Dear Readers,
From the beginning of time, the world has been through many trials and tribulations. So too, has every living thing on our Earth.
My mother has been through some of these, having been born in 1925. She will be 95 on Easter. A concert violinist for all of her life, she only retired at 84 to care for my father who had Parkinson’s Disease. My grandparents were immigrants from Germany. Life was not always easy for her, growing up in a very small town in Northern Wisconsin. She lived through the Great Depression, World War II, and the polio and TB epidemics.
I learn from her to this day. I learn perseverance, and her “just do it” attitude.
I do not always wake up all happy. I often talk myself into moving and feeling positive. I know my mother does the same, telling herself she can do things, even when she doesn’t feel like it.
I find it helpful today, during this trial we are experiencing, to talk myself into hope and gratitude as well. I was telling a good friend of mine that every time I think of complaining about something, I stop and say a prayer of gratitude and send a healing prayer to the world. To all living things.
Mr. UT will soon be redoing our deck, which will be a big project, but he’s looking forward to it. Right now, he is finishing vacuuming, as I did the dusting, bathrooms and kitchen. He thinks he’s better at vacuuming anyway, which he is!
Then we will go on our daily walk, or bike ride, which has been the saving grace for us.
With Another Cup of Coffee,
But No Donut,
On Day 2043,
Wendy
I so love your writing. Thank you for bringing sunshine and hope with your words. Stay well!
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Thank you, Rebecca!
You too.
xo
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Happy early birthday to your mom! Wow on 95! π Love your pictures and the last one of you both is super cute! You look like twins! β€οΈ
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Sheβs amazing. Thank you, Jacquelyn!
xo
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Now I know where you get that beautiful smileπ. …so much love you can just feel it.
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Yes, I did get her smile! I never saw it until later in life! Thank you, Dwight!
xo
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Love the pics of your mum and hearing about her – she sounds an amazing woman! ππ
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Thank you! She had some hard times with health issues, but overcame them, too!
xo
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Your mother sounds like a very resilient person. Her ‘just do it’ attitude is what we all need once in a while. Perseverance coupled with gratitude can get us through some tough times. Thank you Wendy for your post x
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It can, for sure. I know my mother was the one who knew I was having a thyroid problem in college. The doctors didn’t believe it, but she insisted and when they tested, it turned out I did!
She never gave up!
Hugs!
xo
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You’re amazing and beautiful, as is your mother. Thanks for sharing her (and you!) with us. Happy soon-birthday, to your mom, as well. Much love to you all over Easter. Sounds like you and Mr. UT are all getting all tidied up and prepared for the weekend. π xoxoxoxo nadine
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Thank you, ST! Yes, the house is tidy, now just waiting for the chocolate! LOL
xo
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What a wonderful post, Wendy! Your mother reminds me of my late grandmother, who had a plan to deal with any problem, big or small. The plans didnβt always work out, but she never gave up. βOkay, hereβs what you do…β is the phrase I hear in my head whenever I think of her. Happy birthday to your mom! And thanks for the reminder that gratitude can help keep us going. Iβm grateful for your blog!
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Thank you, Julie! I still wonder if the older generations were stronger than my mine. They didn’t have time to stop and read self-help books.
I love that idea from your grandma!
Thank you for sharing that!
xo
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Wendy,
Blessings to you this Holy Time!
Just want to let you to know how much I enjoy reading your blog and your Facebook posts. I donβt always respond, but know that I am thinking about you and pray for you frequently.
Dick and I are weathering the social isolation quite well. He just remarked yesterday how it doesnβt affect him much at all, a true introvert! Me, on the other hand, must work at finding joy and peace. My daily walks or biking fills my soul. Even walked during the mini blizzard yesterday. Smiled MOST of the 50 minutes. Our grandkids out east in Alexandria VA also help keep me focused on the positive. As with you, I practice thankfulness and nature is my spiritual healer.
Happy birthday to your 95 year old Mother. My mother would have been 110 this coming Monday. She was very much like your mom! Canβt believe sheβs been gone 19 years! Miss her everyday! She was born in 1910 so went through the same eras as your mom.
Keep on writing! You touch more lives than you know!
Much love to you,
Claudia
Sent from my iPad
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Wow! Thank you, Claudia! I never know who reads my writing! Nature is definitely my healer. LOL about the snow walk! I know yesterday we were caught in these snow squalls as the sun was shining. It was fun but crazy for while! Yes, Mr. UT is an introvert, too, although I did find him calling his 3 friends yesterday!
I sometimes think moms of those older generations really were stronger made. They didn’t have as much given to them. I was a Barbie Doll ear baby. lol Spoiled a bit!
Thank you my friend!
xo
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Wendy, what a beautiful tribute to your mum! Love the photos! You are so blessed to still have her. I lost my mother very young and still miss her. Daily walks and bikes rides have been a saving grace for the hubs and me too – oh and he also does all the vacuuming, lol. Wishing you and Mr. UT a Happy and Blessed Easter.
J xx
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Hereβs to great husbands!
Thank you, Joni! Happy Easter!
xo
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Wendy, I love what you said about every time you feel like complaining you send up a prayer of gratitude. Iβm going to try that, as my crabbiness gets me nowhere! ππ»πXo
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Well, I do get crabby, but I do talk through it. Gratitude helps me so much! I do have so much to be thankful for.
xo
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Yes. Gratitude is a great tool.
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Happiest of birthdays to your Mother π
Happy Easter to you and Mr UT.
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Thank you, Deborah! Happy Easter to you, too!
xo
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Hi Wendy. Lovely post – what a mum! Can I adopt her? It did make me think of my dear old mum who was born in 1923 and also came over from Germany. Unfortunately she passed away 5 years ago but like your mum, she was an amazing, resilient woman. Hereβs to mums everywhere. π X
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Thank you, Jim!
I wish you a Happy Easter!
xo
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You too! X
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I absolutely LOVE those photoβs π I bet your Mum has some fascinating stories to tell! Happy Birthday to her for tomorrow and Happy Easter to you all xxx
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She does! Thank you! Happy Easter to you!
xo
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What a moving post Wendy! Your mother is such a beautiful woman, and so are you, inside and out !!!! Thank you for spreading so much warmth to others, it does not go unnoticed !! β€ xxxxx Anne
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Thank you, Anne!
Happy Easter!
xo
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Happy Easter Wendy !!!!! β€
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Thank you! Iβve eaten enough chocolate for a year! πππ
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Happy birthday to her!
Love, light, and glitter
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Thank you, Eliza!
xo
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Beautiful resilient Ladies! Stay safe xx
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Hi Flossie! How are you?
My mom lives in Idaho, so I canβt see her, as I live in Minnesota!
Thank you!
xo
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Love this post, and love your blog β€οΈ
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Thank you so much for reading!
I appreciate it!
xo
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Oh itβs a pleasure, followed you βΊοΈ
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