Nita Clarke loves to demonstrate that she can touch her toes. A skill made more impressive now that she has turned 100 years old.
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The colour yellow, the sunny spot by the window, and barbecue sauce are just some of Nita Clarke's favourite things.
Not to mention her family and friends, some of whom were able to attend a celebration on Wednesday, September 20, to mark the momentous birthday.
The celebration was held at Calvary the Mariner for Ms Clarke, who was one of the first residents to call the aged care facility in South West Rocks home when it opened in February 2010.
In fact, she now holds the record for the longest tenure as a resident at the Mariner - a feat she is very proud of.
Staff member Sonya Thacker's first day on the job was also Ms Clarke's first day as a resident (February 5, 2010), and the two have come to form a beautiful friendship.
"Her biggest thing is that she can bend and touch her toes, she will happily tell you that," said Ms Thacker.
According to some of the birthday guests, she had already shown off her skill twice before lunch.
Ms Thacker says Ms Clarke is a "character" who has her "own little things."
"Nita wears the same powder everyday. Everyone bought her powder for her birthday because we know how much she likes her powder," she said.
"She has to sit in the same spot everyday by the window and she has to have barbecue sauce with every meal.
"It used to be Worcestershire sauce and now it's swapped to barbecue."
Ms Thacker said it took Ms Clarke a little while to register that she was turning one hundred on the morning of September 20 and was slightly "overwhelmed", however was able to enjoy dancing and lunch with loved ones on her special day.
Ms Clarke was joined by her brother and sister, nephews, in-laws, and previous next-door-neighbours who swapped stories of learning to ride bikes together, swimming in the Macleay River as children, and spending time in Ms Clarke's home after school in the later years.
Ms Clarke did not have any children of her own, however she spent much of her adult life looking after her next door neighbour's girls, who were all present at the birthday celebrations.
"When us three girls were born we used to live next door to Nita and because Nita never had any children of her own she took us three girls on and 'adopted' us as her own," said Melissa Passfield.
"We have been a part of her life ever since."
Born Nita Busch on September 20 1923 in Kendall, she grew up on Shark Island and Rainbow Reach.
As an adult, Ms Clarke worked as a cleaner for the Elrington families in the Macleay Valley.
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