At 107, Lena Johnston is still singing and even dancing.
And while some people might think that at her advanced age Johnston would have seen it all, she disagrees. Instead, Johnston sees the wonder in the world every day.
“Every day’s a surprise. There’s something that shows up to surprise us, you just never know what, but it’s there.”
On Friday, Johnston joined 40 of her friends at the Fifth Avenue Seniors Centre to participate in the Revellers singing program – adding her voice to the old time tunes she loves, Oh What a Beautiful Morning and Sentimental Journey.
She even took to the floor to dance a short number with John Thompson, who was filling in as choir director in place of Bert Revel, who recently broke his leg.
Johnston was all smiles when the crowd sang Happy Birthday and For She’s A Jolly Good Fellow to her. She officially turned 107 on Sunday, March 6, but says she’s been celebrating for a while, with visits from family, friends and a tea at Arbour Lodge on Monday.
“I’m going to enjoy this whole day,” she said, her voice soft but firm, as she then recounted living in a world without airplanes when travel was done via horse and wagon.
She also recalled going to school in Saskatchewan where there was only one slate and a slate pencil to share.
From a farming family of 14, Johnston, as the oldest child, learned the value of hard work, as her family farmed in Saskatchewan and Alberta. While her younger sister Ella helped in the house, Johnston was her father’s “right-hand man” on the farm, riding horses, milking cows and taking care of pigs. She also worked the threshing crew, in charge of feeding the fire that generated steam to run the machinery.
“There were not too many holidays like today,” she says. “There was too much stuff to do. That was our livelihood.”
Later, Johnston farmed with her husband in Notch Hill, where she lived for 77 years in the same home. They showed up at the train platform in Notch Hill one evening with her three-year-old son Roy and a cow, calf, four horse and a crate of chickens to begin their new life in B.C.
“I’ve lived in Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C., and this last place has sure been good to me.”
In 2013, Johnston moved to Arbour Lodge, where she currently lives, and enjoys her chocolates, her cup of coffee and never misses an outing. Never having done puzzles until she moved into Arbour Lodge, Johnston is now a lover of jigsaw puzzles.
“I learned something new at 104,” she says with a laugh.
When asked what her secret to long life has been, Johnston says it must be magic.
“I’ve been blessed with magic. I just feel very fortunate to be here.”
