When Helen Watson害羞草研究所檚 birthday rolled around last Saturday (Nov. 21), she couldn害羞草研究所檛 party like she was 100 害羞草研究所� as she did five years ago, when she actually turned 100 害羞草研究所� but the South Surrey senior wasn害羞草研究所檛 complaining.

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害羞草研究所淚t was very nice, everybody was so good to me,害羞草研究所� Watson told Peace Arch News Monday (Nov. 23) of her 105th birthday celebration.

害羞草研究所淚t was just fine the way it was.害羞草研究所�

The COVID-19 pandemic firmly quashed any plans that may have otherwise been made to celebrate the occasion in the fashion it deserves.

Pandemic protocols months ago changed how family visits could take place for Watson, and earlier this month 害羞草研究所� after restrictions were ramped-up due to the ongoing surge in cases 害羞草研究所� the visits were halted altogether, in the name of safety.

害羞草研究所淣obody害羞草研究所檚 allowed in right now, and that害羞草研究所檚 OK with us,害羞草研究所� Watson害羞草研究所檚 son, Larry, said last week. 害羞草研究所淚 understand that they害羞草研究所檙e very strict there. I害羞草研究所檓 glad they害羞草研究所檙e doing that because it害羞草研究所檚 for the safety of everyone there.害羞草研究所�

Larry said he and his wife had shifted how they visit some time ago, to standing at a safe distance outside his mom害羞草研究所檚 window and speaking to her over the phone. They could see and hear each other more clearly than through the Plexiglas screen that had to separate them inside, he explained, and 害羞草研究所渋t seems like a better visit.害羞草研究所�

The 79-year-old said it害羞草研究所檚 difficult to sum his mother害羞草研究所檚 life up in just a few lines. Words that describe her have long included artist, independent and feisty.

Now, the description also includes 害羞草研究所榮urvivor of two global pandemics,害羞草研究所� as Watson was three years old when the Spanish Flu struck in 1918.

害羞草研究所淗er parents were affected by it, her father, he went deaf from it,害羞草研究所� Larry said.

Larry said his mom is 害羞草研究所渧ery surprised害羞草研究所� and maybe a little upset害羞草研究所� about the current pandemic, 害羞草研究所渂ecause she can害羞草研究所檛 see her family.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 the hard part for her, that she doesn害羞草研究所檛 get to see anybody.害羞草研究所�

When Watson first joined the ranks of centenarian in 2015, she welcomed a PAN reporter into her home, sharing a snippet of her creative side and just a few of the countless memories and experiences she has had 害羞草研究所� from an early childhood in Saskatchewan, to seeing her first airplane, to meeting her husband while working at St. Paul害羞草研究所檚 Hospital in Vancouver, to travelling solo around the province and into the U.S. into her early nineties.

害羞草研究所淚 did everything,害羞草研究所� she said at the time.

害羞草研究所淪he wasn害羞草研究所檛 scared to go out and do things,害羞草研究所� her son said Monday.

The family marked Watson害羞草研究所檚 first 100 years by publishing a book of photos, and this year, made her a blanket to take the chill off. They害羞草研究所檙e looking forward to days when they can have a proper visit.

害羞草研究所淗opefully everything will be OK in six months or so and her family can get back in and see her.害羞草研究所�