Category Archives: work

The invisible man

October 31, 2020Bob, Family, worksusanmanzke

For a long time, Bob was invisible, working too much so he wasn’t seen by friends and family.

For once, it looked liked he’d be able to join the family for an Illinois wedding. Too bad for us something out of our control happened.

It wasn’t easy leaving Bob home. More was on my shoulders, but most of all I missed him.

Bob was not alone. I hear from other women who married a man like Bob, a workaholic. It’s a tough life for all, but we all continue to honor all those hardworking men.

A big help

October 30, 2020Family, worksusanmanzke

Daughter Rebecca had a day off of work and she volunteered to do work for me.

The job I gave her was cleaning out the gutters over the two porches.

First, she had to scrape the guck out, which was half-frozen.

Then she blew out leaves and muck. It was a lot of work, but managed without use of a ladder.

I so appreciated her help. To get to the front deck you have to go through a window. I used to be able to do that, but I don’t bend so well anymore.

Looking over Rebecca’s shoulder you can see the leaves of a maple tree that need to fall yet. I’m afraid Rebecca might be out blowing out gutters again after all the leaves are down.

Thank you very much, Rebecca.

Blowing before the rain

October 22, 2020Odds and ends, worksusanmanzke

If you wonder what I do besides blogging, this video is for you.

A big pile of leaves was blown around the house and landed by my backdoor. This is how I got rid of them. I used my Mother’s Day gift.

So much easier than raking. But I had to stop blowing at the end of the fence as the wind had changed direction and started blowing the leaves back at me.

Yes, yard work takes up some of my time, too, and gives me another subject to blog about.

Bob, a farming magician

October 17, 2020Bob, Sunnybook Farm, worksusanmanzke

My late husband always amazed me with the creative ways he solved breakdown problems. Bob could steal a piece of an old machine add it to another machine and get it going again.

Here is a column I wrote about his farming magic tricks.

Now when things break around the house I think what would Bob do?

Sometimes I can figure things out. Other problems I need help from family or friends. Such is life.

I lived with a Super Man

October 15, 2020Bob, worksusanmanzke

It wasn’t always easy living with my workaholic husband. When he was farming and working at the canning company, everything at home fell in my lap. During those months, I was a single parent.

Bob tried to hard to make a living. In the 1980s that was a tough thing to do. Many farms went bankrupt. We hung on by our fingernails.

Most of the time the poor guy was worn to a frazzle, but no one could keep him from his work.

I’m so happy that I had my column. It kept me going and helped me document our lives on Sunnybook Farm.

Susan Manzke

Writer, Speaker, All-Around Good Person