Aunt Meta

I know I've already written a lot through the years about my Aunt Meta, but the truth is, there aren't enough words to describe the amazing woman she was. I used to wonder, when I was a kid, if my mom and her sister Meta swapped me at birth because I was so much like Aunt Meta. I'm not sure what my mom would have swapped for me but it would have been something fancy because Bernice Casas was all that. Aunt Meta, on the other hand, was all ranch. She didn't have her hair and nails done or wear fancy clothes. Her hands were rough from all the ranch work she did and I don't remember her wearing makeup or perfume. She was perfect in my eyes. 

Aunt Meta's clothes were usually dirty from calves or chickens or gardening. She cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner in her kitchen and I honestly don't remember ever going out to eat all the years I stayed with her. Her yard was always full of cats, dogs and sometimes chickens, calves or lambs. She didn't get wound up when we were running in and out dragging an animal with us. She was usually right in there with us, enjoying the moment. I can't recall Aunt Meta in front of the television ever but I have so many memories of being outside, all over the ranch with her.

When Bob and I lived in town in Cayucos, we had a pet rooster named Tut. He was the biggest, most beautiful boy you'd ever want to see. The only problem was, we lived in town and the neighbors didn't love his early morning crowing. I was really sad to have to re-home Tut but I hoped Aunt Meta would take him. I walked the mile out to her ranch on the morning I promised Bob I would find Tut a new home. Baby Matthew was in his carriage and Tut sat quietly in the carriage with him, enjoying the ride. As I walked up the long dirt drive to the ranch, I saw Aunt Meta hanging clothes on the line. As soon as I reached her and explained what was happening, she grabbed Tut and started cooing at him. We spent the rest of the morning sitting at the patio table snapping green beans for lunch while Matt slept in his carriage and Tut did his fancy strut around the yard. Aunt Meta not only took my pet rooster but she loved him for me which made me love her even more. 

One of the crazy things about Aunt Meta was that she was legally blind from the age of twenty-eight. I don't think most people would have known that about her especially when she was on the ranch. She functioned better and worked harder than anyone else I had ever known in my entire life and that's the truth. I trusted her with my kids a thousand percent, more than I trusted most full-sighted people. She was my person.

Luis Casas, Meta Walter, Charles Casas, Bernice Casas, flower girl, Delores Blair. 

I don't know the couple on the end but I'm digging to find out.

I always knew Aunt Meta was in my parents wedding. What I didn't know is that she was actually living in Los Angeles at the time. This was actually mind-blowing to me because I have never pictured her as a city girl. Not even for a minute. I need to talk to my cousin Maureen and see what she can tell me about her mother, Meta, living in the city. That's only the first part of what I want to know.

This was the wedding party held for my parents later that day. My parents are sitting on the ground and Aunt Meta is standing right in the middle next to her father, Grandpa Walter wearing the sombrero. Don't ask me because I don't know the answer to why there are so many sombreros in Casas photos. It's just our thing. Obviously, the Swiss side picked up on that and joined in the tomfoolery.

Anyway, here's the second question I have for Maureen. Did she know that her mother was dating my dad's brother back in the day? I found a letter that spilled those beans. Interesting stuff. Our family was a little international soap opera. I can hardly wait to read through some more of these letters. That's going to be a whole post in itself.