Aunt Alice T. Mann - Auntie

The first photo above is our beloved Auntie - you can read for yourself the caption on the back written in Auntie's own handwriting.

No idea what year(s) these were taken - but according to the back of one photo, Auntie had two Spitz dogs that were MEAN!

My grandmother Seligman was the youngest child in the Tenney family and Auntie the oldest. I'm not sure I ever really knew that for sure before these photos started coming my way.

Anyhow, here are a couple of photos of Auntie above that appear to have been taken when she was in her twenties? Below is a note written by my mother to my brother Eric about this incredible woman. I realize that you don't exactly know who fits where in the family chain - neither do I really. I just know that I loved my Grandma and my Auntie very much and they loved us all too!

Seeing the words on the back of the photo and in this note to my brother - it's like they both left their "thumbprints" on everyone who reads this

They say a person never dies so long as there is someone left to remember and carry on.

If you click on the note, you will be able to read every word my mother wrote about our Auntie

World War II Memorabelia

As I have told everyone before, this blog is a collaboration of efforts from my Uncle Lee and myself. He has the memories and the photos and I just transfer them to this blog for anyone interested enough to read.

In an older post, I published photos of my Grandmother's Asst. Sector Air Warden Card. Here is another bit of memorabilia from that era. Grandpa Seligman was too young to serve in WWI and too old to serve in WWII. But I know he and Grandma both did their part on the home front to help our soldiers and country in WWII. I treasure these photos as they are a part of America history preserved in the Seligman family so that on one will forget.

The photos are of my Uncle Lee's ration book for May of 1942. Lee was only 4 years old at the time, but all citizens must have had their own books - no matter the age.

Below is what Lee has to say about rationing during this time.

"I remember a little about rationing ... mostly, that we never seemed to not be able to get most things ... Mother had a friend who had a butcher stand in the old Center City Market on 7th St [I think] ... there was only one of these [Eastern Market] left when I left DC and it burned down a couple of years ago [supposedly, they were/are going to rebuild it and it is definitely one of the places I intend to go when I'm back there], but there used to be one in each section of the city & one in Georgetown. They were amazing ... kind of like the farmer's markets of Paris and London ... enclosed buildings that were like open areas with a roof, sawdust on the floor with stands inside for every kind of food ... vegetables, fruit, meats of all kinds, cheeses [when I was at Customs Hq. in charge of food and vegetable/animal products imports, one of my main sources of info/research was the cheese purveyors there], and baked goods outside ... only place I know of to this day where I could go and buy a 10# bag of chicken livers! But, as usual, I digress ... the only thing I can remember we could not get was butter ... they had something called oleo that came in a two # plastic bag with a red dot that you had to push to brreak and then squeeze throughout the mass of this stuff to color it so it looked like butter, but still tasted horrible. I can remember that, when real butter became available when the War was over, Mother was so happy that for a month she "buttered" both sides of her morning toast. I can remember "Uncle" Al managed to get us a phone for the kitchen and wire it in which was unheard of .[by the way our phone number in 1941 was GEorgia-3280 !! and we were the only Seligman's in the DC phone book]."

I had always heard about rationing at that time, but it never seemed that real to me until I saw these scans of the documents. I find it amazing the Lee remembers the phone number after all these years!

1929 or 1930 - Probably 1929

This photo was taken either in late 1929 or early 1930.

That's Grandma Seligman pushing my mother May Seligman and walking beside I believe is my Auntie's (Aunt Alice) adopted daughter Jean.

They say I look a lot like my grandmother, but personally I don't see the resemblance - she sure was a beautiful woman!

Check out that baby buggy - what I would not give to have that now. That would be a true family heirloom - a keepsake forever! Looks like it was made for a doll instead of a baby - don't you think? Notice that the wheels are metal only - that must have been one bumpy ride!

Since Jean is in the photo - looking none to happy to be there - I would guess that perhaps Auntie took the photo.

Let's go further back

I told you I post the photos as the notion or emotion hits me. Today was to say the least an interesting day for me. I found I was unable to concentrate at work and my mind wandered back to Grandma, Grandpa, and all the family from when I was a child.

But I also found myself wondering what times were like when my parents and their parents were children. Suffice to say a more gentle time than now - certainly. A more caring and loving atmosphere - you bet. The world of those who lived around the turn of the century and into the 1940's and 1950's revolved around family and friends more so than now. The "pace" was much slower and .... gentile (I think that's what I mean to say).

Television, video games, computers, cell phones and texting were unimaginable.

The photo above is of my Grandmother, my Mother and my Grandfather Seligman. I think they make quite the handsome family. Personally, I think Grandma was a stunner!

Lee calls that "ever present" bow in my mother's hair "the growth". I have to agree that it is rather silly looking. But at the time, I'm sure it was fashionable.

Grandpa is wearing "wire" glasses - he looks so strange in them as this is the only photo I have ever seen that he was not wearing either black or "horn rimmed" glasses - is that the correct term? Actually, I like them!

However, some things never seem to change. Check out the patent leather "mary janes" on my mother. I know I had an identical pair and both my girls did too!

1955

As everyone knows, my Uncle Lee attended the Naval Academy and graduated from there in 1960. Along with scanning these photos for me, he has been diligently working on "stuff" for his 50th reunion.

I thought it appropriate to show you the photo he kept inside his dress cap for four years.

That's my brother Eric and me. I never knew he carried a photo of us that entire time. Call me a sap... but I find that very touching. Anyway the photo was taken in 1955. Eric would have been six and I three?... that sounds and looks about right. Thank you Lee for this photo - now that I see it again, I think Grandpa had this photo framed on his desk at work too.

OMG is that bow in my hair nearly as big as my head or what?! My mother must have either hated me or maybe it was just my hair - every baby and childhood photo of me looks like someone took a chainsaw to my hair!

The Happy Couple

Todd has finally met the love of his life and he and Sian will be married this October. Sian is not just beautiful, she is smart, funny and up for whatever "crazy" things she and Todd can think up!

I chatted with Sian the other day and she was delightful. I welcome her into the family and hope we become not just relatives - but friends as well.

Congratulations Sian and Todd!

Mark Today

Very handsome Mark

Ok.... so maybe that IS all I know about my youngest cousin. But come October, I will have a lot more to post here. The only time I have ever met Mark was in Long Beach about seven or eight years ago. Mark was sick and could not even get up to go to dinner with us.

I understand that Mark is less outgoing than Todd, a bit more shy (or maybe not so much shy as sly?).

Mark likes working with his hands and he and Lee used to work on boats as a "father/son team" in Long Beach. Now, Mark travels and works on off-shore oil rigs - is that right Mark?

Post a reply here Mark - I will get this right yet!

Todd Yesterday and Today

Lee "Todd" Seligman

Todd is an ex-professional BMX bike rider (as you will see below). Now into TV, Movies, Photography and life! He is very outgoing and charismatic! You have definitely missed out if you have yet to meet Todd.

That certainly is NOT my kind of fun. Anyway the story I heard is that Todd hung up his "helmet" when he took a fall and fractured his leg in several places. BMX's loss is photography's gain!

Todd? You could fill in the blanks of your life a bit here.... post a reply and I will add to this post. Would love to hear from you!

Anticipation

I am so excited that in less than two months, I will be reunited with family I have not seen in years! The mere thought of it encompasses most of my free time.

You know.... will they like me (I know they love me - but will they like me!), what should I wear to Sian and Todd's wedding, will I be embarrassed of the weight I have gained, in general what do I pack for October in North Carolina, will I be shy with those I do not know, do I have anything (except blood) in common with them.... will they like me?

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I am a "people pleaser" - I HATE confrontation on any level and I am totally self-conscious of myself. Damn if I could have just been born rich then I could afford to be good looking.

Anyway - enough about me-me-me! And more about them.

Todd and Mark

In part due to the geographical locations, in part due to financial (or I should say lack there-of) situations and in part because I could not find my Uncle or cousins, I missed out on their childhood.

Imagine my elation when I received this photo in an email from Lee today! This photo was taken in the Spring of 1982. If I did the math correctly, that would have made Todd 12 years old and Mark 8 - at least I think.

(After the original post) Obviously, if I would have read the caption more closely that my Uncle sent, I would have gotten this right - Todd is 11 and Mark is 7 in this photo - my bad!

What handsome boys.... Still boys to me and STILL handsome today!

Lee keep these childhood photos coming!

Dinner

Strange the things you remember from childhood. I decided to treat myself to lamb chops for dinner tonight and vivid memories came flooding back to me of my Grandma Seligman.

Whenever we would visit (whether at Christmas or in the summer), she would always broil lamb chops. First we would go shopping at a "special" market where everyone knew her by name. I can hear someone saying... "So, Mrs. Seligman, how may we help you today?". Grandma would reply "You remember my granddaughter Dotsie - we would like some double lamb chops, please".

Later, I would be in the kitchen helping her with whatever small chore she could find for me to do without hurting myself.

I rarely remember Grandma wearing pants, so imagine this photo with her wearing an apron cooking dinner and chattering away with me as I anticipated the delicious taste of the lamb chops we would soon be eating. The table always set with a table cloth and real napkins. My grandma had style!

The photo on this page was actually taken in 1970 - but this is the photo I see in my mind whenever I think of her. Every hair in place - beautiful white (sometimes blue - hehe) hair, dressed as if she were going to town.

Rememberances

For many years, I would travel in the summer from where ever we happened to be living at the time to Silver Spring, MD to visit my grandparents. The times I remember were when I was taken to the airport by my parents (or maybe just my mother), hand-delivered to a stewardess and then in turn hand-delivered to either my grandmother or grandfather Seligman. Yes, it was quite the adventure and yes - I got air sick too!

I have vivid memories of the prop planes (not a jet) and the stewardesses in their crisp blue uniforms. One of them was responsible for me for the entire trip. Before we would land, I would always get a pair of "wings" to pin on (or clip on) myself - they looked just like captain's wings!

This photo, I believe is of one such visit. The shorts I am wearing and the short sleeved shirt worn by Eric are more summer-like than the earlier photos of Christmas' gone past. Seems strange to me to see the both of us together as my recollections of these visits are of me only. My brother did not go very often for the summer. In fact, I suspect that this photo was probably the last year he did.

Don't you just love my hair cut and glasses? Ack! I was one ugly child! Guess that didn't matter though because Grandma and Grandpa would parade me around to their circle of friends as if I were a princess.

As I appear to be 8 or 9 in this photo, that would make the year either the summer of 1961 or 1962. Eric would have been 11 or 12. Look at him - with his summer buzz - he always took good photos - me NEVER! I think my brother did finally grow into those ears!

Look closely - behind us on the table is a photo of my mother.

Sickness in Motion!

Ah - the vessel of my 2-4 hour flu! The Barbara was my Uncle Selly's pride and joy - it was his "baby". But to me... the damn thing meant only one thing - sea sickness! Hence my appreciation for dry crackers, ginger ale and DRY LAND! To this day when I am near a boat that "icky" feeling comes over me!

She was about 30 feet long stem to stern (did I say that right?). There were sleeping accommodations for 6-8 people, a galley and much more. I loved looking at her from the pier, but when forced (and I do mean forced) to get aboard, everyone knew they better not stand directly in front of me.

The rest of my family relished their time on this boat, however and took every opportunity to sail.

The photo above is the older of the two - maybe late 1940's when she was still white with mahogany railings.

The one below was taken a few years later when she was painted dark green with a tan trim. These were also the colors of the Fallen Arches cottage if memory serves (Fallen Arches Cottage was where my Aunt Bobby and Uncle Selly lived). You can see photos of the cottage in older posts.