A resident at the St Crispin’s Home for the Aged in Woodbrook, the centenarian walks on her own, albeit with the aid of a stick, and vividly recalls many aspects of her life.

Born in Castries, St Lucia, Forde, a mother of two, said she grew up with a very strict mother who was selective with the type of parties Forde and her sister were allowed to attend.

Forde loved to party but her preference was more social parties, she told Loop. She was not one for too much wildness.

Her mother passed away when she was a child and her father raised his girls.

She doesn’t recall when she came to Trinidad but once here, lived in Belmont and attended church regularly.

She told Loop she polished furniture for a living, a job she took much pride in even though she disliked domestic work.

At the shop where she was employed, people would bring in their furniture to polish, she recalled, her face lighting up as she spoke of putting in the elbow grease to get the job done right.

“When I left my mother’s place to do polishing I wasn’t giggling, I was very strict,” she said, noting that the process often involved sandpapering the furniture first for a smooth finish.

In addition to polishing furniture, Forde was also a hairdresser. She said she worked for people she knew but at times some hair shops would hire her.

Colouring and cutting were her specialties, she said.

Forde was obviously very creative in her day as she also did floral arrangements and still enjoys decorating the Christmas tree at the home.

“I did communion crowns and corsages for men,” she recalled.

Asked her secret to long life, Forde, who would celebrate her 106th birthday in September, said it is according to how one carries oneself.

“If I have a friend who too vulgar, I will drop you,” she said.

Despite her upright nature, Forde revealed she enjoys cocktails particularly whiskey and soda and her favourite, brandy.

She also enjoys dancing, the authorities at the home revealed.

Asked her favourite music, she said piano waltzes.

Forde’s advice to the youth? Serve God and stick to house parties.

“They are better than parties outside,” she said.
By: LAURA DOWRICH-PHILLIPS 12:20, July 15, 2016 Extracted from www.looptt.com http://www.looptt.com/content/105-year-old-woman-loves-brandy-denounces-vulgarity