Forever the optimist

That is lovely! She is planning on enjoying the summer.

Shinamae

What a lovely heartwarming thread 🤗

I think we need it.

Even us older women and men on here get caught up in the demanding and fast-paced 21st century life lived today. And all against a backdrop of global political and environmental instability.

I think we should all, on here, have our early morning coffee (or tea), watching the Dawn rise and plan for the future.

Here's to surfingsal's 95 year-old mother who clearly understands the meaning of living.

JamesandJon33

Thank you Dickens I have not heard that quote. I shall write it down and keep it.
My mother died fore that Christmas.She never saw her bulbs flower.

My mother died fore that Christmas.She never saw her bulbs flower.

That will probably stay in your mind forever. So poignant.

Absolutely lovely. Really enjoying these posts. Making me feel so much better and ready to get up and go.

Dickens

Fae1

JamesandJon33 - this reminds me of a quote from Downton abbey recently ( can't remember the exact quote , but it's about planting a tree so others can one day enjoy its shade ❤️

Rabindranath Tagore —

^‘The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life.’^

beautiful quote Dickens

Thank you Dickens I have not heard that quote. I shall write it down and keep it.
My mother died fore that Christmas.She never saw her bulbs flower.

Fae1

JamesandJon33 - this reminds me of a quote from Downton abbey recently ( can't remember the exact quote , but it's about planting a tree so others can one day enjoy its shade ❤️

Rabindranath Tagore —

‘The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life.’

I am only a youngster of 79 so have a long way to go, but I also have bladder cancer and a bad back. {The bad back annoys me the most as it stops me doing more things.) Moved to a ground floor flat so that I can stay as independant as long as possible with walk in shower etc. Just had a leak behind the toilet behind tiles, and so it has meant the total bathroom having to come out , no toilet no water etc etc, and stuff having to be shoved in all the wrong places while the super plumber had to get to things. So I have just got back home today, after 10 weeks out. Have my lovely new bathroom but everywhere else is chaotic! Knew I was home at last when I could sit listening to J S Bach on radio 3, with a decent cup of coffee in a china mug, and here I am now back on the GN's line. My tv is going wrong and keeps going black from the bottom of the screen at times so I have reluctantly decided I must get a new tv, and I have been looking to see what offers there will be in the sales and of course I am looking for the guarantees etc to be as long as possible. Actually I felt rather annoyed that this was going wrong as I hadnt had this tv for long I thought , actually something like 10 years ,and I said to my son I would try and get it mended. He said Mum they probably wouldnt have the parts anyway and the cost of them coming out wouldnt be worth it. Ah well time to climb through the mess and go to bed. Wishing you all a good nights rest and a good day tomorrow.

I remember in The Two of Us by Sheila Hancock, she said John Thaw asked her to order him a new overcoat when he was on his deathbed - optimistic to the end, it’s the best way to be. Let your mum order as many cheerful dresses as she likes, how wonderful to think like that.

It's true fancythat - unfortunately some "live life to the full" people do have life snatched away too young.

I think I'd like to raise a cheer for them too! 🥳

I think that is part of what keeps people going, their attitude to life. Still being interested in things and optimistic, or at least realistic.

What a lovely heartwarming thread 🤗

Absolutely love that attitude! Hate it when people say 'it will see me out'. No no no!
Live like the OP's Mum and buy/do what makes you happy today and plan for the future. Don't depress yourself and others going going around in frumpy old gear. It's always worth making the effort, no matter how old we are.

Coconut: my mother was like that. Really nice clothes in the wardrobe but they were "being saved for best" - even when she was in her late eighties!!

I hope you've written down her stories.. these feisty, resilient women need to be remembered..

At age 93 my mother said she wasn’t going to buy green bananas any more 🤣

What amazing women here.
How lovely.

Great thread.
Thank you surfingsal.

Good for her. She’s sounds an amazing lady. Think we should all take notes.

My Gran was the same, she used to wear a blouse and pinafore dress in the morning and after lunch she changed into a day dress in case anyone called in. Shortly before she died she had me go and buy her some new day dress, as this was in the days before online shopping. Her rationale was that we’d all seen her dresses. She was an absolute amazing woman. She outlived several of her children, but refused to say “why me”. She made us all realise life was a gift and tomorrow wasn’t guaranteed and to find joy in something every day.

Fael Thank you. I think I have inherited my mum’s ‘ glass half full’ attitude. Bless her

I love that! Good on her!

Brilliant post surfingsal- absolutely made my day.

What lovely stories of optimism 😘 I am the eternal pessimist, so these posts have cheered me no end

JamesandJon33 - this reminds me of a quote from Downton abbey recently ( can't remember the exact quote , but it's about planting a tree so others can one day enjoy its shade ❤️

My mums 95 in March, and how I wish that she would buy some new clothes ! She is 100% make do and mend and wears the same old stuff week in week out. She does have nice clothes in her 3 wardrobes ! But she’s saving them evidently 🤣. I take her out for lunch once a week and I have to threaten her that if she dosent put something nice on I’m not taking her as she looks like a bag lady 🤭