Three friends over 100-years-old in Britain have revealed their secret to a long life, which includes keeping a ‘toy boy nearby’.
Daisy, 103, Irene, 101, and Phyllis, 103, say they still laugh and “enjoy life to the fullest” every day.
Each woman has lived through their own fair share of triumph and torture, including World Wars and loves lost
The three pals who all live in the same senior care home have now shared their advice on how to live for a century, including staying active and happy, treasuring family, fresh air, and nature.
Daisy Taylor, turning 104 this month, said she makes the most of every day and loves having her large family around her to help her do this.
“We all meet and we enjoy life – I look forward to it. I live life to the full. I’m always on the go, I don’t like sitting around.
“Sitting in a chair is not my scene really, but’s it’s come to that now!” she said, even though the staff at Manor Lodge help keep her busy.
She has two daughters, one son, 10 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren, and the staff in Chelmsford, Essex, says she loves activities’.
They say both Daisy and Phyllis are the oldest people to attend their movement to music classes and be able to participate fully.
“Yoga, dancing, cycling… I’ve always been to exercise classes and mixing with people is a nice thing.”
Daisy’s husband to whom she was married for 39 years passed away at just 60, and now she brags that she “has a toy boy in another local care home who is 96.”
Irene Rankin, who has always loved being outdoors, describes herself as an “easygoing” soul who “gets on well with mostly everything”.
“I like to be in the fresh air, alongside the seaside, in nature… I remember walking for miles. The animals and the plants have always taken my fancy because they are living creatures.”
Irene, who worked with machines in upholstery—the same job as Daisy—has always thrown herself into her hobbies and things that make her happy, admitting there “aren’t many things [she] dislikes.”
Captain of her school swimming team, Irene has always loved swimming and diving—cooking and gardening, too. But the Doris Day fan says one of her biggest loves in life is music. The Manor Lodge staff says the joyful lady “dances all the time”.
“I like to sing in my own way. Music always brings back such lovely memories and I thoroughly enjoy it. Dancing, laughter and joining in are things I have lived by.”
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The third pal, Phyllis Cottrell, loves her knitting and still teaches people to knit—even at 103-years-old.
Much like her two friends, Phyllis has always been active and “cannot stand not doing anything.”
The mother-of-two from East London met her first husband at 18, but he passed away shortly after their wedding after leaving the country to fight in the war. Phyllis raised her daughter on her own for four years, before meeting Charles, who she endearingly named ‘Red’.
“I was happily married for 73 years and one of my greatest achievements was finding love again with Red.”
She was not only a mother but worked in many different fields, including running a laundry and ending up as a salesperson, retired when she was a youthful 80.
The grandmother of three says living and eating healthily is very important. “I used to tell the children that they must eat their greens.
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“But it’s just being with people and my family that makes me happy. Also keep yourself warm in the winter!””
Phyllis says if she could give advice on how to live a long and happy life, it would be to “be kind and optimistic—positive attitude is the key to life.
