Category Archives: Odds and ends

Toys from Susan’s past

Family, Memories, Odds and ends

When Antiques Roadshow came to Green Bay in 2017, I tried for tickets, but when I didn’t win any, I volunteered. I knew that volunteers were allowed to have two items appraised, too.

I took two toys from my childhood: a doll handed down to me from my Aunt Mary Ann. (All three of us: me, my aunt, and the doll had the same color hair.) The other treasured doll from my youth was a Howdy Doody marionette.

Sweet Sue and Howdy Doody

I knew my dolls weren’t worth much. I just really wanted to know a bit about the fancy-dressed doll.

Marshall Thomas Martin, the doll appraiser, gave me a great gift. He told me that my doll was made after WWII. She was a plastic American Character doll. The best part was her name. She’s called Sweet Sue!

My Sweet Sue is only worth $45, but that’s okay. To me she’s priceless. My 1950s Howdy Doody marionette is only worth $20. Howdy is made from composite materials, which is why he has so many cracks.

I just thought I’d share them with you today.

Salt and pepper

Memories, Odds and ends

My day is ending and I haven’t written my blog. Here are my thoughts for this evening.

When Bob and I were first married we didn’t have anything to decorate our mobile home. In my endeavor to put a little color into our rooms without spending much money, I started collecting salt and pepper shakers.

Back in the 1970s, rummage sales had the best bargains. For twenty-five cents, I could buy sets of all sorts and sizes. I liked the funny ones best, but anything, odd or different was good, too–I even brought home some chipped ones just because they were so different.

After a time I actually had too many salt and pepper shakers. There was no room in my curio cabinet so some got packed away. Also, our toddlers were accident prone and pieces were broken.

As time has passed, the price of the shakers went from a quarter to $2, to $5 or more. Good thing I had no need for more.

Maybe, if I look through my cabinets and stored sets now I might find a few real treasures. But I doubt it.

They served their purpose. But I’ve gone off collecting salt and pepper shakers or any knickknacks. The main reason why I’m no longer fond of them is because they have to be dusted.

Anger on Earth Day

Odds and ends

I love taking our dog, Sunny, for walks down our road. Sunny likes going, too. The most fun he has is when he finds the scent of deer who have crossed the road.

As snow has faded, all the trash thrown from vehicle windows over the winter has become visible. There’s food containers, plastic bottles, and aluminum cans out there which I will pick up as soon as the ditch has less water.

I don’t know why people can’t take their trash home and dispose of it properly, but a new arrival has me hopping mad. Someone is now tossing out glass beer bottles.

I’ve found beer cans before, but glass is an extra hazard. Instead of a whole bottle, I ended up picking up glass shards right near our home. Sunny could have easily stepped on one and cut himself.

Yesterday, I drove further down our road and saw an unbroken bottle on the shoulder. I stopped, picked it up. It is now in our recycling bin.

Drinking and driving is bad news. So is tossing your garbage on the roadside. People wake up and clean up your act.

Sunny doesn’t like finding broken beer bottles where he walks.
The beer bottle Susan retrieved from the side of the road.

Happy Easter

Odds and ends, pets

The Manzke family Easter dinner is next Sunday. Our children are heading to their in-laws today to celebrate. It’s quiet here, but that’s okay. Next weekend will make up for the quiet Bob and I have today.

Here are my colored eggs. They are fresh from our chickens and colored by our hens. Thank goodness they finally started laying again. During our extra cold winter, the hens molted! I thought they would freeze to death, but they survived and are healthy enough to give us their cackle-fruit.

Two of our seven hens

May your Easter be filled with love and peace.