Indeed, I later learned that when they had bought the place, in 1930, they had given my father's older sister Lina their checkbook, carte blanche, saying, Do what you want, get what you want.
unrestricted power to act at one's own discretion; unconditional authority
Hyphenation
un·re·stric·ted po·wer to act at one's own discretion; un·con·di·tion·al au·tho·ri·ty