes and container homes and am seeing there are many things a person can do to make their living situation better or more efficient. I picked this book up for more ideas.
Though I didn’t read every word, I did read quite a lot. I am impressed with this guy’s finished result and am glad he shared the process with all of us. What I picked up most is that I would need professionals to take care of the more dangerous things like electricity, plumbing, etc. But much can be done by the owner. Glad to see there are more options out there.
Usually, I notice things like bad spelling or grammar in instructional books (fiction, not so much), but I guess I wasn’t looking or more interested in what this guy was able to do with two single-wide mobiles. Maybe the author already cleaned up the mistakes mentioned in a previous review. I don’t know. But there are pictures and ideas here if you need those. I got it for free, so what do you expect? Is it worth the $5.99 being charged now? I don’t think so. But I guess it all has to do with what you want from the book.
Chickens, Hawks and Grumpy Goats: Five Years on a Farm by S.A. Molteni
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If you follow my reviews, you know that I am reading a lot about farming, gardening, and the like. Most of it is instructional. And so I went into this book thinking I’m reading some how-to book with personality. But into the second ‘chapter’ I realize I am reading an anthology of stories of farm life. Actually, I remember now, that in the first ‘chapter’ I was reading how this family was nearly dying of starvation and they were choosing which young one to not feed. I was horrified! At the end of that story, I figured out it was about chicken hawks and chickens. Not people. Whew! Then I realized I had liked that story after all.
But after a rather realistic story there is one that is about Chicken Little. I nearly stopped reading as it seemed too childish after what I had just read. But I gave it a chance and saw it was very cleverly written story of real life on a farm from the eyes of one of the chickens that had nearly died.
I don’t usually like short stories. As you may well know by now. But somehow, I got into this little book and enjoyed the author’s take on farm life. I picked up this book for free, but it is only $.99 right now. I think it is worth it if you want something different to read. I was so impressed that I went ahead and picked up a couple more stories by S.A. Moteni.
I did learn something. You can call yourself a farm hobbyist. That’s what I’m going to be! 🙂
Directions on How to Make Plastic Yarn by Patsy Mirtz
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
What a disappointment! I do a lot of crocheting with ‘plarn’ plastic yarn. I was hoping to find a book that included patterns and ideas. In fact, the cover is full of pictures of items crocheted with plarn. But the book is only about one way of cutting the plastic shopping bags into strips then looping and winding the plarn. That’s it!
I picked this up for free. Now they are charging $.99. Not worth it. The pictures aren’t even clear. Google Plarn and you will find far better pictures to guide you to making not only this version made by interlocking loops of the plastic yarn, but a fun way to make a single ply version cutting in one continuous strip. And there are so many patterns out there to keep you crocheting even when you haven’t the money to buy real yarn.
Keep Austin Weird: A Lesbian Superhero Love Story for Grown-Ups by Mary Jane
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Was this a waste of time? I don’t know. I liked being reminded of Boba Tea. I like that one of the main characters was able to see into other people’s future so they could become their best selves. But honestly I felt cheated for the most part. I felt the characters were rather flat. The relationships were weird. There was crying that seemed unnecessary. Come to find out, the author is not female. Mary Jane is a male writing about a lesbian couple. Sure he saved himself some remnant of grace in that he didn’t try to throw in deep emotional feelings or erotic entanglements. That is always a tell-tale sign of honesty. And he must be writing what he knows and loves with ‘super powers’ and the tea. But the book was just too hard to get into and truly enjoy.
Worst of all? It is all written in present-tense. Except in action-pack books, I find this trick to be disarming. It makes the story so unreal. Ugh!
But plenty of people love this book, so go for it. You may like it too!
Darswords 
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