JUST A YOUNG PUP AT HEART
SHEILA TURNS 103
STUCK in hospital with a bung knee, Sheila Mcintosh’s plans to celebrate her birthday at home quickly crumbled.
But it’s not every day you turn 103, so with the help of Townsville University Hospital staff and family, Ms Mcintosh partied the day away yesterday with cake and her pet pup Percy on her lap.
Sheila’s daughter Vivienne Murphy said her mum was a bright spark and deserved to be celebrated in these uncertain times.
“It would be wrong not to find a way to mark this momentous occasion,” Ms Murphy said. “We were thrilled when she turned 100 and to still be celebrating her life at 103 is so special.”
Ms Murphy said the family was disappointed they weren’t able to continue the tradition of gifting the centenarian a pet for her birthday.
“When she turned 99 we gave her two goldfish, when she turned 100 we gave her two budgies and when she turned 102 we gifted her a duck, which was a bit of a joke,” she said.
“We stumbled across a letter she had written to Santa as a child requesting a duck, a balloon and a bucket and spade so we thought the duck was in line with previous years’ presents so that is what she got.
“This year I might buy her a teddy bear, which I know she will love.”
Ms Murphy said despite being in hospital, her mother was in high spirits and surrounded by family with her granddaughter-in-law, great granddaughter and granddaughter all working at the hospital.
Ms Murphy said her mum had had a tough life; originally coming from a farm in Victoria before moving to a station in NSW where she did a lot of hard work moving cattle around.
“She’s lived a very full and active life and to this day spends her time doing cross stitch, playing piano and keeping general tabs on everything going on around her.”
Ms Murphy said her mother was pretty proud to have made it to 103.
“As mum has dementia, we do have to keep reminding her of her birthday,” she said.
“Every time we tell her she’s rather surprised at the realisation she’ll be 103.”
When asked what the secret was to her longevity, Ms Mcintosh had a simple answer: porridge.