Photo By Assisted Living Staff
The SC traveled to Minnesota last week to visit Mom in her assisted living facility. As you can see, she appears as lively and vibrant as she did a year ago HERE, when I visited with Camille.
She tells me that when she makes a decision, such as to leaving her home for the assisted living and before that, no longer driving her car, she never looks back but only forward. She states that this is how she continues to feel happy and engaged with life.
Mom continues to play bridge and other card games almost very day with her enlarged cards that allow her to see despite macular degeneration. She has a daily routine where she exercises, meets every day with a carefully assembled outfit accessorized perfectly despite her lack of sight and socializes with other residents and staff at will.
As I watched her prepare for the day, she does so with deliberation, as though a mediation. She needs no assistance and has a sense of humor which requires abstract cognition. She is the oldest resident in the facility, but that is not how she appears!
Mom loves to wear rings when she plays card, and before my visit I found this pearl beauty surrounded by rhinestones at The Vintage Studio HERE in Minneapolis. She was delighted with its size and sparkle, and immediately placed it on her middle finger.
The Vintage Studio has a delicious selection of hats, with an equal amount of inventory on a second wall of Karen Kinney-McMullan’s vintage salon. I must say that there will be a few hats downsized from my collection upon my return. Yes, that means that there were several that I couldn’t resist, which meets my criteria for purchase. My love for a new chapeau is one of the joys of life that keeps The SC moving forward.
Loved reading about your Mom – very nice tribute – she sounds like mine was – always smiling, positive, played bridge, did cross words, etc. She passed last September at age 96. Always warms my heart to read such things.
Marcia (from No Colo)
Aw! Loved this post and reading about how your Mum still takes time to look her best. She looks lovely! Elegantly dressed and beaming from within!
What a beautiful stylista! You have great genes, so does she. And such a deliberately full life. Memories of my aunt who had sympathy pains as I was abornin’ and who lived to that age, completing the Circle of Life as I flew far to be with her, knowing from her phone voice it was about to close. She was, like you, a stylista, and a tailor, mgr. 25 yrs. in a major Chicago dept. store. Made her own hats till Jacki K “de-headed” us.
Her best fashion advice has never failed: pick out your jewelry first, then the clothes will fall into place, and you won’t waste time trying different “Jools”. Since I have all the jewelry I could carry by plane, she is always with me and all I know: “0, that’s an Aunty Jo, I’ll bet!” The circle widens.
How beautiful your mother is- I now see where you “get” it. It is wonderful to see such bright eyes and spirit in one who is 94. Thank you for sharing your lovely ma with us! And that pearl ring looks stunning on her hand!
She’s lovely and so inspiring – always looking forward and not back! That’s the healthy way to age. You look wonderful together.
What a wonderful photo of you two! Your Mom looks so lovely and vibrant.
I love her attitude about looking forward and she looks incredible for her age…I would’ve guessed in her eighties!! You both have the same bright countenance!
Thank You for More Wonderful Inspiration. You are a beautiful Family. I am intending my own attitude is as fresh as hers, when I grow up. And I LOVE those Green Beads she is wearing!
Such a beautiful picture of you and your Mom. I love her attitude about life and aging and can see where you get that striking beauty. Great genes!
What a wonderful post!!! Your mother sounds so full of life and energy. What a blessing, may she have many happy and healthy returns. My daughter’s name is Camille….this week I posted about her. She is my inspiration!!
http://tossandlisten.com/2014/08/18/lessons-learned-and-my-daughter/
Lovely post. Thank you.
Your Mum is beautiful, just like you. She’s an elegant and wise woman and her rings are stunning. xxx
Thank you for these lovely photos. Your mother and you are both divine. How blessed you both are to have each other. Enjoy
Fargo stop?? Beautiful pics and commentary; beautiful both generations!
Your Mom looks fantastic! So do you. Have a fabulous week!
And move forward we must. Your beautiful mum is an inspiration, engaged and active, and oh so stylish. Something tells me she is a demon card player! xxx
Lovely to see you and your Mom embody brilliant presence, incredibly fabulous style, and incandescent beauty. Your gifted ring suits her very well, and I’m excited for your new hats. I needed just this wisdom today! Forward, the only way to go!
Gosh, indeed, your mother looks very very good. You have a good old age to look forward to. So nice to still have your mom around. And she gives good advice too: don’t look back but look forward. I will remember that.
Love your necklace and cannot wait to see what hats you bought.
Greetje
What a sweet post. She definitely knows her own style just like you. I’m happy to see people enjoying their lives in their later years. I love what Jane Fonda says on aging. So many people refer to the saying, “over the hill.” But Jane’s philosophy is that we never stop rising, moving up the stairs as apposed to down hill.
May we all continue to enjoy the things we love and carry a reason to keep busy with the things that interest us most.
Oh how I do love hats! I have blogged about hats and how I used to be a hat diva! I absolutely love your blog and your mother and you are both stunning! Also absolutely love the name of your blog! Proud to be a fellow Crone!
Wow. Now I know where you get your youth genes from.
What an elegant, lacy top your mother has chosen! The pearl ring sets it off beautifully.
My own mother ‘resisted the beige’ of her nursing home with colors that were brighter than she’d worn at home. She expressed her sense of humor with funny socks that peeked from beneath her lap robe. She loved visitors’ reactions to the sweet little old lady in a wheelchair wearing tiger paws with claws on the toes!
You have obviously inherited your sense of style and attention to detail from your mum. What a lovely mother/daughter photo, thanks for sharing.
Your Mom sounds like she has an amazing vibrant spirit. That is what makes life worth living at any age.
Bravo.
bisous
Suzanne
How lovely to see you two together.
My parents are now living at a retirement centre and enjoying every minute. They have your Mum’s philosophy, look forward not back. Enjoy the next situation.
The ring you gave your Mum is lovely and also big enough to be seen. What a thoughtful daughter.
XO JJ
Your mother looks lovely, and she has a wonderful way of looking at life. No sense dwelling on things you might regret. I hope I have that kind of grace when I grow up!
I think your mother is very wise, as well as beautiful. Her belief in looking forward, not back, means living without regrets and ready for the next adventure, and I wish my mother would adopt this philosophy as I think she would be a happier person for it. I’m glad that she still takes pleasure in putting together an outfit, complete with accessories, as those are the things that keep us engaged with life, and feeling good about ourselves. The ring you gave her suits her perfectly!
So lovely to see you with your inspiring mother. Obviously a family trait, this looking good and presenting your best face forward!!
Many hugs to you. I hope to get back into blogging again sometime soon. As always, your outfits give me visual delight, and spur me to follow your example. I did the double polka dot thing today too. White with black dots for the top and a black with white dots belt.
Much love from England,
Rose from http://www.foreveronthecatwalkoflife.blogspot.com
The apple doesn’t fall from the tree. I’m not surprised that she’s as vibrant and stylish as she is, given her amazing daughter. 🙂 Although my mom doesn’t remember, she taught me to sew, appreciate textiles, and embrace creativity. You look beautiful alongside her, too.
Oh!!! A hat wall!!!! Makes me want to travel to that shop. Sending much love to you. Have a lovely weekend. XXOO
She’s looking good!So nice to hear you talk about her- she’s doing well! I have been thinking about a hat wall in my spare room! Ikea do these hooks….
x
Your mom is an inspiration! Being one of her card playing partners, I know she always wears a smile, as well as her lovely jewelry. She never complains about her failing eyesight or any other of her limitations.
Thanks for your visit. You look wonderful! Love, Janet