Category Archives: Family

Keeping things in balance by balancing an egg

March 5, 2021Columns, Family, funsusanmanzke

I never knew what kind of activity my children would bring home from school. Most taught me something.

This one had us going to the refrigerator for eggs, but not for cooking.

If you want to try your hand at balancing an egg, your time is fast approaching. You’ll have to get up early on March 20, 2021, as spring arrives at 4:38 am Central Time, or so this website says– https://days.to/until/spring.

I don’t think I’ll get up that early, not unless I have to take a potty run and even then, I try not to wake up too much so I’ll be heading back to bed without balancing anything.

Have a great day.

Solomon had to divide Mom

March 2, 2021Columns, Family, worksusanmanzke

Four children tried to pull this mother in many different directions.

There was never enough Mom to go around, especially when Dad was working. This 1987 column tells about one frustrated mother, me.

Friends told me how they often felt pulled apart, too.

It wasn’t easy being a mother in 1987. These days it might be even harder.

Here’s wishing all parents days when Solomon isn’t needed to divide you in two, or in three, or into more pieces.

A virus from the past

March 1, 2021Columns, Family, Memoriessusanmanzke

This virus is from my distant past, so don’t get excited. I’m fine. Just reliving a time when I took care of a house filled with other people. Most of the time the germs missed me, but not this time.

Car-E gets very playful at the end of this recording, but I kept him on my lap anyway.

A little later, he was curled up by me, purring and being a sweetie.

One minute Car-E is Dr. Jekyll and the next he’s Mr. Hyde. Both keep me on my toes, especially when Mr. Hyde’s nibbling on them.

A family science project

February 25, 2021Columns, creativity, Familysusanmanzke

I follow rules. When the teachers said not to do the kids’ science projects, I stood back and watched. It was my job to get supplies and answer questions. That was all.

It really bothered me when I saw projects done by an adult show up at school.

This is how I coped back in 1987 when it was time for school science projects.

I might have been able to help with writing assignments, but I made a point to let all my children learn by doing. That seems to have worked out pretty well with my brood. Even today they know how to write a sentence.