“I feel good,” says 107-year-old Rogersville resident

Flora Thibodeau has lived to see two world wars, 16 Prime Ministers and, as of March 20, 107 birthdays.

Birthday cards and flower bouquets lined the window ledge and floor in her living room where she celebrated her birthday in much the same way she has for the past few years.

Thibodeau, who can slip between speaking French and English, said she had a lot of visitors on that day. Although she usually goes out for supper on her birthday, this year she was stuck at home because of a snow storm, which was the only change in her birthday plans.

"It's always the same thing," said the Rogerville resident.

The village marked her birthday with a congratulatory message on a sign next to the main road and the old-age club sent her a member card, she said.

Angela Bastarache is Thibodeau's home care aid who has worked with her for about a year and a half.

She is the first aid worker Thibodeau has had.

Bastarache said most of the work she does is just cooking and cleaning.

"I don't have to help her much."

She stays with Thibodeau for a few hours a day, five days a week, with someone else there for four hours on the weekend, she said.

Bastarache said it wasn't what she exepcted when she started because it is like being with someone who is younger.

"It's unbelievable because she's not laid up or anything."

And it's as if the two have known each other for a long time, she said.

"It's just like as if she was my grandmother."

Thibodeau said she has seen a lot of changes throughout her life like when she was younger there was no electricity, no phone and everything had to be done by hand.

"We had nothing to work in the house."

Born in Rogersville, Thibodeau said she has lived there most of her life.

As a young woman, she spent six months in Fredericton where she went to school to become certified to teach up to grade eight, she said.

But the religious schools she went to as a girl didn't teach in English and she had to go to an English school in Newcastle for a year before she could go to Fredericton.

"Here it's all French," she said in French.

Thibodeau said she taught in a one-room schoolhouse with about 30 students who learned basic subjects like reading and arithmetic.

She liked it at the time but wouldn't want to teach now, she said.

"It's much different from our time."

When she was married, Thibodeau spent four years in Dalhousie where her husband worked at a mill.

Her husband was an only child and the couple moved back to Rogersville when his mother died so he could take care of his father.

Thibodeau's husband died in 1941 when her youngest child was one and the oldest was 12.

The family took things one day at a time and although they were never rich they never went hungry because she worked hard to get by, she said.

"We made due with what we had."

Thibodeau had seven children. All but one of whom are still alive. She also has 17 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and three great-great-granchildren, but none of them live in the area.

"I have nobody in Rogersville," she said in French.

Up until a couple of years ago, Thibodeau still played the piano and although she would love to still be able to, because of her hands it is one thing she has had to give as she has aged.

"It's old hands."

Even though she is in good health, she said she doesn't leave the house much and watches a lot of TV to pass the time.

"I get a lot of visitors," she said in French.

Thibodeau said she never did anything special to stay healthy and thanks God for her continued health.

"I think I did everything everybody else does."

Thibodeau, who has lived in her current house for 30 years, said she has no plans to move.

"I'm going to die here."

The centenarian said we see things change every day but people can't change their lives.

"We have to go with it."

Bastarache said Thibodeau hasn't changed much in the time she has worked with her.

"She's about the same to me."

But Thibodeau said things can change fast in people's lives.

"It's not us who decides."