Week 18 (April 29-May 5): Road Trip

 Road Trip

Week 17 (Apr. 22-28): At Worship

At Worship

So.  We were Catholic. Mom converted for marriage-  Dad grew up going to Catholic School... so guess who was "MORE CATHOLIC".

I have lots of funny stories about church and First Holy Communion and whatnot, but they are all stories about my immediate family.

Grandma and Grandpa Oltmer did help build a church in Demarest - St. Joseph's.  Mom and Dad were married at St. Joe's ... but it was at the end of Brookside Ave. when they were married on May 17, 1949.  But shortly after, a new St. Joe's was going to be built and the Oltmer family was a large contributor.

This window (dedication enlarged in photo 2) are still in St. Joseph's Church in Demarest.

Aunt Florence and Aunt Mary were both married there -  and were eulogized there as well.  We were strictly St. Therese in Cresskill -  for most everything.  

You do need a fun story -  So I'll just give a link to one of my favorite church stories:

"The Loudest Things in Church"  http://thesisters3.com/st_loudest.html

Week 16 (Apr. 15-21): Out of Place

Out of Place

So. I am WEEKS behind again. Well.. really 1.5 

I have no clue what to write on this one.  EVERYONE in our family was out of place!

Not to mention that Ancestry is having ISSUES right now.  I'll leave this one "as is" and see if I can come up with something ...  eventually.

Photo for today...

Here we are -  Maybe not OUT OF PLACE-  but surely in dire need of "CORRECTION" according to the photographer's notes.   This was either the time MB cut her own bangs- or just the normal "Ma Haircut" badly in need of CORRECTION!  

I had the typical 9 year old bags under my eyes and TOO DEEP smile lines??!?!?   and I can't read Patty's needed fix... but this is all I can think of for this topic-  for now.   I will come up with something.

Week 15 (April 8-14): DNA

DNA

So-  we (my sister and her husband, my husband and I) paid and had our DNA done.

My husband and I sent it in immediately-  my sister and her husband STILL never sent it in (after paying and receiving the kit).

In January, her husband passed away-  so his will not be sent in... I hope she sends hers in eventually.  

All in all-  what my husband and I saw in our results seemed correct... but things we basically already knew.

As for Ancestry -  I feel duped and angry.  I got some connections but they were all people I already knew.  My husband's has gone NO WHERE.  I REFUSE to pay for another account... I'm already planning to DROP mine when my 6 months is up-  what a joke... without a tree- and an account, the DNA results are USELESS...

That's the end of my rant.

Week 14 (April 1-7): Brick Wall

Brick Wall

And I'm behind again.

I have hit a brick wall of sorts.  I have relatives of my husband -  who are "sure" that they have info on his grandfather- Louis Wieme... but I have not seen concrete evidence.

Apparently, he has used several different first names-  all variations of Louis, but his name is part of the stumbling I've experienced.  Through all of the "proof" of his existence, his name has been Louis -  but his earlier records (not in America) use Aloyious and Aloijsius IF it's even him. 

I can track him until the 1940s.   He left his family and seems to have fallen off the face of the earth.  I have no death record.  I have hit a BRICK WALL.

So.  That's all for now- as I try to come up with other info to include in this blog.

Week 13 (March 25-31): In the Paper

In the Paper

Well. Now I have to do some searching.  I have a few posts where I mentioned newspaper articles... and I am stumped as to what might be new.

I will take this time to mention that IT BUGS THE CRAP OUT OF ME that we, the little genealogy people have to PAY THROUGH THE NOSE to get access to some things... like old census records and newspapers!  I KNOW that at one time in this great Internet era, newspapers were FREE to peruse.  So-  this may be tougher than one thinks.

I will troll the library resources and see if I can find something more interesting than my children's sports accomplishments  (one referenced in last weeks blog) or the poor choices made by some of my ancestors-  running through train stations so as not to be caught by their paramour's husband... or jumping off a cliff to elude capture lol. 

Well... here's on I don't want to forget:  (I have the actual paper-  probably 10 copies-  but not available to me right now)

Paramus ace a winner - Sophomore right-hander deals Wayne Hills a defeat in opener

NewspaperMay 18, 2004 | Record, The (Hackensack, NJ)

Author: By MARK J. CZERWINSKI, STAFF WRITER | Page: S07 | Section: SPORTS

586 Words

PARAMUS - Kevin Wieme is 6-feet-6 and thin as a rail.

When the Paramus sophomore delivers the ball to the plate, he's a tangle of arms and legs ending up a giant step onto the grass in front of the mound. Wieme doesn't throw hard, but, as Wayne Hills discovered Monday afternoon, he's hard to figure out.

"I just try and throw strikes," Wieme said after the eighth-seeded Spartans held off the No. 9 Patriots, 4-2, in the opening round of the North 1, Group 3 State baseball tournament. "I don't try to overpower anyone. I make them hit the ball, on the ground or in the air, because I know the fielders will make the plays behind me."

It's a simple philosophy, but it has been working wonders for Wieme (7-1). He wasn't part of Paramus' rotation at the start of the season, but he has emerged as the player who will pitch most of the crucial games over the next few weeks.

And Monday's performance is the latest in a string of wins against quality opponents. Wieme, who'll be starting against top-seeded Sparta on Friday, has beaten New Milford and Bergen Catholic, who have four losses between them.

"I read about him, and I thought he'd be a little more overpowering," said Wayne Hills' coach Chris Ianneillo, whose team left nine runners on base. "He tipped his curve a lot, and he looked like he struggled a bit. But as off as he was, he was still tough."

Wieme was leading, 3-0, in the fourth inning when Wayne Hills third baseman Antonio Imbimbo cracked a two-run homer. The Patriots (14-10), ranked No. 24 in The Record Top 25, loaded the bases with two out in the fifth inning, but couldn't score.

"Kevin didn't have his best stuff," said coach Joe Cervino, whose Spartans (16-6) are The Record's No. 6 team. "He was slowing up his arm motion, and his curve was dropping in the dirt a bit. But when he needed it, he got most of his outs with the curveball."

The Spartans did a good job of manufacturing runs and taking advantage of three errors and an early spell of wildness by Wayne Hills' starter Ryan Hourihan (4-4). One run scored on a wild pitch, another on an infield out, and a third on a double play grounder with the bases loaded.

"That's what we do," said left fielder Mark Hirata, who doubled home a run. "It's the little guys like me, the ones who don't get any credit, who bunt all the time, get on base, and score on an out or a sacrifice fly."

The Spartans are the defending sectional champions, and that's both a burden and a spark for the players.

"It is a little bit of both," said catcher Donnie Hays. "It's a little pressure because the crowds come here expecting a win. The coach expects big things, too.

"But it's also an emotion thing. You have to be prepared. Just because we're the defending champions doesn't mean we're going to win every game."

All of which means that a No. 8 seed doesn't tell the full story of a team that has been one of the hottest in North Jersey over the last few weeks.

"We feel we've won some good games," Cervino said. "We beat New Milford, Bergen Catholic, and Nutley - three of the best teams in New Jersey. We beat [BC ace Steve] Fox and [New Milford's No. 2 starter Jeremy] Golomb, and we feel we can play with anybody."

And a second one:

A winner in Wieme - Paramus discovers the staff's go-to guy

NewspaperMay 10, 2004 | Record, The (Hackensack, NJ)

Author: By MARK J. CZERWINSKI, STAFF WRITER | Page: S10 | Section: SPORTS

1142 Words | Readability: Lexile: 1080, grade level(s): 8 9

Paramus has found an ace.

Kevin Wieme, a sophomore who still hasn't filled out his 6-foot-6 frame, wasn't penciled in as one of the Spartans' top two pitchers at the start of the season. But he earned the role as the go-to guy with one strong outing after another, capped by last week's impressive 1-0 complete-game victory over Bergen Catholic.

"He just developed," said Paramus coach Joe Cervino, whose team is ranked No. 11 in The Record Top 25.

Wieme (5-1), the center on the Paramus basketball team, has a fastball that tops out in the low 80's and an outstanding curve. That curve was his out pitch against Bergen Catholic as he scattered five hits and outdueled BC ace Steve Fox.

"I thought he was pretty good," said Bergen Catholic coach John Picarello. "He throws with decent speed, but his curveball was excellent that day. We had trouble picking it up and getting good swings at it."

Wieme, who also plays first base, picked up a save earlier this season when the Spartans knocked off previously unbeaten Nutley. He didn't allow a run in 12 innings last week, striking out 12.

"He's a real quiet, introverted kid," Cervino said. "He's always nice and easy going, but he was real excited for that [Bergen Catholic] game. Now, he's the one who I'm going to try to pitch in all the big games in the States and County tournament."

YOU GOT TO HAVE HEART: Wieme isn't the only NNJIL pitcher who has emerged as an ace over the course of this season. Don Bosco junior Spiro Molfetas is one of three seven-game winners in North Jersey, playing a key role in the club's revival.

Week 12 (March 18-24): 12

12

Hmmmm.  I'm drawing a blank. Totally.  Nothing in old ancestors comes to mind... so I will have to think "newer".

12 makes me think of Joe Namath. And Joe Namath makes me think of Kristen's volleyball news article.

The headline in the Bergen Record (which I can't get access to without paying-  SHEESH-  what a racket!  I have the article somewhere... I will find it.)

NOVEMBER 7, 1999 Paramus stuns Paramus Catholic for crown 

But Joe Namath, you say???   When I find and post the article, it will become very clear.  

Thank goodness for LIBRARIES!  Here is the text from the article... #12 - Joe Namath lol

PARAMUS STUNS PARAMUS CATHOLIC FOR CROWN

NewspaperNovember 7, 1999 | Record, The (Hackensack, NJ)

Author: JIM DRISCOLL, Staff Writer | Page: S19 | Section: SPORTS

621 Words

Kristen Wieme was born in 1982, too late to have heard Joe Namath's boast prior to Super Bowl III in 1969. But she sounded like the former Jets' quarterback when she all but guaranteed a Paramus victory in the Bergen County girls volleyball tournament.

And like Joe Willie, the 17-year-old sure delivered.

Fittingly, a kill by Wieme ended Saturday night's 15-3, 15-10 Paramus victory in the County final over Paramus Catholic - the team she said she wanted to play, and beat, after Friday night's semifinals.

"Why I said what I said was because I just knew in my heart that we could beat them," said Wieme, who had been on the losing end in two previous matches against previously unbeaten Paramus Catholic. "I wanted to stay by my words and beat them, and we did. I'm overwhelmed."

So were the top-seeded Paladins. Paramus Catholic (19-1) had a 3-1 lead in the first game, on three aces. From there, it was all downhill for the Paladins, and considering how the PC points were scored, it was serving that plagued coach Don Guide's team. PC finished with 10 service errors, six in the first game alone.

"Service errors and poor passing did us in, and that's usually our strength," said Guide. "I can't figure it out. Maybe it's nerves. Maybe it was [the pressure of] being undefeated. But Paramus played well."

As well as the Spartans have all season. Wieme finished with a team-high nine kills, while Kim Farhat had eight service points. But statistics alone don't do the justice to the Spartans performance.

Wieme, a senior, was everywhere. In the backcourt, digging - along with Amanda Soares and Tiffany Farhat - what seemed to be every kill attempted by the Paladins. And when Paramus Catholic made a run in the second game, closing from a 10-3 deficit to 10-8, Wieme delivered an ace to stop the Paladins' momentum.

"She's had her games," Paramus coach MariaElena Bellinger said of Wieme, who had 18 kills in a match against Immaculate Heart Academy. "When she's in a zone, I tell her, `No one can stop you.' And the same is true of my entire team."

Paramus (20-2), the tournament's third seed, proved to be unstoppable starting early in the first game. Crystal Sullivan recorded six consecutive service points to give the Spartans a 7-3 lead. And on game point, with Marcela Gomez serving, a stuff by, who else, Wieme, gave Paramus a 15-3 win and set the Paladins reeling.

But PC didn't die easily. Rachel Rivers scored five consecutive points to close to within two points of Paramus, and Anri Koike added another point for Paramus Catholic on serve to make it just an 11-10 deficit, but another ugly service error followed.

"We really wanted this game," said Kim Farhat, who lead Paramus with eight service points. "This whole season, we wanted to show them we could do it. And we did."

Northern Valley at Old Tappan, the tournament's fifth seed, defeated No. 10 Ridgewood, 16-14, 7-15, 15-9, in the consolation match.

"They were a little deflated, and a little disappointed after losing [Friday] night," Old Tappan coach Melissa Landeck said of her team. "But they deserved to be out here, among the best four teams in the County. Sometimes people don't think we belong here, but they played like they belong here, and I'm proud of them."

Rachel Goldstein and Lauren Ascolese led Old Tappan (18-4), as each finished with 11 service points and nine kills. Danielle Cafasso added 12 kills.

"This is a very difficult game to play," said Ridgewood coach Ron Knott, "because it doesn't really mean anything. So you're basically playing for pride and a state ranking, which is tough to use as a motivator."

Mariko Boswell had 19 assists for Ridgewood (16-7), and Stephanie Kaliades had 14 kills and four blocks.

Week 11 (March 11-17): Large Family

Large Family

Week 10 (March 4-10): Bachelor Uncle

Bachelor Uncle

The only Bachelor Uncle that I can think of is our mother's brother, Charlie.  He was single until I was a teenager - and upon some quick research just now, I found he married in 1971 -  while I was 15. 

Another quick snoop around shows that his wife was one year OLDER than our mom... I never knew this.  Hooray for new info!!

He was the FUN uncle!  He bought me my first lottery ticket!  He bought me my first "maxi-dress"  (actually, mom picked it out, but it was from him!)  He always had a joke to tell... and he had a working SLOT MACHINE!  Oh... those times when he would bring the slot machine downstairs at Grandma and Grandpa's house-   He had lived with them until he married at age 41. 

But then he met Ginny.  She was fine at first.  They had a house with a pool -  and I remember a party for one of her daughters from a previous marriage - on her engagement.  I'm not sure about attending the wedding... I think Ma went-  but I don't know if we were invited.

Eventually, they moved into a new home (with too many bedrooms, as I recall)... but Ginny NEEDED room. She NEEDED THINGS. She was a bit of a gold digger -  

But that was the first home - including that of ALL OF MY FRIENDS - that had VIDEO GAMES!  There's that same old Uncle Charlie!  THE FUN STUFF... It was only "Pong" ... but I had never seen it before- and I loved it!

At some point even his niece (my sister) MB was being paid to work there... doing SOMETHING -  I'm not even really sure what-  I guess that would be a good conversation starter!

Slowly things were falling apart for the nieces.  I mean how can you compare a niece to an actual child of HER OWN???? 

Ginny's influence seemed to be getting stronger- and Uncle Charlie seemed to be acquiescing to Ginny's every WANT.

When Daddy died suddenly in 1975, Uncle Charlie sold Ma a car (since the one I had been driving was totaled in an accident- and the other was a 9 passenger station wagon).  It was probably the LAST KIND GESTURE between the two siblings.

Once at Thanksgiving in Waretown, NJ-  Grandma and Grandpa's home -  she announced at the dinner table which things around the house SHE was going to inherit when they died!  She put round stickers on things claiming ... THIS ONE IS MINE WHEN YOU'RE DEAD!

Shortly after, he borrowed a LARGE SUM OF MONEY from Ma (which she really couldn't afford to loan)... and later SWORE he paid her back.  It took some quick thinking-  and a pretty DUMB brother (and eventually a letter from a lawyer) to get the money back-  but that was the end of the relationship.

Ma sent him a note saying... Charlie, I really need you to pay back that $20,000 that I loaned to you.   You promised to pay it back, and you haven't paid me a thing!  He quickly wrote back -  Gloria, you KNOW you only loaned me $15,000 - and enough said.

The letter from the lawyer and HIS OWN CONFESSION forced his hand for payback.

Ginny was done with Ma now hahahahaha

To make a long story longer-  many years later (in 2008) Ma was gone, Ken and I moved out of Paramus to Bayville, NJ... The VERY FIRST DAY that I opened the local paper... what did I see????

I was mad and sad at the same time.   They were having his wake 10 minutes from my new home... and you can be damn sure I was going to be there.

I walked into the wake.  Signed the book (with a name they did NOT know- because they had cut off communications before I was even dating Ken) and boldly walked to the coffin saying nothing to anyone.  As I knelt at the coffin, saying a prayer, I could hear the witches behind me whispering... "Who is that"... "I have no clue, I will look at the book"... and finally-  "It's one of GLORIA'S DAUGHTERS."

I gave him an air kiss, goodbye and exited the funeral home as quickly as I entered.  I had to say goodbye to my favorite Bachelor Uncle, but wouldn't give them a second of my time-  or my condolences.  They had killed off the real Uncle Charlie years ago.

Week 9 (February 25-March 3): At the Courthouse

At the Courthouse

So, I have fallen behind again. I'm on vacation (well... it's an ALL WINTER vacation) and have a hard time finding the time or energy to get it done.

Today, I will catch up!

At the Courthouse -  I have one thought on this... well, actually two, but one has been discussed in an earlier post (with the title SURPRISE!)

The problem I have with this is I DO NOT understand what the verdict even means-  but it has been cited over the years in the Supreme Court.  I will link to one of the articles I find when Google our name-  and maybe someday I will take the time to really understand the legalese used in the retelling of the issue.  The BIGGEST problem is-  any of the newspaper articles that might discuss the topic CHARGE A FEE and I refuse to pay for one more service!!!

Here goes-   

The case was called Biggins vs. Oltmer Iron Works. 
A free link to the case is below:
https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1478488/biggins-v-oltmer-iron-works/

As often as I have tried to get through it, I just no longer have the patience to do it.

I know it has to do with a partial summary judgement ??? But it alludes to specific rules (Rule 54(b)) and I just get lost.

At any rate - it happened in 1944.  There was a ton of money (for that time) involved.  I guess we kind of won, but also lost-  but I know it's used in Supreme Court rulings even today - this verdict has been cited 122 times.  UGH. Lawyers. 

That's all I've got.

Week 8 (February 18-24): Family Photo

Family Photo

So.  I do happen to have some great family photos-  I'll start with my direct family-  because the outfits have so much to say: 

I'm not sure of the year on the above photo.  MB looks to be about 3-  that would make it 1964 or so.

Clearly later than the previous photo.  Patty, with the lovely chip bowl on her heard.  Mom wearing the standard Easter CAKE on her head... and I have the infamous veiled hat that I BEGGED Aunt Lise to buy for me and then proceeded to get slapped in church for pulling the veil down over my eyes, pretending to be some mysterious widow.  (True story).

Another FAMOUS family photo-  Unfortunately, I can only identify ONE man and ONE woman in the photo-  this, of course, lead to a very funny story!

While in college (in 1977) we hung all sorts of crazy things on the walls in our off-campus house-  

It was a rental with 7 girls living upstairs and 6 guys living downstairs.  We hung anything and everything, including a duck stolen off someone's yard - and then later turned into a phone - but I digress ...  drawings that we created, newspaper articles that related to nothing at all... college event flyers  AND THIS PHOTO.  Someone found it behind the couch and so it was stapled right onto the wall... and we called them our house grandparents.  Of course, NO ONE had a clue who these mystery people were.

One day when my sister came to visit, she was admiring the wall art and exclaimed, "Why is this picture of Uncle Joe and Aunt Katherine hanging on your wall?"  

WHAT??

I took a closer look.. and what do you know???  The man on the left is Uncle Joe (a cigar-smoking man married to my Grandfather's sister.. and that is honestly ALL I can say about him) and Aunt Katherine is on the far right.   It hung on the wall for two years- and we made fun of these "unknown" people all that time... come to find out -  they were MY relatives!  It still gives me a chuckle.

Week 7 (February 11-17): Love

Love

I guess I have to think about this one.  I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone here today, catching up on Week 6.  I don't know that I have a Love Story.

Week 6 (February 4-10): Surprise

Surprise!

Sorry to be late with this one.  I THOUGHT I had an idea, but since "the old aunts" prepared a bunch of our paternal history-  and I eventually was in touch with someone on the maternal side who prepared that family history, I think I knew a lot of basics already.

There was one surprise that I keep finding and losing - every time I get a new computer.   I finally found a few additional details, but have never found the full-on horror story.

Apparently, our Grandfather's brother was a bit of a lady's man.   There was one particular person that I seemed to find a few different articles about so I've included them below.   Basically (between wives  -  I said a lady's man, not a cheater lol) there was one woman with whom he was apparently love-stricken-  and SHE was married.

At one point our great uncle was chased through Hoboken and jumped off a cliff to escape the husband of his paramour. (that's documented in the article to the right)... but the awful surprise is the story with no documentation -  where at this same person's home, someone was shot and killed.  Darn, I hope I someday come across the details... anyway... SURPRISE! hahaha.   

OK...  this IS A LIVE document-  and searching for the "chased through Hoboken" article, I came across the shooting article!  Sadly, it dealt with ... well, dear reader of blogs, you can read it below.  "Old Uncle Chris" was NOT directly involved, but his paramour was the one shot and killed-  in front of her kids - now I'm sorry I laughed.

______________________________________________

And then there's the one about the fortune teller:

OH MY.  It must have been difficult being Christian's brother, but Grandpa pulled it off!  I'm thinking maybe this is why we NEVER heard any stories about this guy.

Week 5 (January 29-February 4): At the Library

At the Library

Seriously?  I have nothing.

When I first moved from North Jersey to the Jersey shore, I immediately joined the library-  and realized that Ancestry was FREE if you went to the physical library.  I did that for a while-  and advanced a bit in my findings, but it was more than 10 years ago.

I've had a paid subscription off and on for the last little while.  But there were no librarians in the family that I have come across in my research.

I worked at a library for 5 years- but as I said above...

Seriously, I have nothing.

Week 4 (January 22-28): I'd Like to Meet

I'd Like to Meet

So this is not an easy one.  I knew 4 grandparents and 1 great-grandparent.  Maybe I wish I heard more of their stories from THEM.  It was a time when "children should be seen and not heard" and that's pretty much how things went when we were with our grandparents.

I think my paternal grandfather was not as scary as he made himself out to be.  He seemed to be amazing in the "rearview mirror"!  Stories I heard AFTER he was gone were interesting. Involved in the construction of the Geroge Washington Bridge (NY/NJ).  I know he loved boating as a young man and a retired man.  He was the first Commodore of the yacht club in Lakewood, NJ and apparently was quite the sailor.  I do have a few memories of him laughing HEARTILY, but mostly he was a grumpy, old German.  I guess I was old enough to actually have an adult conversation with him.

 I really know very little about my paternal grandmother - other than she was beautiful and kind and had an amazing smile - and I never met any of her siblings and never even heard stories about them.  It makes me sad that none of this was really ever shared.



There is one person I never met who interests me-  and there is ONE PHOTO that makes me wish I had met him. My paternal Grandmother's brother:  Joseph Alfred Lachaussee 1887–1958.  I know very little about him, but he LOOKS COOL.    He MAY be the one who wrote his autobiography.  I have to do some digging-  I think I have a copy SOMEWHERE!    BUT... this is the guy- 

Look at the smile-  he knows something we don't know!  

Yes, this is the person I would have liked to meet.

Week 3 (January 15-21): Unusual Name

Unusual name... This one is pretty easy for me.

We have several recurring names, but the weirdest has to be Oltman Oltmer.  Reviewing from present-day backward here they are:

Our father's brother is Oltman Christian Oltmer 1933 - 1991

Next is our great-grandfather Oltmann Christian Oltmer 1869 - 1949

Next: 3rd great-grandfather Oltmann Christian Oltmer  1782  - 1871

In that same generation, there was Oltmann Oltmer 1774–1776  He lived two years.  I'm guessing if he had lived things would have been different!  Our 3rd great-grandfather would have had a different name and who knows what all those Oltmann Christians would have been called!

In the generations between the Oltmanns there were Christians.  Are you confused yet?

Two really confusing marriages... Helene Oltmer (1776 - 1835) married Eilert Oltmanns and Gresche Oltmer (1694 - 1718) married Oltmann Brunken.  (Throws hands up in surrender)

There were plenty of Eilerts, Meinens, Ahlerts and Gerds -  but this was in Germany, so I guess it's not all that unusual.


I have no photos of any of these old old Oltmanns, but they probably all look the same!

Week 2 (Jan. 8-14): Challenge

The title is Challenge.

My first challenge is the background (ON THIS BLOG).  It hides some of my words when I view it as the blog-  so maybe I'll change it.

As of right now, I have no idea what to write on this week's affair.  I suppose I should give time to the other side of our ancestors -  The Schlemm Family.  Now, that is a challenge.

Growing up Mom did not have an easy time with her mother.   BUT - I guess she must be included in this blog as she is an ancestor.  For the last many years of Mom's life, she STOPPED communicating with her.  None of us were surprised to find out that Grandma Schlemm died one year AFTER Ma.

My memory of our "immediate" Schlemm family members is not a horrible one.  We spent time with them - holidays and whatnot-  Grandpa (Charles) Schlemm Jr. and Grandma (Irene) Schlemm -  and THAT'S WHAT WE CALLED THEM -  Grandpa and Grandma Schlemm-  I guess so as not to confuse them with the Oltmer Grands?!?

Pictured above: Grandma and Granpa Schlemm.  A slight hint of a smile?

Pictured above: GREAT Grandma Pipo (Irene's mother, Ma's Grandma) and Ma (Gloria) and Grandma Schlemm ... and this is one of her happier photos!

(The baby is Patty)
Great Grandma's story will have to wait for another post.  

Ma had two brothers-  both younger.  Charles Schlemm III and Bobby.  Bobby was the oops- I guess He was ELEVEN years younger than our mother.  But - another interesting tidbit... Grandma and Grandpa Schlemm had a baby long after Bobby-  Donald Schlemm was born in 1952 -  when MY SISTER was a year old.  And this STILL was not the end of strange ages of uncles... Ma had an uncle (Grandpa's youngest brother) who was only 7 years older than she was-  Uncle Harry-  died in WWII- He was on the SS Franklin and it was hit by enemy fire and he was lost at sea.  https://www.historynet.com/uss-franklin-struck-by-a-japanese-dive-bomber-during-world-war-ii.htm

There are letters-  to a 13-year-old girl from her very handsome Uncle Harry.  I have them.  They are gold!

Ma carried this picture with her until the day she died.  He was an important memory for her.

Grandpa (in my eyes) was nice.  He showed us girls attention - he was funny.  His only problem was he was devoted to Irene- and she was as warm as an iceberg.  I have no fond memories of her-  none laughing with her -  but remember asking Grandpa to play the Chipmunks Christmas song again... and again... and again.  Hell-  he named his boat THUMPER!  Thumper I, II and III.  I mean you HAVE to be a fun person if you name your boat after a Disney rabbit!  I have a picture of one of the Thumpers... I will update if I find it!



So-  I guess it was a challenge - I also think my WRITING is a challenge.  It winds around and around and I don't know if it tells the story I'm hoping to tell!

So these were a few more names and faces of my #52ancestors!

Week 1 (Jan. 1-7): First

Here are the first prompts!  FIRST!  but there's no ancestor here.  

I guess before you can write about #52Ancestors, you have to write about who the ancestors are related to...

So FIRST-  Would be me!

Nancy Lee Oltmer Wieme
Middle sister of 3 (and that in itself tells a lot!!)
One sister is techno-impaired, one is super-techno and again, I'm in the middle of that.
Pat (older sister) and I have a website http://thesisters3.com/?reqp=1&reqr= with many of our childhood stories-  which makes me laugh because our mom used to tell stories OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER-  so I guess we do that too!

So I don't love writing about me - but since I'm the first in this blog-  middle child, teacher, wife and mother of 3, joy finder, outdoor lover. LOOK UP!  There's so much to see!!  Nothing too deep, but that describes "me, the first".  I do tend to see the glass 1/2 full - if not completely full! 

Happiness is not having what you want. It is appreciating what you have.

NEW TITLE!?!?

So.  This is the second try.  I have a few blogs and different personalities "own" each one...  Here's to TRYING AGAIN!!

I've decided to take on the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks "Challenge"... and what better place to do it than in my "old" 52 Wednesdays!

Interestingly enough-  I will get a prompt for the week on a Tuesday-  so maybe I won't even change the title... because I will probably create the post on a Wednesday.  I will have to think on this.

So... I've already missed two prompts-  I'm waiting to find out if I can get those and do a quick catch up.

Whether I can- or can't ... I'm looking forward to this little project!

Here's a great place to start-

These are the Oltmer "kids".  One generation up from "US"   Back Left-  Uncle Billy; Back Right Dad - Charles Oltmer; Front Left - Aunt Florence (Oltmer) Inslee; Center w/ the hat: Aunt Mary Elizabeth (Oltmer) Giordano; and the cutie at the bottom right-  Uncle Chrissy -  Officially Oltman Christian Oltmer.

To put a few things in order:  Uncle Billy had 4 kids: Cathy, Carol, Celeste and Billy Jr.;  There were 3 girls in our family: Pat, Nancy and Mary Beth; Aunt Florence had 4 kids:  Chris, Tom, Marianna and Claudine; Aunt Mary had 4 kids:  Mary Catherine, Frankie, Billy and Charles and Uncle Chrissy had 2 kids Christina and Christian.  Everyone in bold can be found on Facebook!!

Now... all of this is available on our Ancestry account-  but here it is again lol.

WOW.. This is just a beginning-  relationships to post and tales to tell-

I will wait for the official prompt and carry on from here!   FIFTYTWO WEEKS!!  FIFTYTWO WACKY relatives!

#52Ancestors

These are current pictures from St. Joe's Church in Demarest- a donation from Grandma and Grandpa Oltmer when the church was being built.  The original St. Joe's was where Mom and Dad were married - located at the end of Brookside Ave. in Demarest.  (They lived in Cresskill on Brookside Ave).