100 Years

Today's post is purely personal, a re-cap of my darling grandmother's 100th birthday party on Saturday. Yes, she's lived a century and is still remarkably healthy, happy, spry, and she has a perfect memory for long past events. She forgets her keys and loses track of appointments from time to time, but she just needs a better organizing system - I should add her to my client list!

Anyway, the celebration for Ms. Mildred Mazander was a huge success with over 80 people attending including local dignitaries and the press. She's on the cover of the Hot Springs newspaper today, and she got congratulatory letters from the Governor, the President, Willard Scott, and Bill Clinton. The Garland County Judge proclaimed June 14th as "Mildred Mazander Day".

The most amazing thing about my "Mema" (as the first grandchild I must take the blame/credit for naming her), is that she worked up until a year ago. She's on a Dept. of Labor website citing her for working 2 part time jobs with such enthusiasm...of course at that time she was only 97. Local AARP officials helped with the party and spoke about her work in their program, and they are currently trying to find her another part-time gig that is within walking distance from her home. They'll be breaking new ground finding work for a "Super- Senior" as the over-100's are apparently called.

She's my sweet, loving, fairly deaf grandmother who calls a few times a week to tell me stuff (she doesn't really hear much of my response) about her life. Still mentally and physically fit, she grows beautiful flowers and tomatoes in her small courtyard, roots for the Cardinals, keeps track of world events, has strong opinions on politics (that's a whole other blog!) and attends church as often as they let her in.

Let's all hope we get to live so well and experience and share as much joy as my Mema, however long we're here.

Cheers,
Becca