Category Archives: review

Too early a season

fun, Odds and ends, review

When I married into the Manzke family, I found that one winter activity they did was jigsaw puzzles. I think I had attempted one once in my life but found we didn’t have a large enough table for a puzzle so that one was never solved.

Bob taught me how to start a puzzle. When turning over the many pieces, extract the edges and put them together first.

It wasn’t until we moved here on Miller Road that Bob and I took up doing winter jigsaw puzzle ourselves.

Today was the first of the 2019-2020 season. It came to us as a gift for my August birthday from a friend named Susan and is 500 pieces.

Our first finished puzzle of the 2019-2020 season.

These days our pieces are larger in size, but fewer in number. Only on rare occasions will we do 1000 piece puzzles. Five hundred and even three hundred work better for us these days.

So we’re off, with one puzzle under our belt, though it’s too early. In many past years, we didn’t start until December, after fall farm work was finished, but nothing is ordinary anymore, especially the weather.

Now it’s time to box this puzzle up and bring out a second. The season has had a good start.

Copyright © 2019 Susan Manzke, All rights reserved

A lovely outing

fun, review

I didn’t have to twist Bob’s arm too much to get him to go to an early movie today. We went with our friend Marilyn to the 10 am show at Bay Park Square to see the Downton Abbey movie.

It was a $5 Tuesday showing so the price was right. All we had to do was bring Bob’s pills along so he would be able to take them at 11 as scheduled.

We have watched all the TV episodes of Downton Abbey. It was great to see the characters again, living a different time and a different place.

I don’t think you had to have watched the TV episodes to enjoy this movie, but it helps. Women were the majority viewing the movie today, but Bob was not the only man there. There were 5 or 6 others.

Bob and I both recommend Downton Abbey the movie and also the television series.

Copyright © 2019 Susan Manzke, All rights reserved

Learning a little

fun, Odds and ends, review

I have been trying to learn German online. I use the free website Duolingo.com. If a person doesn’t want advertisements a student can pay for them to be removed, but I’m too cheap and go for the lessons that are completely free.

I work at duolingo.com from my laptop and cellphone.

There are many more languages on the Duolingo website than German. Here’s the list I gleaned from Wikipedia.

Did you notice you can actually learn Klingon?

A person can also learn English on Duolingo.

This is the perfect learning opportunity for me. German words don’t exactly stick in my memory, but I can review a lesson over and over and over again. No one is judging my progress. I keep going because I want to.

I’ve heard that learning a new language is a good way of keeping your mind sharp as you age. I also know if anyone speaks German to me they will have to do it very slowly, one word at a time, or I won’t understand them.

It’s a great opportunity and it’s FREE! Give it a try. You have many choices.

Guten Tag.

Copyright © 2019 Susan Manzke, All rights reserved

A weighty topic

food, Odds and ends, review

Most of my adult life I’ve battled my weight. I’ve tried all kinds of diets. Some worked a little, but I couldn’t stick to any. Now I found something that works for me. It’s called intermittent fasting or the 5/2 diet.

Here’s what I do (other people may do it a little different). Two days a week, usually Monday and Thursday, I only eat 500 calories. The other five days I eat a normal diet.

Today I’m fasting. I had a cup of tea and 1/2 a serving of oatmeal for breakfast with a couple of raspberries. At lunch, I made an egg with some green pepper. Supper will be a can of tuna with lettuce–no special sauce. Tomorrow I’ll have toast for breakfast and who knows the rest of the day. I won’t be fasting then.

The Fast Diet book by Dr. Michael Mosley

Yes, fasting can be a pain, but I always figure I can get through one day. It’s like fasting before a medical test. Survivable.

I don’t fuss with my meals when fasting. Why bother for 500 calories. Bob eats leftovers those days, so I just microwave his food and he’s fine.

One great thing about the 5/2 diet is that if I have lunch out with friends, I can always switch my fasting day. Like instead of Thursday, I do Friday.

Yes, I have failed. When my husband was sick and didn’t feel like eating, we tempted him with all kinds of goodies. I did not stick to fasting then. Now I’m trying to lose the pounds I gained over those winter months.

Right now I’m going to go to the kitchen for some ice water. There’s no limit on calorie-free drinks when fasting. Of course, that means more trips to the bathroom.

Splashing around

Family, fun, review

Today, Russell and Harrison came for an overnight visit.

It’s hot so a trip to Seymour’s new splash pad at Recknagel Park was in order. Of course, Grandpa Bob and I tagged along.

Harrison started with a drink of cool water.

Grandpa and Grandma sat on a bench in the shade as Daddy and son went on the playground equipment. Next was the splash pad.

A lot of cool water to splash in.

I did walk onto the splash pad, too. The water was refreshing, meaning cold for me.

Daddy Russ watches as Harrison checks out a water spider.

I recommend this park for children of all ages. It is especially great for younger kids.

All I could think about while I watched Harrison and other children playing in the water is this would have been great when our children were little. Now that it’s here it will be used by our visiting grandchildren.

It’s worth the trip to Seymour.