Gwen is Ninety

This is Gwen. She's my mother and she will be 90 on Wednesday.

She is the most incredible lady I know. She still lives at home in the house I grew up in (in WV - at least 3 hours from any of her children). She still drives - it's 13 miles (of curvy, hilly WV roads) to the nearest town - and she goes to town 2-3 times a week. She is very active at the Senior Center, walking on the tread mill, playing "set back," and generally socializing with friends. She still cleans (obsessively) and does yard work and cooks (for herself and for my uncle who lives across the road). Up until this summer, she also did all the yard trimming with a push mower. She decided that this summer, she just wasn't going to do that any longer. She has had a hip replacement, but it really has not slowed her down any... She refuses to "dress like an old lady" - she is always very modern.

And she is still the boss. She is in charge of her own life and thinks she is still in charge of her kids as well (woe is the one who tries to tell her she's not!). We wanted to have a birthday event for her, but she said definitely "not," so I guess we will save that party for the 100th.

She makes me proud and I love her...