The birthday cards were piling up on the dresser at Winifred McCulloch's home in Waipawa yesterday, and two of them gave away the fact this was a very special milestone.
Those were the ones from the Queen and Prime Minister John Key, wishing her many happy returns for her 100th birthday, celebrations for which began with morning tea with friends and family.
Still living independently and sharp as a tack, Mrs McCulloch credits her long life to her rural upbringing, a lifestyle she loved and still misses, having moved into town four years ago.
Born in Hastings, she and her family moved to the Argyll area when she was 3 years old, where her father started out looking after a farm for his brother before buying his own.
Winifred attended Argyll East School and recalls many cold mornings, travelling by horse to get to class, not always without incident.
"Sometimes we would take the gig. One day my brother, who was 13, was driving and the power people had left a kerosene tin on the side of the road, and the horse bolted.
"Another time we were going over the Mangatainoka bridge and the horse shied and took a piece out of the edge."
Chilblains were common.
"We had no rain gear like they do now, just soft coats that would be wet when we got to school, hung up there all day, and then we put them on wet and cold again to come home."
Although she did very well, and was encouraged by a teacher to carry on to high school after she had turned 13 and gained her proficiency, the farm called.
"I loved being on the farm and milking the cows."
When she was about 12 she started getting paid for helping out - the grand sum of two pounds, 12 shillings and sixpence a year.
Just before World War II broke out she got engaged to Ian McCulloch, known as "Scotty", who enlisted soon after and ended up spending four years away overseas.
Mrs McCulloch worked as a Land Girl until her husband returned and bought his father's farm in Norsewood, where the pair lived until about four years ago. They had three children, and now boast six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Sadly, after 70 years of marriage, Ian died not long after the move. Mrs McCulloch confesses to hankering for the farm still.
"I miss the animals and the space and being outside. It felt free."
It does not stop her from being busy though. She still has vegetable garden and so far this year has bottled an impressive 50-60 bottles of fruit.
Being active, drinking cream fresh from the cows, and eating fruit and vegetables grown on the property all laid the groundwork for her longevity, she said.
"We were always very well fed, we never starved. We had good times but we had very hard times as well."