Eternal Elegance

Great Aunt Laura with a Southern California niece and her two little girls, and two great-nephews from far away Canada

There she was, the jewel in the center on a warm sunny day in Santa Barbara. In spite of the heat, she with her stockings, matching shoes, hat, handbag, necklace, and gloves epitomized the elegance and formality of her generation. Surrounded by visiting nieces, great-nieces, and great-nephews, Laura Meals, as always, stood out with her style and sophistication.

She who came from the burgeoning middle class of 19th c. mid-west, whose family moved west where she graduated from UC Berkeley, remained single, taught school, and wisely invested an inheritance. An intelligent and cosmopolitan woman, she was the epitome of sweetness and generosity. She lived modestly in her classic California Spanish apartment, yet her one self-indulgence was her wardrobe. I Magnin, the small upscale California department always said that they built their State Street store in Santa Barbara for Laura Meals.

A 19th c. Greek tragedy: Laura (standing in black), along with her sister Rosa (standing center) fan a young woman with "the vapors"

With an appreciation of fine music, she sent hi-brow records to her art-loving sister Rosa, who had remained on the prairie, married a young newspaperman, and whose family had expanded to nine children and perpetual financial insecurity. Laura's beautiful Steinway grand piano found its way to Rosa's youngest daughter's house in Burbank, where one little girl diligently practiced her allegros and arpeggios, while her younger sister's attention to lessons lasted six chords.

Crossing a Santa Barbara street, a car's collision with her left Laura incapacitated with broken bones that changed the course of her refined life. A doctor and nurse were engaged to rehabilitate her at home. Visits from the Southern California niece and her family were suddenly supervised by the nurse, and suspicions were raised about the intentions of doctor and nurse. Suspicions confirmed that funds, jewelry, and furs had been stolen by her caregivers, Laura was moved to a nursing home in San Diego near her brother Will.

Laura...a rose between....

Although she was declining, and her independence was gone, Laura remained the lovely, caring, gracious woman she had always been. As a great-niece looks back with mature eyes on the life of a lady she never really knew, she wonders about the interior life of such a remarkable woman. Did she relish her independence, or had she desired the traditional role of wife and mother required of her generation? Had there been loves that had filled her life with joy?:Or had love brought sadness and heartache. Did she own a car? What had a physical catastrophe and betrayal done to her emotionally? How had the enormous adjustment of leaving her charmed Santa Barbara life for a nursing home effected her?

We all have ancestors who we would love to talk to. It'd be wonderful to chat with that forebear who took off for the Klondike gold rush, or the sixth great-grandparent who arrived on our shores. Thanks to some photos from an old album, or a long-ago memory, we have stories like Laura's to pass along, even if they remain a mystery......

And now, a word from Reggie...

Once in awhile I get a fun moment in my boring life. Two of my favorite people came to visit me: Granddaughters Delilah and Alana. Or maybe they're my cousins, nieces? I don't know, but I love them and most importantly, they love me.

So, I got lots of attention from A&D until they took them away to something called Meow Wolf. Of course that name sounds a little too close to the noise those geeks I live with make...you know, the "meow" part. Anyway they left me in my crate while they went off and had some real fun. I heard (they think I don't understand) that this place is really amazing, and Dad is never going to stop talking about it. They took pictures, so here they are.

A bunch of Alanas and Delilahs

A&D inside a "diamond"

Mom & Anita (A&D's mom) inside something weird

Delilah & Alana in the strange world of MW

A&D and their mom and dad, Ryan and Anita

Dad (Grandpa Sid) playing bones with A&D inside a "dinosaur's" skeleton

The next day they sent me to Doggy Disneyland and the girls went sledding.

Delilah having fun

I was so tuckered out from a full day of play with my pals at Santa Fe Tails, that I just wanted to hunker down in my crate...where I go to escape the Madding Crowd. But, my two girlfriends came to say good-by before they headed back to a place called Southern California...where they don't have snow at their house.