Annette | Hokitika, West Coast

“Ultimately at my age, I’m grateful for my health and that there’s always a loving family, and friend. Grateful for those, it’s wonderful to have good health when you’re post-65.

I just think the main thing is to be pleasant to people. I think it doesn’t take much just to say hello while passing, to make people feel part of the community, instead of nobody ever speaking to them. I think just a nice hello is great, just going by. 

I think mostly it’s being lucky with genes, but I love to be outdoors, and out in the fresh air doing exercise and activity and I find that very valuable as well, yeah. I love to eat all sorts. 

My father used to love to sing, H.A.P.P.Y – I’m H.A.P.P.Y, I’m H.A.P, I’m, H.A.P, I’m H.A.P.P.Y, and I hope everybody else is these days, especially with so much mental illness, as well. Very sad thing, that. So, I hope everybody has a good day today.

I’m from Lower Hutt originally. I came here as an embalming student about 26 years ago now, and I’m still here. It’s been great on the Coast. I still miss Wellington for it’s great shows and things, it’s the one thing you miss on the Coast here, having to go somewhere for everything, like to Christchurch for any specialist treatments and things like that, but it has its wonderful advantages being here and I love being by the beach, as well.”