Living to be 108 is really pushing it but with my maternal grandfather, if there was anyone who could’ve succeeded on this accomplishment, I would’ve gone with him as the smart money. Listening to the advice of his doctor(s) was the key. Alas, he wasn’t big on seeking medical advice like many from his generation; the doctor usually meant bad news and it wasn’t cheap.
So why do I think Grandpa was capable of joining the centenarian club? He loved to eat whole wheat bread, also that icky cereal Grape Nuts, he frequently walked, I never saw him eat out of boredom and the guy devoured magazines like Popular Science. Now he ate beef but this was difficult due to his dentures. Grandpa enjoyed cheap red wine (a hidden jug of something winos loved) or even cheaper beer; one time I brought home a sixer of Miller High Life and when I gave him a bottle, he reacted as if I purchased a crate of Dom Perignon.
I wish Grandpa were around and in control of his faculties. I’m sure he would’ve enjoyed seeing Austin today, getting a tour from me and given me the thumbs up with Somara; he did like my ex-girlfriend Carrie unlike the rest of my family.