Last time I spoke to Marie Nixon she was having a beer, celebrating her 100th birthday and was the life of the party.
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She told me she was looking forward to her 105th birthday and was already making plans for the big event.
Well, this week that event arrived, and she was still the life of the party and still enjoying a beer.
Mrs Nixon's daughter Janette Van Haren, said her mother was doing remarkably well.
"She's terrific - she looks a million dollars and I reckon she'll outlive her kids who are all in their 80s now," Janette said.
Apart from a few mobility issues, Mrs Nixon is in good health and takes one blood pressure tablet a day.
Originally from Lorn and now living in Queensland, Janette said Mrs Nixon and her son Brian, who Mrs Nixon had been caring for, made the move to the Sunshine State late last year.
After a short stint living with Janette, Mrs Nixon moved into an aged care village at Carseldine near Brisbane and Brian, 72, to independent living also close by.
"They're just five minutes from me," Janette said.
While the family celebrated Mrs Nixon's birthday on July 8, a larger event is planned for Saturday, July 12 with friends and family travelling from Maitland to wish her many happy returns.
Mrs Nixon is relishing the social aspect of her new living arrangements and enjoys going to housie, 10-pin bowling and Mass.
"She's not a Catholic but she goes to Mass every day," Janette said.
"She still has that wicked sense of humour and loves the fact that she is the oldest person in the nursing home - she's now received congratulatory letters from Queen Elizabeth and King Charles.
Enduring hardships: 'You just got on with it.'
Mrs Nixon raised her seven siblings from age 13 and nursed her husband through dementia.
She has seen war, floods and famine.
Born and bred in Ballina on July 8, 1920, Mrs Nixon moved to Maitland with her husband Robert in 1949 when he took up a job with the council as an electrical linesman.
The couple came with their three young children. Two other siblings were born after the family settled in Lorn.
No stranger to tough times, Mrs Nixon, the eldest daughter of eight children, lost her mother when she was just 13 and was left to raise her brothers and sisters.
She soldiered on with a young family when her husband went to Palestine during World War II.
In 1971, her life took another tragic turn when her son Brian, then 18, suffered severe head injuries in a motorcycle accident. She has been his full-time carer since.
But it doesn't end there for this stoic woman.
Her husband was diagnosed with dementia, and she nursed him through his illness until he passed in 1999. Five years ago, she lost her son Allan to cancer.
Life for Mrs Nixon had its highs and lows but in her words: 'the best thing to do is to be accepting, try not to worry and make the best of what you have.'
Mrs Nixon has five children, 11 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and more than 20 great-great-grandchildren.
One of the biggest joys in her life was driving taxis in Maitland for 19 years.
During an interview with The Mercury when she turned 100, Mrs Nixon said she made many friends on the job, counselled many passengers and saw and heard a lot of things she can't repeat.
"I certainly heard some stories and I couldn't get over how people thought the taxi driver could help solve their problems," she said. "I'd just try and say something that would make them happier. It was a great occupation - I really loved it," Mrs Nixon said.
Sadly she had to resign from her driving job when Mr Nixon fell ill.
"I feel very humbled and have to thank everyone for all they have done.
"I've been lucky to have good health and I look forward to keep going and be sensible and live a good life," Mrs Nixon said.
