Category Archives: Family

Dad tells about seeing a ghost

May 11, 2021Chuck Paska story, Family, Memoriessusanmanzke

Have you ever seen a ghost? My dad was sure he saw one when he was a kid.

Listen as I read his story about the neighborhood ghost.

My grandmother, Dad’s mom, wouldn’t have been surprised if this ghost was real. She believed in the supernatural.

After Grandma Brush passed, my sister was sleeping in her bedroom. She woke at midnight and saw a spirit above her. Too bad Karen ducked below her covers in fear. It was November 1, Grandma’s birthday. Karen later thought she might have seen our grandmother if she had looked at the ghost. Too bad it never happened again.

Three stories from my dad

May 10, 2021Columns, Family, Memoriessusanmanzke

I’ve shared some of my dad’s stories here. Using my column, I shared these in the past.

I hope you enjoy hearing some of my family history today.

The skeleton in this story wears a smile and I love telling how my sweet grandmother ended up in jail on her wedding day.

This photo is how I remember Grandma Brush. At the end of her life, she lived in a small home built for her next to ours. There she raised geese and one particular mean gander we called Garfield.

Stories for Mother’s Day

May 9, 2021Family, Memoriessusanmanzke

I thought I’d talk about my mother today. This is off the cuff, so not planned too much.

Mom loved to fish, even after her stroke.

Isabelle wore a suit to use later — War time penny pincher

Here’s a wedding photo of Mom and Dad. They were a good looking couple.

Happy Mothers Day

A change of hair

May 3, 2021Columns, Family, Susansusanmanzke

I was ready for a different hairstyle. It was 1987 and everyone was sporting great perms and big hair. A friend said she could do the same for me.

This column recounts my family’s reaction to the change.

I guess big hair wasn’t for me.

Thanks Rob for calling me Bozo the Clown.

Children go wild

April 27, 2021Columns, Family, funsusanmanzke

April 1986 was when Russell received the scar on his hand. How do I know? I wrote about it in a column.

Just listen today and find out how many of our children got hurt that spring.

Maybe someone will tell me how Russell’s accident really happen, but probably not.

Addition from Russell:

Russell ManzkeI clearly remember how I got that scar. I was curious if the windows in the chicken coup in the barn would open, so I wrestled one open and discovered they did go up. It stayed up long enough for me to say, “They DO open!” then it slammed back down, shattered, and took a chunk of my knuckle with it. I’m not sure what story I gave you. I probably blamed Rob.

Susan Manzke

Writer, Speaker, All-Around Good Person