When Helen Watson香蕉视频直播檚 birthday rolled around last Saturday (Nov. 21), she couldn香蕉视频直播檛 party like she was 100 香蕉视频直播� as she did five years ago, when she actually turned 100 香蕉视频直播� but the South Surrey senior wasn香蕉视频直播檛 complaining.

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香蕉视频直播淚t was very nice, everybody was so good to me,香蕉视频直播� Watson told Peace Arch News Monday (Nov. 23) of her 105th birthday celebration.

香蕉视频直播淚t was just fine the way it was.香蕉视频直播�

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 香蕉视频直播� after restrictions were ramped-up due to the ongoing surge in cases 香蕉视频直播� the visits were halted altogether, in the name of safety.

香蕉视频直播淣obody香蕉视频直播檚 allowed in right now, and that香蕉视频直播檚 OK with us,香蕉视频直播� Watson香蕉视频直播檚 son, Larry, said last week. 香蕉视频直播淚 understand that they香蕉视频直播檙e very strict there. I香蕉视频直播檓 glad they香蕉视频直播檙e doing that because it香蕉视频直播檚 for the safety of everyone there.香蕉视频直播�

Larry said he and his wife had shifted how they visit some time ago, to standing at a safe distance outside his mom香蕉视频直播檚 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 香蕉视频直播渋t seems like a better visit.香蕉视频直播�

The 79-year-old said it香蕉视频直播檚 difficult to sum his mother香蕉视频直播檚 life up in just a few lines. Words that describe her have long included artist, independent and feisty.

Now, the description also includes 香蕉视频直播榮urvivor of two global pandemics,香蕉视频直播� as Watson was three years old when the Spanish Flu struck in 1918.

香蕉视频直播淗er parents were affected by it, her father, he went deaf from it,香蕉视频直播� Larry said.

Larry said his mom is 香蕉视频直播渧ery surprised香蕉视频直播� and maybe a little upset香蕉视频直播� about the current pandemic, 香蕉视频直播渂ecause she can香蕉视频直播檛 see her family.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 the hard part for her, that she doesn香蕉视频直播檛 get to see anybody.香蕉视频直播�

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 香蕉视频直播� from an early childhood in Saskatchewan, to seeing her first airplane, to meeting her husband while working at St. Paul香蕉视频直播檚 Hospital in Vancouver, to travelling solo around the province and into the U.S. into her early nineties.

香蕉视频直播淚 did everything,香蕉视频直播� she said at the time.

香蕉视频直播淪he wasn香蕉视频直播檛 scared to go out and do things,香蕉视频直播� her son said Monday.

The family marked Watson香蕉视频直播檚 first 100 years by publishing a book of photos, and this year, made her a blanket to take the chill off. They香蕉视频直播檙e looking forward to days when they can have a proper visit.

香蕉视频直播淗opefully everything will be OK in six months or so and her family can get back in and see her.香蕉视频直播�