Former Daramalan College teacher Jean Reid celebrated her upcoming 104th birthday with her usual tradition of getting her hair done by former student Emilio Cataldo at his salon in Canberra.
Mrs Reid travels from her now-home at Rosedale to make her appointment with Mr Cataldo in the Ainslie Place salon, her hair just so for her big party on Saturday at the Moruya RSL Hall.
She remembered teaching Mr Cataldo as an 11-year-old boy who always tried his best, despite having Italian as his first language.
"He was a very good pupil. Always very interested in the work," she said on Wednesday.
"I remember he was really shy. I had two other students in my class who were more outgoing and asked Emilio to take him under their wing."
Mr Cataldo, 65, said he was always honoured and inspired to see Mrs Reid and do her hair. He is so much part of her life that he also attended Mrs Reid's mother's 100th birthday in the 1980s.
"She was not just a teacher, but a formative teacher," he said.
"She had faith that I could be more, that I could do it."
Mr Cataldo not only coiffed Mrs Reid's hair on Wednesday, but presented her with a birthday cake - Italian tiramisu, of course - and the whole salon joined in in singing "Happy Birthday" for her birthday, on November 28.
"It doesn't take very much to enhance Mrs Reid. She has a natural beauty," the ever-charming Mr Cataldo said.
Mrs Reid and Mary Barton were the only female, and only lay, teachers at the then boys-only Daramalan College when it opened on February 1, 1962, the rest of teaching staff priests and brothers.
She was married to Jim, a former deputy headmaster at Campbell High and science master at Canberra High. The couple had six children - Elizabeth, Trisha, Michael, Mardhi, John and Joan. Elizabeth and Joan accompanied their mother to her hair appointment on Wednesday.
Mrs Reid, who moved to the coast in 1994, said simple things were the answer to a long life, including her afternoon glass of sav blanc.
"I think, just accept life as it comes," she said. "It helps having a good husband and lovely family. And lots of singing around the piano."
Mr Cataldo said the fact Mrs Reid still had a sharp, open mind and was always interested in the people around her made her inspirational.
"I take away something from all my clients. Some of them have a greater impact on me. From Mrs Reid, I learn what is really important in life," he said.
