Barataria’s Edna

BARATARIA resident Edna Browne yesterday said she felt “wonderful” on the occassion of her 107th birthday which she celebrated with her family and friends at her home off the Eastern Main Road.

Born on May 24, 1899, Edna recalled she was the second child out of 15 children born to her parents. She lived in Venezuela for 15 years and at the ripe “young” age of 107, still recites Spanish fluently.

When asked what she remembered most about growing up, the spritely woman said she was fond of her childhood schooldays. Edna said her classmates teased her about her height saying rhymes such as “Edna Browne de river come down”.

According to Edna, though the barbs from her classmates hurt at the time, they are still a part of her fondest memories of her youth. A choir girl in her teenaged years at the St Joseph Anglican Church, she also enjoyed reading since her father bought her many books and kept her enraptured with his tales of folk heroes. James Browne, Edna’s father, was a time keeper in the Caroni district and she recalled him as being a very strict person who passed on his attitude to life including good manners to his children.

Asked what she did to stay in such good health Edna smiled broadly as she said the secret was to be contented with what you have. Edna said she still enjoys a hearty meal of chicken and chips as well as aniseed punch drinks.

“A little brandy now and then and you good to go,” she said. She also said staying close to the Almighty through prayers and faith, was also another surefire way of living long.

“The world today is not as it was in my time,” Edna said, quickly adding that she would not trade the experiences she has gotten over her long life, for anything else.