Carterton resident Dorrie Bollard is celebrating her 100th birthday with a glass of very special navy rum.
Mrs Bollard says she is not surprised she has made it to her grand old age, as she has been physically active all her life.
And that's the secret, she says.
"I've been into sports all my life, basketball or what you call netball today, and yachting.
"Keep active," she said.
The bright blue-eyed woman celebrated the momentous occasion yesterday with a glass of specially made navy rum and cake at Carter Court Rest Home.
Jim Green, Carter Court's recreation officer, said he got a friend to make her a bottle especially for her birthday.
"I said to Dorrie a while ago, what are you going to drink on your birthday? She said 'I'd like a nice navy rum'."
Navy rum is a traditional dark, full-bodied style of rum associated with Britain's Royal Navy.
"It's quite hard to make," said Mr Green.
Keeping the mind active was also a key to longevity, Mrs Bollard said.
Faye Leveridge, diversional therapist at the rest home says Mrs Bollard does a lot of crosswords and quizzes.
"She's very, very bright, an absolutely amazing speller."
Mrs Bollard is "Wellington born and bred" and moved into Carter Court in 2010.
She was a secretary for a private insurance firm in Wellington until she married her husband Jim, now deceased.
"You had to leave if you got married. It was Depression days, there was a line of people waiting for a job."
Mrs Bollard has experienced some of the world's most defining moments, such as World War II.
"I'd like to forget that time, it was tough."
She raised her son Jim during the war while her husband, previously a builder, went away to war in the navy.
"He was 3 when my husband went away and 9 when he came back." Mrs Bollard remembers the time before televisions well.
"We used to huddle around the wireless [radio] before television came. Sometimes you got static and couldn't hear a thing," she said.
She also fondly remembers driving.
"My first car was a Buick 8, painted yellow."
Emergency services were alerted to the fire at Anawhata Beach, near Piha, about 5.30pm.