All posts by susanmanzke

Writing?

January 27, 2020writingsusanmanzke

As we are past Bob’s memorial celebration, I now have to think of other things, like writing.

I have multiple collections of column books started. I guess now is the time to finish one or two.

The trouble is I have to type in all my columns and then find a few photos to go inside. Both seem to be chores but have to be done if I want to save our stories for our family.

Since my old laptop is past its prime, I’m having trouble searching through its depths for the book manuscripts I had started.

It’s not easy updating to a different computer, learning about it, and trying to match up to the old files, too. Ugh! Technology is great when I can get it to work for me.

Watching it snow

January 24, 2020Weathersusanmanzke

It is snowing again.

I’m worried about family traveling to Seymour this weekend. The snow keeps coming, making roads iffy.

When I go outside I find the gently falling flakes beautiful. I just wish the snow wouldn’t coat the roads and make them slippery. The land welcomes the blanket of white, not the roads or drivers.

Our flowering crab tree in all its winter glory.

I just want everyone to be safe. Driving or walking, take it easy.

Mail

January 23, 2020Odds and endssusanmanzke

As I have written about waiting for mail delivery and mail retrieval, today, I’m writing about mail.

I can’t believe the amount that has arrived here lately. Of course, most are expressions of sympathy. I so appreciate every envelope I open.

Sometimes the littlest comment gets to me.

Today I’m sharing a bouquet sent from our friends at the library. It brightens our home, but I have to set it where the cats won’t get to it. Cruella started pulling out the greenery before I stopped him.

I thought I’d share these flowers today because they are so beautiful.

I’m going to have so many thank-yous to send I’ll need a secretary (office assistant) to help. Most probably our family will lend a hand.

Advice taken

January 22, 2020creativity, Weathersusanmanzke

Bob used to take food and water out to the barn for the cats that live here. He’d carry everything in one 5-gallon bucket. After a few big snowstorms, we trained the cats to come to the house for food and water.

After the change, Bob continued to carry the large bucket around. One place he took it was to the mailbox. When he had it with he could drop all the mail in the bucket and not lose anything to the wind.

Mail’s here! See the delivery flag has popped.

Bob carried the bucket all winter long. He said he did this in case he fell. Because of his bad hip, if he ended up on the ground, he needed something to push up on to get up.

I started carrying a bucket with me when I go to the mailbox. Wicked winds have caught newspapers in the past. Now they are dropped safely in the bucket.

Mail is in the bucket, safe from the wind and dropping in the snow.

Bob always had great ideas…and a soft heart when it came to barn cats.

One day at a time

January 20, 2020Sunnybook Farmsusanmanzke

Though my husband is no longer here, I still catch myself looking over at his chair to see how he is doing.

Lucky for me, we raised a great family and I know our four and our extended family will be there for me.

Today I catch myself looking at the mailbox checking for delivery. I forget it’s a holiday, Martin Luther, King Day.

It will be another twenty-four hours before I have to walk out to our mailbox. Today, it’s only a visit to our chickens.

Thankfully I don’t have to shovel the snow away. So many helpful people are looking after me.

Susan Manzke

Writer, Speaker, All-Around Good Person