Category Archives: Family

It’s all about prayers

May 30, 2021Columns, Family, Farmingsusanmanzke

I was praying a lot in 1989. My dad was diagnosed with cancer and farming was the pits.

In that time, I wondered how many prayers we were allotted. This column recounts my thinking at that time.

Praying to win the lottery seems like a waste of time for a person praying and for God.

This weekend we commemorate those who have fallen in service to our country. Memorial Day weekend is a good time for prayers.

Naming our first two children

May 28, 2021Columns, Familysusanmanzke

In this column from 1989 I tell about naming Rob and Rebecca.

Rachel pops in with a question which leads to an answer that might make you giggle.

FYI: When we named Russell I thought he’d have the nickname Rusty, but no red hair for him–red hair skipped a generation as Russell’s son has the hair I wished for his daddy–Russell’s middle name is Charles which comes from my Dad is also Bob’s grandfather’s name.

Not to leave out our fourth child: Rachel Jo, the baby of the family, was named after my Grandma Jo.

Rumrunner

May 25, 2021Chuck Paska story, Familysusanmanzke

My dad, Chuck Paska, shared many stories about his life. This is one that shows how he would take any job to make money for his family during the Great Depression.

I’m happy he didn’t get too deep into driving booze for gangsters. That might have changed his life if he had.

Reading his words always brings me closer to him again.

Thanks Dad for sharing your stories.

Low-cost family fun

May 18, 2021Columns, Family, funsusanmanzke

This column from May 1988 tells how the Manzkes had fun with bubbles–big bubbles and little bubbles.

If you want to make a big bubble take an old T-shirt, cut a circle from around the lower half of shirt about an inch wide. Tie two dowels to material with 1/3 of the material between dowels and the rest hanging down. Dip material into soap mixture, pick up and slowly pull dowels apart. This should give you a big bubble.

Bubble recipe: 6 to 1 — 6 cups of water to 1 cup of Dove dish soap. I never added corn syrup or glycerin. Do not mix vigorously because you’ll foam the mixture which isn’t good for making bubbles.