Leigh, Nebraska...a family reunion of sorts.

My great-great grandfather's name was Joechim Rolfs. He and Able Huch had 5 children: Jochin, Claus, Christian, Peter Louis and an only sister Wilhemina. My paternal grandfather, Louis Peter, was the 5th born child to Peter Louis, who was also the youngest. My great great grandmother died 3 weeks after his birth of blood poisoning. This was in the year of 1900. Normally, a local aunt would've taken my grandpa to raise him. But, the closest aunt (Wilhemina) had a bad year in 1888. Three and 1/2year old Mina died, so did Dora-2 1/2, 9 month old Maggie. In 1885 she lost 1 yr. old Louis T., and in 1897 six month old Bennie died. So, having lost 5 children to that point, she was VERY heistant to take little Louis Peter. So, that's how my grandpa ended up 70 miles away in the town we're from now...Elkhorn, Nebraska. The story doesn't end there though for my great great aunt Wilhemina. She and her husband Peter N. Glandt lost their 8 1/2 yr. old Peter J. in 1901 and 5 1/2 yr. old Chris B. in 1906. BUT, they'd produced 14 children SO! There were 7 surviving children. I'm sorry for the crazy writing here but, you're lucky you don't have to have a conversation with me. That's even worse. Now I'm curious and need to do sort of a table on births and deaths here to really SEE the difficulty that they had.
Wilhemina born 1860 married to Peter N. Glandt who was born 1859
Born to them were:
1883 Christina born (d. 1933)
1884 Mina born
1885 Dora born
1887Maggie born
1888 Lena born, (d.1973) &Mina, Dora, Maggie die@ 3 1/2, 2 1/2 & 9mo
1889Elsie born (d. 1941)
1891 William born(d. 1962)
1893 Peter J. born (d. 1901@ 8 1/2)
1894 Louis T. born
1895 Louis T. dies@ 1 yr.
1896 Alvina born (d.1987)
1897 Bennie born and dies at 6 months.
1898 Josephine born (d. 1977)
1901 Chris born.
1902 Florence born (d. 1995)
1906 Chris dies@ 5 1/2 yrs.

So, what's the big deal? Well, this family reunion that we went to that was called "Rolfs-Glandt" Reunion...it only had Glandt decendents. Only people who descended from the one sister, Wilhemina, were there! My sister, niece and I were the only Rolfs there...at least anyone descended from any of the brothers. It was SO much fun there and I was amazed...with our love for geneaology we were able to give them some good information. We assemble again in 2 years. My job is to make a visual family tree...which will be fun. God willing my Dad will be with us then. He had every intention of going but, found out out of the blue that he'd had a heart attack at some time or another in the past couple weeks and needed a quadruple bypass...which was today! He's doing really well as of this writing.
After the Reunion, we went to the local graveyard in Leigh and walked up and down the rows. Yes, we're fans of the cemetary...any old graveyard around and you'll see us stopping there. So, here's a couple of photos! These are taken in the Lutheran Cemetary in Leigh Nebraska.



This is a unique marker of a child's grave.



His Name is August, he died June 11, 1888 att he age of 1 yr. 10wks. 6 days


Little representations of child's shoes and stockings on the top.




Here's a picture of us below...taken at the reunion. My sister is on the left, my niece Alex and then me on the right. One of the ladies there was teasing us when we first arrived. I was questioning...how are WE related as everyone there had the name Glandt somewhere in their family tree. She said, "oh! Are you here under false pretenses?". We laughed and laughed. Later whe she saw me she inquired again if I'd figured it out and I said, "I think that my sister, niece and I are the only Rolfs here...that we're the only ones descended from a brother". And again this funny woman turned to me and said, "we try not to let too many of them in". Her name was Nadine and was in her late 70's and hilarious. I'll never forget her and look forward to the year 2011 to meet again. Meanwhile, we have each other's e mails!
Forgive my kookoo blog today but, I'm pooped from spending the day at the hospital.

I Shopped at a Garage Sale, Something new for me!

You all have inspired me to actually go to a garage sale and browse with an open mind. I've normally been a GoodWill/Antique Store/Estate Sale sort of person. I've always felt like I was somehow eavesdropping at garage sales. I changed my mindset, went thinking, "these folks want to get rid of their stuff...and they want money for it. I want stuff and I have money." So, today I spent, $13.50 on the things pictured below.


The rug is for our covered deck that I've posted about. I've already put it out there and really like it! Pictures of that on a future post.

This little cabinet was $5. I can see it painted some shade of white. I may put it on the deck instead of the two crates that I have out there. I have a lamp and radio on them right now.

The garage owner said whoever owned this metal thing used it in the bathroom to hold things. I might line it with moss and use it for a planter OR paint and use in one of our bathrooms for washcloths and towels.

This little tray will go well on that newly painted deck, as it's summery, blue, white and turquoise out there!



Ok, this is a door stop I think. At .50 cents, I'm painting it white...

So, all in all, that was fun for me and I got better deals than I may've at a thrift store! Thanks for the inspiration all!

June is here!

First of all, this is the most lush and aromatic that this shrub has been in the three springs we've lived here. I LOVE it! We think it's some sort of a honeysuckle plant. I spent so much time pruning and cleaning it up last fall. I thought, "well, it may be rough next spring with all that I've done to it, but will be better in the long run". Well, it's better in the short run, we didn't have to wait!


Last spring I was at a garden center. You know how they have the area where the plants are super pathetic because they were missed in watering or are just root bound or something? Sometimes they're free, or a dime, or quarter. That's how I got these two lupine plants. I LOVE every thing about them! I like the leaves and the colors are fun.



This is the purple lupine. I like it even better than the fuschia one. To the best of my memory, I think that each plant was a quarter!

My sister's family has a new member. His name is Bo. They got him three days ago. A co-teacher of hers has a toddler and new baby and just can not give him the home they think that he deserves. Those people got him last year from the Nebraska Humane Society. What is sad to me, he was already 3 yrs. old then! So! He's lost two homes! Poor Bo! I'm announcing right now, if my sister and her family gets rid of him, he's mine...I'll be his forever home! He's 4 yrs. now and a mix of beagle and basset hound. Yesterday, she brought him out to meet his canine cousins.

So, pictured here is my husband Jim, My dad Delmar, My folk's Lab Brie, Bo and our Lab Zoe. Bo had a great time with his new cousins...at times yesterday we were all laughing 'til we cried. It was a joy seeing this "Lost Pup" have a renewed zest for life in his new family which includes other dogs. We're one of those familys that are also each other's friends. So, our nieces and nephews have sibling relationships with their cousins. In spite of addictions and alcoholism, our lives are good and worth living with the tools of AA and Al Anon. Amazing what a year can mean to us all of us after just a few are in recovery. Life is great!