Many people want to live to be 100 years old. But to live to be 102, and have a song in your heart, that is an achievement on a whole other scale.

Louise “Grandma” Kanold celebrated her 102nd birthday last Tuesday, April 18. The celebration was complete with a birthday cake with whipped cream frosting, attendance by grandchildren and a sing-along with friend and neighbor, Brad Blakemore. Louise lives with her daughter and son-in-law, Carol and Harold Black, of Hickory Creek Estates.

Blakemore took his guitar to the party and he and Kanold sang along to “Crazy,” “Grandma’s favorite song,” said her daughter. Another of her favorites they sang was “Amazing Grace.”

When she isn’t celebrating another birthday, the petite and pretty Grandma spends her time productively. Daughter Carol says she rises about 8:30 each day and goes to bed around 9 p.m. Other than when she’s eating or exercising, she is crocheting. Near her chair rests a bucket of yarn and by that lies a stack of the creations crafted by her 100-year-old hands. There are purses, hats, potholders, scarves and covered coat hangers.

Asked if crocheting is her favorite thing to do, Mrs. Kanold answers, “Yes.” Then with a laugh, “It’s sort of the only thing I can do.” Her mother taught her to crochet. “And she loves to give it away,” said her daughter. “If you can use them,” she said. “You can sure make a lot of nice things with crocheting. I’ve made so many fancy doilies, afghans…” She even made about a five-foot tall picture of Jesus holding baby lambs. “You don’t make that in a day,” she said.

Carol said that during the time her mother has lived with her, she has only bought her two skeins of yarn. Otherwise, friends from church, neighbors and most recently, “the mail lady” keep her supplied with buckets of yarn. But the coat hangers are a little harder for them to get to recycle.

Grandma moved in with her daughter and son-in-law a decade ago. Among the decorations in her room is a diamond-shaped award she received from the Costa Mesa, California Seniors Citizens Center for Volunteer of the Year. She and her late husband were entertainers, part of the Funtastiks dance group who entertained at seniors centers and nursing homes for about three decades. A photo collage bears witness to their antics and costumes and the evolution of the young woman into the lady of today.

Part of their routine included chicken puppets, which prompts Grandma to break out in song. “We had some chickens…” she begins singing wryly and continues on through the verse. During the interview she serenades with more of her favorite songs, still holding the melodies and recalling the words.

They got the key to the city of Costa Mesa on their 50th wedding anniversary for being the best volunteers,” Carol recalled after her mother finished her song. “They were pretty famous back in their glory days.”

Carol said they lived in Costa Mesa “forever.” However, Grandma was born in Baltimore, Maryland. They moved to the California city when Carol was five and Grandma lived there until she was 92. She and her husband were married 63 years.

“Everybody was going to take care of Grandma, but she has outlived everybody for 20 years now,” said her daughter chuckling.

One has to wonder if that could be attributed to Grandma living each day to the fullest. Asked how many hours she spends each day crocheting, she answers, “All day.” Her daughter sees that she spends about 20 minutes each day walking to keep her muscles in shape. “And she hits every candy dish around as she walks,” she said as Grandma grins. With 102 years of living, she has not only gotten older, but has also gotten wiser.