The title was ironically played upon for the 1990s sitcom, 'Waiting For God', which followed the eventful lives of two spirited inhabitants of a retirement home.

The Irish playwright's words certainly don't apply to life at Lasswade's Drummond Grange care home either, where tai chi enthusiast, Christina Vair, who celebrated her 102nd birthday on Monday May 5, continues to enjoy a life so active it would put most teenagers to shame.

Skydive

Christina puts her longevity down to keeping active all her life — she does tai chi twice a fortnight, completes a piece of crochet work every couple of days, is active in the gardening club and attends art and craft classes.

She also walks around the grounds daily — sometimes twice.

She has even declared her willingness to skydive out of a plane — if activities manager, Paul Wilson agrees to accompany her!

He said: "She says she'll jump out a plane if I do it too, but I told her I'm far too scared for that. The thing is she's serious.

"She's a wonderful woman who is very aware and mobile for her age."

He added: "She's such a nice lady who never complains and always asks how everybody else is."

Pear Tree

Born in Dalgety Avenue, Meadowbank, Christina moved to Duddingston Village and attended Portobello Higher Grade School.

Her father died soon after she was born and her mother went on to remarry.

She speaks fondly of her early days in Duddingston Village, playing with her sisters, Barbara and Margaret, outside the Sheep's Heid pub, where she was friendly with the owner's daughter.

"I was very good with the skipping rope, except for when it was wet outside and it got so slippery," said Christina.

"I remember a great pear tree near where I lived, and one day I got all excited and started climbing up. But I then realised I couldn't get back down and some friends had to rescue me."


Husband

She left school at the age of 16 and became a clerical assistant for Andrew Whyte and Sons, a paper and stationery business.

In 1934 she married car salesman, James Vair.

A few years later she gave birth to Kathryn, the couple's only daughter.

During the Second World War Christina worked in the capital offices of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institute in George Street.

After the war, her husband was demobbed and she returned to her previous job, eventually being promoted to head clerk.

When asked for the secret of her longevity, Christina said: "I had a wonderful husband. We got on so well together, life was so smooth.

"Of course we had our arguments, but we just fitted so well."

Christina has outlived both her siblings, her husband and her daughter Kathryn.

Said Paul: "She just loves life!"