WHEN you're 102, turning 103 very soon, another birthday isn't the most exciting affair.
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But when your 91-year-old sister is turning 92 on the same day, it's just that bit more special.
Phyl Bylund will turn 103 on Sunday, alongside her sister, Gwen Ptolemy, who is 11 years Phyl's junior.
"Phyllis was 11 the day I was born. Mum was in hospital with me and Phyllis didn't want to come up to the hospital because she didn't want to share her birthday cake," Ms Ptolemy said.
It's set to be a quiet celebration this year, with the pair planning on heading out for lunch.
The Leader spoke to the sisters at Bupa Aged Care, where Miss Bylund resides. Ms Ptolemy has come up from Shoal Bay for a week to visit her older sister.
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Miss Bylund has never married, and said the key to reaching such a huge milestone was to "behave yourself".
She didn't specify that avoiding men was another tip, but this could be another explanation.
"I worked amongst them for years and I think I saw enough of them," she laughed.
A global pandemic is something she's never experienced before, though.
"I've never been through something like this in my life, having to book in for church and everything," Miss Bylund said.
"Years ago we'd get an epidemic of the flu and it'd last for a fortnight and it'd be all over then but now, it's still here.
"There's been a few things here and there and then they had the Black Flu they called it."
She's disappointed the Tamworth Country Music Festival isn't on this year, either.
"It's a good thing for the area to have something like that annually," she said.
"I don't like all the music they play but most of it's good. Losing it this year is a shame."
Outside of the dramas of the world, Miss Bylund is looking forward to birthday cake.
She doesn't have a specific favourite type of cake, she just likes "anything, so long as it's cake".