When farmers gaze at farm fields being combined they create a gaper’s block. Bob was very good at this viewing as I wrote back in 1986.
I was happy to drive Bob through the countryside so he could see what was going on other farms. It was much safer having me drive and watch the road than having him trying to drive and watch the fields.
Until next time, that’s it from Sunnybook Farm.
Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved
This column is from October 1986. It talks about my late husband fixing everything, except his pickup truck.
I hope you enjoy hearing all about Bob again.
Bob saved so much and used a lot of what he saved, but not everything. I’m facing a lot of what was left over from Bob, his dad, Shorty, and even from the last owners of this farm.
Things will be done, but it takes time.
I wish Bob was hear to deal with it all, but since that is impossible, well, eventually things are certain to find new homes.
Until next time, that’s it from Sunnybook Farm.
Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved
My husband was a workaholic. This column from 1987 tells how he attempted to do everything, except sleep. During his night shirt at the canning company, he was found a time of two sleeping standing up–this is not an exageration.
For summer and fall, I lived as a single parent, which wasn’t easy either. Often I felt I was being pulled apart when I was needed on the farm knowing our children required at least one parent some of the time.
Anyway this is what I wrote about Bob during those hectic times.
Watching Bob work himself to death wasn’t easy to witness but no one could stop him from any of his work adventures.
Today, I’m missing him and wishing we had more time together. It was a good thing he did eventually slow down, finding time to enjoy more than work.
Until next time, that’s it from Sunnybook Farm.
Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved
My columns tell about our lives on Sunnybook Farm. Today I read one about Bob.
It’s no secret that all our machinery was old. Bob never bought new, except one Ford tractor when he was in Illinois and in a partnership with his dad. Otherwise, everything was used.
Today I share a tale about a family van that was turned into a farm repair van.
Bob much rather work on a tractor than on a car or a van. He preferred big machinery.
Every machine was worked until the end of its natural life. Some were used to fix another, but that didn’t work with cars or vans. They just went to the big junkyard in the sky.
This van was nearing its final days when I wrote this column.
Until next time, that’s it from Sunnybook Farm.
Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved
Today I’m reading a column from 1990 about Bob.
My husband was a soft-spoken guy except when it came to stubborn machinery. Then he would let the sharp words fly, but only if he was alone.
Of course, Bob forgot that sometimes others could hear his colorful words.
The kids laugh after hearing him working in our basement alone. Their dad’s words didn’t stop at the basement ceiling but floated into our living room where everyone could hear him. Bob never realized this, until he heard the kids laughing.
If Bob was really having a bad time with machinery, I’d head out and help. My hands would fit where his didn’t. Many days we were both covered with grease and oil. On a few rare occasions, I found solutions for him, that was because I didn’t know what I was doing and found interesting ways to address problems.
I sure miss him.
Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved