Category Archives: Odds and ends

Expert driver

October 4, 2019Farming, Odds and ends, Sunnybook Farm, worksusanmanzke

Yesterday afternoon I was on the Internet visiting face to face with friend, Pauline, in Tasmania. At the same time, Bob was waiting for a truck to arrive to pick up the corpse of an old tractor.

I didn’t know exactly when Bob went outside. I was too involved with Pauline. We hadn’t connected in months and I didn’t want to miss the time with her–it was 3:45 pm Thursday here and 6:45 am Friday in Hobart, Tasmania. You can see why it’s hard to connect at the same time.

If I had been outside, I would have taken photos of the tractor (missing one large back wheel) as it was loaded on the truck. Bob was impressed with the process.

Months ago, someone else tried loading that tractor and couldn’t. He left it out in a spot where it was in the way. We were so glad when this truck came and was successful with the loading.

I arrived as the last chains were set in place after the tractor was loaded.

The truck couldn’t use our farm driveway as that is just mushy from all the rain. He was sure to have gotten stuck there.

Instead, he had to back out between our buildings, which was a tight squeeze.

I held my breath as he backed out. The mirrors on his truck were sure to hit the building.

No worries. This expert driver knew exactly what he was doing and was soon on the road with his load.

Both Bob and I were impressed.

Hip-hip-hooray!

September 30, 2019Odds and ends, worksusanmanzke

For the last two and a half months, I’ve been without a clothes dryer. Hanging hasn’t been much fun. Rain kept making life interesting.

My clothes felt and looked like they have been starched. What was worse was the towels. They were like sandpaper.

Three weeks ago a repairman came. He figured out we needed a heater coil. He went back to the shop to order it.

A week and a half later the part was in but we werent’ home the day he had time to come.

Eventually, the repairman and the part arrived. Success! Or so I thought. When I threw in wet towels the drum didn’t turn and worse yet smoke came out of the door when I opened it!!!!

The repairman couldn’t come right back. He needed a few days for minor surgery.

Today he arrived. The drive belt had slipped off and the motor turning against it caused the smoke.

He fixed it easily and was out of here in ten minutes.

Towels were ready to be dried.

The second batch was very stiff jeans.

I am so happy.

Grandpa’s truck

September 17, 2019Bob, Family, Farming, Odds and endssusanmanzke

A while back I saw our son, Russ, taking his son to look at Grandpa Bob’s old farm truck.

I couldn’t figure out what they were doing. It wasn’t until later that I found out that Russ was giving Harrison an education.

Russ was showing the hand crank in the truck door that worked the window.

It was something Grandpa had that none of their cars had. The crank was very interesting to Harrison.

I wonder what else we have around that would be considered ancient. I think that in the attic there’s a dial telephone that was attached to the wall by a cord. How in the world did we call on that phone without buttons?

Bria Bella & Co. Fashion show

September 14, 2019Family, Odds and ends, Wisconsinsusanmanzke

Our daughter Rebecca and I took a ride today to Stevens Point for a fashion show at Bria Bella, our daughter-in-law Tara’s boutique.

The show was delayed from the original July date when a terrible storm hit, and damaged the area. Today we had lovely weather. Not a storm in sight.

Before the show, I got to visit with grandson, Ethan. He was taking some time away from his freshman studies at UWSP and helping out on this special day at the shop.

The finale of the fashion show–Tara is center stage

Watching the guest models show off clothes from Bria Bella was a lot of fun. I’m so happy to be able to have made the trip to Point. Thanks Rebecca for driving.

FYI: Bob stayed home today deciding he wasn’t up to too much walking, or hanging out in a woman’s fashion boutique. It really was a ladies day out for Rebecca and me.

One sign of fall

September 6, 2019food, Odds and endssusanmanzke

Fall might not arrive until September 23, but you can’t tell it by our Wisconsin weather. Today it is cloudy, gloomy, and cool.

One sign fall has arrived is that I’m ready to start baking again. Today I made chocolate chip cookies.

I thought making cookies would be better than using my chocolate to make fudge. That seemed like a healthier option. (That’s a joke.)

I used the recipe off the Hershey chips package today

Some of these went into the freezer for future nibbling.

I almost forgot to set the timer for the last batch, but for once I didn’t burn it.

Susan Manzke

Writer, Speaker, All-Around Good Person