A hardy centenarian has reached the incredible age of 102 — despite drinking and smoking.
Maysie Strang smoked 20 cigarettes a day for 75 years, but quit in her mid-90s during a stint in hospital.
But when she got home, she moved onto the Chardonnay.
And despite her questionable habbits, the centenarian from Glasgow isn’t on any medication.
Son Sandy, 65, said: “The house was a fug of smoke. She was a secretary and was always smoking at her typewriter.
“It’s absurd thinking that some people who smoke for a while get all these health problems. It is the ultimate paradox.
“She used to smoke 20 a day right from the age of 16 or 17, right up to when she broke her femur and had to spend five weeks in hospital.
“When she came out she moved immediately onto the Chardonnay.”
Maysie enjoys a glass of wine every evening before she goes to bed.
Sandy said: “She takes it as a wee indulgence. It is not heavy drinking, it is the reward for the end of the day and she looks forward to it.”
But Maysie’s smoking habits didn’t sit well with her super healthy husband Alex.
Sandy said: “He was a PE instructor and smoking was an anathema to him.”
Alex died at the age of 65.
Despite decades of smoking, Maysie doesn’t have any medical problems.
“She doesn’t take any pills which is absurd. She’s on no medication at all.
“There’s not many people at 102 that can say that. That’s as healthy as you can get at that age.
“She looks a lot less than 102. On a good day she can pass for her late 70s, early 80s.”
Maysie was born two weeks after the First World War began and often quips, “I thought I started it”.
She worked as an editor’s secretary at the Daily Express in Glasgow for over ten years, where she developed her love for bananas.
Sandy said: “She’s mad on bananas. When she was working at the newspaper she was often eating lunch on the hoof, so she used to have a banana.
“She is a fanatical banana eater, she still eats a couple a day.”
She then became a secretary at Mellick’s legal firm and later worked at the Southern General hospital.
Maysie was forced to retire from the hospital as bosses didn’t realise that she was in her 70s.
She always loved working at the Daily Express the most.
Sandy said: “She loved the cut and thrust of it all was quite a romantic place to be.”
Maysie moved to Glenlivet Gardens care home seven years ago where staff love to chat to her.
Sandy said: “The staff have been fantastic. I think they quite enjoy her as she’s quite spirited. There’s quite a lot of people repartee sometimes.
“She the only centenarian there.”
