101 Uses for an Old Sandbag...or Two by Jason Howell

101 Uses for an Old Sandbag...or two was written just after the Flood of the Century in 1997. Using humour, it illustrates the various ways to use sandbags that are no longer needed for holding back flood waters. At the time, the net proceeds were donated to Manitoba Flood Relief.

This is a really cute book. The illustrations are pretty simple, but they are nicely done. The only bad thing I can say about the book is that it's somewhat dated now. The material is still mostly relevant, but the specific politicians mentioned are no longer in office. I'm pretty sure, though, it's the same old politicians with the same old politics, just with different faces. *sigh*

My favourites uses for an old sandbag:

7. Host flood re-enactment dramas in your backyard, and encourage the audience to take home the "props" after each show.
13. Just lay them out in a circle in the nearest field and call the media.
28.Dike your driveway to minimize the effect of snow drifts.
49. Drink a few beer and see if you can move the bags with your mind (it make take a "few" dozen).
67. Be a prankster and dike a neighbour's home when he's out. He'll get a kick out of it.

I really like the cover.   It's funny, but also very real for us.  Personally, I was very close to waving that white flag several times during the flood and sandbagging operations. 

If you've been through a flood (like we recently have) and have a sense of humour, I'm sure you'll get a kick out of some of these suggestions.

I picked up this book at a used book sale sometime ago.   It remained packed away in a box until recently.  Since some of my neighbours are still dealing with leftover sandbags, I thought it was a good time to review the book. 

101 Uses for an Old Sandbag...or Two by Jason Howell and Pete McCullough (Illustrator), Permanent Press, ©1997. ISBN 096929720X(Soft cover), 101p.