Chocolate and gardening.
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That's what Parkes resident reckons Mary Johnson is the secret to making it to 99 years of age.
When the Parkes Champion Post visited Mary's COVID-safe birthday celebrations on Saturday, it was clear just how loved Mary was.
The other thing that was very clear is just how cheeky she is too.
"Make sure you tell all the readers how lovely I am and how the world revolves around me," Mary said, tongue firmly in cheek.
Mary, who was born and raised in Epping (Sydney), but has been living in Reid Street, Parkes for 42 years, where she still lives alone, spending much of her time on one of her favourite pastimes - gardening.
Her church family at the Parkes Seventh Day Adventist Church is very special to her, but Mary said the entire town of Parkes is simply a great place to be.
"This church is such a friendly, generous church, and has been a great place to come over the years," she said on Saturday.
"It's just the nature of the town too, it's so accepting and also open to change."
WHAT ELSE IS MAKING NEWS:
Mary's many friends were so pleased to help her celebrate on Saturday, and they are also as cheeky as her - describing her as a 'chocoholic' and an 'inspiration to us all' - all the while with glints in their eyes.
Chocoholic might be putting it mildly though, word on the street is that Mary received an entire esky of chocolate treats for her birthday.
Happy birthday Mary, looking forward to the raging party next year for the three digits!
We'll be sure to make a giant chocolate cake for the occasion.
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