How to celebrate 100 years of life? This London, Ont., man chose chicken wings

What's the secret to a good life? According to London, Ont.'s Gordon Addison, who turned 100 on Valentine's Day, it's "wine, women and song" — with a side of chicken wings.

Decked out in a necktie covered in hearts, red suspenders and a baseball cap marking "100," Gordon celebrated his birthday surrounded by family Tuesday at a Mandarin restaurant — a birthday tradition dating back more than a decade.

"You got more [chicken] wings coming, don't you?" he said, requesting another round of his favourite food to add to his buffet of salad, roast beef, fruit and mashed potatoes.  

Gordon has lived through the Great Depression, Second World War and 100 Valentine's Days. He's built his own house and served in the military. This year to celebrate, he marked a century of life with his five children, their spouses, grandchildren — and a dose of laughter.

"We're all happy people today," he said. "It comes once in a lifetime, don't it? It feels very good. It's very good that I'm still alive."

It was a "big thing" when Gordon turned 90 and then 99, said his son, Bill Addison. But the milestones just keep coming.

Gordon sees 'the bright side of things' 

Bill views his dad as an optimist, someone who "sees the bright side of things" and is willing to try new things. That willingness led him to a winding career path working in many different jobs and industries. 

"I've had lots of work in my life," said Gordon, who's been a butcher, barber, cook, London Transit Commission bus driver and General Steel Wares worker. He's also worked as a telegraph boy, real estate agent, been in the military and delivered bread by bicycle.

Gordon grew up in east Hamilton, but moved to St. Marys after the Second World War. Eventually, he relocated to London to take on extra jobs. 

That's where he built a four-bedroom house himself that still stands nearby London's airport. It's solid, he said, but not without quirks.  

"They laugh at some of the things I did like the switches upside down, but they all went on and off. I paid the bills," he said. 

Today, Gordon uses a walker he calls his Cadillac, with a licence plate reading "Gordy A." But his son said he barely needs to use it. 

'Keep your muscles moving' 

"We know a lot of people in their 80s that don't look as healthy as he does," Bill said. 

Gordon's advice for keeping healthy is simple. "I didn't follow any," he said. "Just work hard, that's all. You keep your muscles moving. Don't sit in front of the TV unless it's a sexy movie."

He said he stopped smoking and drinking somewhere along the way, a decision he now calls a mistake.

"I just decided I didn't have any of the time and I don't need them."

For his granddaughter Justine Hardy, seeing her grandpa at 100 is "very exciting." 

"He's at his favourite restaurant eating his favourite food — chicken wings," she said. "And he looks great."

While he said he needed three things in life — wine, woman and song — he admits that's changed now. 

"I don't need anything more — having lots of friends [and] children." 

He does still have a love interest after all, but only one, he assured. The rest of his romantic life is private, he said.