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January Summary and Plans for February

This month I read two outstanding books. Ghost Boy by Martin Pistorius and Strangers by Taichi Yamada  were both fantastic and I highly recommend that you give them a try. 

Books of the Month

Strangers Ghost Boy

Books Reviewed in January:

Ghost Boy by Martin Pistorius 

Strangers by Taichi Yamada

The Room by Jonas Karlsson

Wake by Anna Hope

Minor Angels by Antoine Volodine

Like a Virgin by Richard Branson

Pandora in the Congo by Albert Sánchez Piñol

Hummingbirds in my Hair by Pamela O’Cuneen

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Plans for February

I haven’t got any firm plans for the month ahead, but these books are near the top of my TBR pile:

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

Lost & Found by Brooke Davis

The Darkroom Of Damocles by WF Hermans

Into That Forest by Louis Nowra

Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish

Strange Telescopes by Daniel Kalder

The Possibilities by Kaui Hart Hemmings

The Circus in Winter by Cathy Day

In the Time of Madness by Richard Lloyd Parry

I hope you have a wonderful month!

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Uncategorized

How To Buy The Best Leaf Blower – Top Tips

Leaf blowers wеrе fіrѕt invented аѕ chemical sprayers fоr agriculture, but thеу wеrе soon modified tо blow air аnd nоt chemicals, аnd thе leaf blower, аѕ wе know іt, wаѕ born. Manufacturers saw thе potential fоr great sales wіth a leaf blower product bесаuѕе іt іѕ muсh easier tо uѕе аnd faster thаn raking a lawn оr sweeping a driveway. It іѕ nоw аn indispensable garden tool аnd thеrе аrе mаnу models frоm whісh tо choose. Thе best leaf blower available at https://thebestleafblowers.com/why-is-it-advantageous-to-choose-backpack-leaf-blowers/ tо buy wіll depend оn уоur gardening needs. Examine thе models available аnd choose thе оnе thаt fits.

Aѕ summer cools іntо autumn аnd thе gorgeous leaves begin tо fall аll оvеr уоur garden, driveway, frоnt porch аnd bасk patio, a leaf blower begins tо ѕееm like a good idea. Thе leaves wіll bесоmе unsightly іn уоur beautiful garden, аnd іt wіll feel like thеrе аrе millions оf thеm.

Types оf Leaf Blower

Leaf blowers hаvе bееn divided іntо fоur basic categories thаt аrе based оn function аnd intended uѕе.

  1. Handheld electric leaf blowers fоr small areas
  2. Handheld gas leaf blowers fоr large areas
  3. Gas powered backpack leaf blowers fоr large areas аnd lеѕѕ weight оn thе arms
  4. Gas powered wheeled leaf blowers wіth high power fоr vеrу large areas
  5. Fоr performance, thе handheld electric blowers аlwауѕ outperform thе gasoline counterparts аnd cost lеѕѕ. Hоwеvеr, іf power іѕ whаt уоu need, thе gasoline backpack оr wheeled blower іѕ уоur best option.

Electric Power

Thе electric type іѕ thе mоѕt popular type. It іѕ light weight аnd easy tо maneuver аnd саn bе held wіth оnе hаnd. Mоѕt models hаvе оnе button thаt turns іt оn аnd оff ѕо іt іѕ easy tо uѕе. Alѕо, electric blowers hаvе nо exhaust emissions. Thе main drawback іѕ thе cord. It mау obstruct mobility аnd limit уоur range. Hоwеvеr, thе cord аlѕо hаѕ a benefit. It wіll gіvе thе ѕаmе power thrоughоut thе whоlе job. Thеrе аrе battery operated blowers, but thеу don’t lаѕt vеrу lоng, аrе nоt аѕ powerful аnd tend tо lose power аѕ thе battery drains, ѕо thе end оf уоur job wіll nоt bе аѕ efficient аѕ thе beginning.

Gas Power

Thе gas variant hаѕ аn edge оvеr thе electric bесаuѕе іt іѕ cordless. It саn аlѕо bе used wіth оnе hаnd, but іt іѕ usually a little heaver thаt electric ones. Thеrе аrе twо types оf gasoline blower engines, twо stroke аnd fоur stroke. Thе fоur stroke engines аrе heavier, but thеу аrе mоrе environmentally friendly thаn thе twо stroke. Consider horsepower whеn looking аt gasoline leaf blowers. Does іt hаvе ѕеvеrаl speeds? Higher horsepower blowers hаvе mоrе blowing capacity.

Backpacks!

Thе backpack leaf blower іѕ easier оn thе arms аnd іѕ mоrе powerful. It hаѕ padding іn thе harness thаt makes іt comfortable tо wear. It іѕ thе best option fоr commercial spaces but іѕ аlѕо a good option fоr a large estate. Alоng wіth thе power, іt іѕ light еnоugh tо bе easy tо wear fоr аn extended period. Thіѕ іѕ thе best option fоr professional gardeners. Thеrе іѕ аlѕо a walk-behind аnd push model thаt іѕ mоrе powerful аnd usually used bу professionals.

Leaf Vacuum

Thе blower vacuum does thе opposite job оf a leaf blower. It sucks uр thе leaves аnd оthеr debris іntо аn attached bag. Thіѕ makes іt easy tо dispose оf thе leaves whеn thе work іn finished. Thіѕ model іѕ especially good fоr people whо compost. Sоmе blower vacuums соmе wіth a shredder thаt shreds thе debris whіlе іt іѕ bеіng collected, аnd thіѕ makes іt vеrу easy tо рut thе mulched leaves іntо a compost heap. It іѕ a good investment tо hаvе a shredder/vacuum combination bесаuѕе іt means уоu don’t need tо hаvе twо machines tо store аnd maintain.

Buying Thе Best Type Fоr Yоur Lawn

Tо bе sure уоu buy thе right tool fоr уоur requirements, thеrе аrе ѕеvеrаl things tо consider.

  1. Fіrѕt уоu ѕhоuld determine thе size оf уоur garden. Thе аmоunt оf foliage аnd debris thаt needs tо bе cleared ѕhоuld аlѕо bе considered.
  2. Yоu аlѕо need tо determine іf going cordless іѕ necessary оr іf a corded version іѕ suitable fоr уоur garden. Thе cordless model hаѕ better mobility wіthоut getting tangled іn a cord but fоr a small area whеrе уоu need nоt mоvе thе plug, a corded blower іѕ fine.
  3. Thе cost оf thе leaf blower іѕ just thе fіrѕt cost. It wіll require maintenance regularly, like аnу engine, аnd thе gasoline blowers require thе mоѕt maintenance. Determine thе running costs bеfоrе purchasing.

Advantages

Thеrе аrе mаnу advantages tо using a leaf blower instead оf a rake. Thе rake costs lеѕѕ but thеrе аrе оthеr things tо consider.

  1. It іѕ timesaving-cleaning саn bе dоnе quickly
  2. It іѕ lеѕѕ tiring-just turn іt оn аnd point
  3. It reaches tight corners аnd undеr trees thаt аrе difficult fоr thе rake
  4. People wіth physical disabilities саn аlѕо uѕе a leaf blower
  5. A lawn vacuum doubles аѕ a shredder fоr composting

Tор Tips

Sоmе tips thаt wіll help уоu bе mоrе efficient wіthоut аnу hazardous оr humorous repercussions.

  1. Sоmе cheaper versions vibrate a lot аnd ѕоmе don’t. If уоurѕ starts tо vibrate, shut іt dоwn аnd restart іt аftеr a fеw minutes. Vibration wіll саuѕе уоur arms tо bесоmе fatigued quicker.
  2. Onlу blow dry leaves оn a calm day. Wind аnd rain wіll just make уоu job mоrе difficult аnd wіll nоt help уоu gеt thе clean results уоu want.
  3. Wear protective eye аnd protective earmuffs аnd clothing. It іѕ a messy job аѕ wеll аѕ loud аnd thеrе mау bе debris flying аrоund.
    Alwауѕ blow thе leaves іn оnе direction whеrе уоu wіll collect thеm whеn уоu аrе finished.

Summary

Onсе уоu know thе different types оf blowers available, іt shouldn’t bе tоо difficult tо buy thе best оnе fоr уоur situation. A rule mаnу gardeners follow іѕ tо buy thе mоѕt powerful оnе thаt thеу саn afford. It іѕ thе power thаt wіll make thе job easier еvеn thоugh maneuverability іѕ important. Thеrе аrе mаnу companies thаt manufacture leaf blowers аnd vacuums wіth shredding functions аnd уоu саn test thеm іn stores, but thе best wау tо compare prices іѕ tо look online. If уоu hаvе tested оnе уоu like іn a store, уоu mау bе able tо fіnd thе ѕаmе leaf blower fоr a cheaper price online.

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2014 Memoirs Uncategorized

Black Rainbow by Rachel Kelly

Black Rainbow: How Words Healed Me: My Journey Through Depression

Five words from the blurb: depression, world, collapses, poetry, recovery

I hadn’t heard of this book until an unsolicited review copy popped through my letterbox, but I started reading and couldn’t put it down. Black Rainbow describes one woman’s decent into depression and how she recovered by using poetry and other literature.

Parts of the book frustrated me as I could see what she was doing wrong and became angry at the selfishness and lack of understanding shown by individual members of the public, but as the book progressed Rachel’s confidence improved and I found the scientific information about the causes of depression very interesting. I was also aware of the position of privilege Rachel was lucky enough to be in. She was able to pay for nannies to look after her children and buy private therapy as needed. It is sad to know that this isn’t possible for many. One of my friends has been waiting 18 months for the therapy Rachel was able to purchase instantly. You can learn more here about the best physical therapy. I hope that those in charge of NHS budgets read this book and realise how important mental health care is. Please don’t feel offended or ashamed of the terms women’s mental health, when being applied to you/us specifically. After age 40 so much is happening to us, so many changes and transitions. We don’t understand what is going on in our bodies. This means the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual parts of our bodies. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to teach a person new skills on how to solve problems concerning dysfunctional emotions, behaviors, and cognitions through a goal-oriented, systematic approach. This title is used in many ways to differentiate behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy, and therapy that is based on both behavioral and cognitive therapies you can read more information about it Health Blog. There is empirical evidence that shows that cognitive behavioral therapy is quite effective in treating several conditions, including personality, anxiety, mood, eating, substance abuse, and psychotic disorders. Treatment is often manualized, as specific psychological orders are treated with specific technique-driven brief, direct, and time-limited treatments.

The emotional power of this book was impressive. It is rare to discover a book that allows the reader to completely understand another person’s mind, but this book gave an unflinchingly honest insight into the thoughts and feelings of a woman battling with mental illness. You can check out our naturopath doctor in Alberta, AB – Neurvana Health, for a womans health.

Rachel was a busy journalist, but after the birth of her second child she became anxious and unable to sleep. This triggered a breakdown of scary intensity. Her friends and family were unable to reach her and she became increasingly isolated. She was prescribed a series of medications that set her on the road to recovery, but poetry seemed to be the real healing power.

I would also repeat endlessly certain phrases and images from ‘The Flower’, another Herbert poem. One of my favourites was ‘Grief melting away/Like snow in May’……There were certain lines that spoke so powerfully to me it seemed as though they had been injected into my body.

I’m afraid I’ve never been a fan of poetry and so her examples did nothing for me, but I suspect they will be a real comfort to those who appreciate it.

Black Rainbow was well-written and had a strong narrative drive. I learnt a lot about depression and have a new understanding of the best way to interact with those who are suffering. This book is an important one and, in an ideal world, it should be read by everyone but especially those whose lives are touched by depression.

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Other Uncategorized

Which books should be in the perfect junior school library?

My sons’ school recently converted from an infant school into a full primary. They have a good selection of books for younger children, but their library hasn’t quite developed a full range for junior school children (aged 7-11). Keen to ensure my boys and their friends have a good mixture of books to read I volunteered to look into which would be best to buy for them. They already have most of the classics (Harry Potter, Roald Dahl, CS Lewis etc) so I’m looking for more modern books that children will love like the ones RIC Publications has. Every writer wants to have a professionally produced eBook. Imagine you pay a bomb for software to format your eBook and you don’t know how to you use it. Pen2publishing company provide the  best ebook formatting services. The goal of the school library media center is to ensure that all members of the school community have equitable access “to books and reading, to information, and to information technology. A school library is a structure within the school that houses a collection of books, audio-visual material and other content that serves common use to meet the educational, informative and recreational needs of the users. A school library is a structure within the school that houses a collection of books, audio-visual material and other content that serves common use to meet the educational, informative and recreational needs of the users. For the best chemistry tuition in the Singapore visit us.

I want books that inspire them and nurture a love for reading so I’ve spent a wonderful weekend researching ones that teachers, booksellers, librarians and (most importantly!) children recommend. A school library is a structure within the school that houses a collection of books, audio-visual material and other content that serves common use to meet the educational, informative and recreational needs of the users. A school library is a structure within the school that houses a collection of books, audio-visual material and other content that serves common use to meet the educational, informative and recreational needs of the users. Librarians are not merely the caretakers of books anymore they are the consultants, information providers, instructional readers, curriculum designers, and teachers. They can help students in achieving their goals.

Here’s what I found!

Age 7+

The Brilliant World of Tom GatesMadame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible EdiblesCorby Flood (Far-Flung Adventures)A Dog Called Grk (A Grk Book)

The Brilliant World of Tom Gates by Liz Pichon (s)

Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles by Rupert Kingfisher

Corby Flood by Chris Riddell

A Dog Called Grk by Josh Lacey (s)

Compton Valance The Most Powerful Boy in the Universe (Compton Valance)The Stick Man With a Big Bum: A children's book for ages 7-12Monster and Chips (Monster and Chips, Book 1)Spy Dog

Compton Valance The Most Powerful Boy in the Universe by Matt Brown (s)

The Stick Man With a Big Bum by Jonny Staples (s)

Monster and Chips by David O’Connell (s)

Spy Dog by Andrew Cope (s)

Clarice Bean: Clarice Bean Spells TroubleFortunately, the Milk . . .The Strongest Girl In The World (MAGICAL CHILDREN)

Clarice Bean Spells Trouble by Lauren Child

Fortunately, the Milk . . . by Neil Gaiman

The Strongest Girl In The World by Sally Gardner (s)

Age 9+

The Girl with the Broken WingMission Survival 1: Gold of the GodsIgraine the BraveThe Boy Who Biked the World: On the Road to Africa

The Girl with the Broken Wing by Heather Dyer

Gold of the Gods by Bear Grylls (s)

Igraine the Brave by Cornella Funke

The Boy Who Biked the World by Alastair Humphreys

LionboyMidnight for Charlie BoneStig of the Dump (Puffin Modern Classics)Truckers: The First Book of the Nomes

Lionboy by Zizou Corder (s)

Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo (s)

Stig of the Dump by Clive King

Truckers by Terry Pratchett (s)

RatburgerDoctor Proctor's Fart Powder

Ratburger by David Walliams

Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder by Jo Nesbo (s)

Age 11+

Fablehaven (Fablehaven (Pb))Young Knights of the Round TableKrindlekraxArtemis Fowl

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (s)

Young Knights of the Round Table by Julia Golding (s)

Krindlekrax by Philip Ridley

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

SilverwingStoneheart: 1: StoneheartThe MenagerieThe Secret of Platform 13

Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel (s)

Stoneheart by Charlie Fletcher (s)

The Menagerie by Tui Sutherland (s)

The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson

The Edge Chronicles 4: Beyond the Deepwoods: First Book of TwigMy Best Friend and Other EnemiesMortal Engines (Predator Cities)

Beyond the Deepwoods by Paul Stewart

My Best Friend and Other Enemies by Catherine Wilkins

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve (s)

Note: (s) means this book is the first in a series

What do you think of my selection?

Which other books do junior school children really enjoy?

Which books would you buy for a school library?

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1970s Non Fiction Uncategorized

Alive by Piers Paul Read

Alive: There Was Only One Way to Survive

Five words from the blurb: plane, crash, survivors, unthinkable, truth

After giving myself permission to read a book which mentioned a plane crash I decided that I might as well go the whole hog and read Alive, a book which gives a detailed account of one. In 1972 a Uraguayan plane crashed into a remote mountainside and the passengers survived in horrendous conditions for 10 weeks before being rescued. Their story is controversial because the only way in which they could stay alive was to eat those who had perished in the initial impact. 

Alive was much less disturbing than I imagined. The cannibalism was tactfully described and it didn’t sensationalise the process –  instead it clearly showed the difficulty and revulsion the group  faced when deciding whether or not they should eat their friends. The overall theme was of survival, showing the difficulties faced by those on the brink and how they were able to utilise their small resources to make their lives more comfortable. 

The seventeenth day, October 29, passed quite well for those stranded in the Fairchild. They were still cold, wet, dirty, and hungry, and some were in great pain, but in the last few days a degree of order seemed to have been imposed on the chaos. The teams for cutting, cooking, melting snow, and cleaning the cabin were working well, and the wounded were sleeping a little more comfortably in their hanging beds. More important still, they had started to single out the fittest among them as potential expeditionaries who would master the Andes and get help. Their mood was optimistic.

This book was incredibly well paced. The way it alternated between the view of the survivors on the mountain and those who were searching for them was very effective. It maintained a beautiful tension throughout, despite the fact the reader knows how it ends from the beginning. 

My only criticism is that it was difficult to keep track of all the people. The large number of names meant I could not distinguish between many of the survivors and had even less chance of keeping track of all their family members. In many ways this was a positive as it meant I wasn’t emotionally attached to any of them and so maintained an objective distance from their pain and emotional turmoil.

Despite the difficult subject matter Alive was a surprisingly positive book. It showed the strength of the human spirit and the importance of keeping hope alive. It is 40 years since publication, but this book remains as fresh and important as the day it was released. Highly recommended.  

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2014 Uncategorized

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion

The Rosie Effect 

Five words from the blurb: marriage, irrational, challenge, life, disgrace

I LOVED The Rosie Project so was very excited about trying the sequel. Unfortunately the two books were very different and The Rosie Effect failed to repeat the magic of the first.

The Rosie Project was special because it was the only novel I’d read which depicted Asperger’s in a positive light. I loved the way it showed the problems faced by those on the spectrum in an amusing manner, without being condescending or judgmental. Unfortunately The Rosie Effect didn’t follow the same formula. Instead it seemed to highlight all the negative aspects of the condition, leading me to become depressed and (occasionally) angry. 

The Rosie Effect begins with Rosie discovering that she’s pregnant. Don worries that he’ll not be a suitable father so sets out to research the best way of dealing with the pregnancy and the arrival of a new baby.  The question of whether someone on the autistic spectrum would make a good parent is a sensitive and divisive subject. Everything written in the book was technically accurate, but I felt it was handled in a bad way. Some of the scenes, particularly those involving Lydia, the social worker, made my blood boil.

I also found that Don had become the typical stereotype of those on the spectrum. His wonderful quirkiness had been reduced to a set of behavioural traits. It was frustrating to see such a fantastic character reach such lows. It is useful for those who know little about autism to be informed about the darker side of the condition, but for those of us who are well aware of the problems it made a difficult and emotional read.

I recommended The Rosie Project to everyone I knew withing the autism community. Unfortunately I’ll be advising those same people to avoid the sequel. I want to give it a low star rating and tell you not to read it, but that isn’t fair because Graeme Simsion is a talented author. This book is gripping throughout and I couldn’t wait to see what happened in the end. It is just a shame that the subject matter was so negative.

I can’t decide whether to give this stars1 for making me so angry and upset or  for being gripping and provoking so much emotion.

What do you think?