The number of centenarians in England and Wales has doubled in two decades. Terry Tovey, who was still a swimming coach at 88, reflects on how life has changedturned 102 in December, but living to such an old age means more to other people than it does to me. The way I see it, this year is just a continuation of what I did the year before. I’m still here and the years are piling up behind me.
I’m
told more and more people are turning 100 these days and that’s got to
be a good thing. It means people are healthier than they were 50 or a
100 years ago. Who wants to die early?
I don’t quite know why
I’ve lasted so long, but my main motto in life is to do everything in
moderation. I’ve never been a big smoker or a drinker. I was always slim
and athletic too.
I
get up about eight o’clock and do my morning exercises — I’ve done them
ever since I was in the army. Once you get into a routine it’s easy. I
sit on the corner of the bed and stretch my knees up to my chest and
then use some small hand weights. The way I see it with your body is you
either use it or you lose it.
I’ve
had Shredded Wheat for breakfast for as long as I can remember. We’re
creatures of habit, aren’t we? In the daytime I read books, often about
the war, or I’ll go out and do some gardening. My children live locally
and one of them will usually come round for a cup of tea and put some
dinner on for me. I don’t know what I’d do without them really.
The
worst thing about getting older is the loneliness. I’ve outlived all my
friends but I had drifted away from most of my contemporaries anyway. I
try not to think too much about it. I’ve been more family-orientated
really, I’ve got six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. They
call me “Pops”. I can’t remember all of their names, but luckily I’ve
got my children to remind me.
Before the war
I was born on December 6, 1921, on College Street in central Bristol. We moved out to a cul-de-sac in the suburbs in 1926. We were happy there, all the neighbours knew each other and it was surrounded by fields. I felt like I had the whole country to play in.
