Happy Freakin New Year, Ya Filthy Animals

I was thinking about my mom today, as I do most days, and decided to dig through some old photos. I was pretty sure I would be able to find at least one picture of her from a past New Year's Eve. I was not disappointed.

 Louie Casas, Pete Casas, Charles Casas, Ray Casas

Helen Casas, Charlotte Casas, Bernice Casas, Lillian Casas

Yep, there she is, with her tongue sticking out and her face all Lucile Ballish. She was so hip even before it was cool to take a picture with your tongue hanging out like a freak flag flying. Just imagine if she was still alive. She'd be leading the selfie pack of duck lipped weirdos or whatever strange face contortions are in at the moment. Boy, I miss her.

It makes sense that she would marry into the Familia de Casas. I mean, seriously, just look at my grandparents.

 

Pedro Casas and Ascencion Prieto Casas 

My Grandmother, Ascension Prieto Casas died two weeks before I was born, and yet I've always felt connected to her. How could I not? Check out her side-eyed smile. It says everything I say when I make that same face, like, "if you people only knew the crazy going on in my head right now." I may have never met my father's mother, but I have always loved her. She and my mother got along beautifully, or so the stories go and I could understand why. I'm pretty sure they were both hilarious. I know my mother was, for sure. 

Then there were my dad's brothers. These are the two that were more, shall we say, colorful?

                                                            Pete Casas and Louie Casas

Oh, the stories I could tell about just these two alone. I miss them so much and all their shenanigans and tomfoolery. They were bad boys in the best sense. If you don't understand what that means, I feel sorry for you because you've missed out on something special. 

How I wish I could have just one extra day to transport back into their lives. I wouldn't cry. Much. I'd eat and drink and laugh and do my best impressions. The ones that always made my mother laugh while calling me ridiculous. I'd ask my grandpa to twirl my name on his tongue like he always did in his thick Spanish accented English. I'd dance with my dad until my feet couldn't take anymore. I'd smile while Uncle Louie pinched my cheeks and told me Big Fish lies that were better than any truth. Then, while Uncle Pete and Aunt Charlotte surrounded me with their godparent love, I'd ask for advice on how to talk to animals the way they could. Pretty soon, Aunt Helen would give me one of those amazing hugs that made you believe you were the favorite and she'd tell me one of her hilarious stories that were always true. I'd play scrabble with Uncle Ray and tell him what he always meant to me and I'd hugged Aunt Lil and try not to cry while she spoke sweetly to me, as always, with that hint of the South decorating her words. 

And finally...finally...I'd plop myself down next to Ascencion Prieto Casas and tell her how much I've always loved her. I'd let her know her wedding picture hangs on my wall because I like to look at it and see my face in hers. I'd ask her to tell me, in her own words, how she met my beloved grandfather on a ship headed for America from Spain. I would hold her hands, and kiss her cheeks and smell her familiar smell. The smell of home that I always imagined a grandmother that belonged to me would smell of. Then we'd smile that side-eyed smile together and it would all be worth just one day.