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Vera celebrated her 100th birthday today at Emmet’s Restaurant in Palatine surrounded by family and friends. Vera’s favorite opera is Bizet’s Carmen, so she was treated to a “Viking Habanera.”  The entire restaurant sang a hearty “Happy Birthday.”  Vera blew out one candle.  My assumption is that longevity runs in the family, so they just use one candle per hundred years.

Vera’s son (probably, himself, in his 70s or 80s) asked if Carmen was set in Spain, how is it I was wearing a Viking outfit.  My answer?  “We got around” and complemented him on his critical thinking ability.  He looked to his left at Vera and said “my mother made sure I received an education.”

Although I didn’t know Vera personally (or anyone there for that matter) I couldn’t help but feel what a monumental event today was.

As the Italians say (some of whom have Viking blood, BTW) “Cent’anni!”, meaning, “One hundred years!”  One hundred years more to you blessed Vera.