Age is a state of mind for leap year babies
At 88 years old, Dorothy Crater sees the value of having a birthday that only comes along every four years.
Which is, of course, absurd — wishful thinking of the leap year variety.
Crater has lasted 88 years on this earth, 57 1/2 of which were spent happily married to a local carpenter. The State College resident has two children, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
None of this time is subject to forfeit just because she has only celebrated 22 of her “actual” birthdays. Crater wouldn’t give it up even if she could.
You just get used to it. I got teased a little about it.
Dorothy Crater
Growing up, her leap year birth was a source of humor for her friends — because jokes that require math are always the funniest.
“You just get used to it. I got teased a little about it,” Crater said.
There were also some logistical angles to work around, particular during non-leap years.
When she was younger, Crater used to celebrate her birthday as soon as possible and if that meant lighting the candles and cutting the cake on Feb. 28, then that’s what she did.
Now she’s content to let the occasion pass well into March whenever possible. Crater had no such luck this year.
On Monday evening, the birthday girl’s children and grandchildren took her out to dinner at Olive Garden to celebrate.
It’s different. I’ve been getting texts from people all day long.
Harold Peterson
Whether it’s been 88 years or only 22, Crater seems grateful for each and every one of them.
“It’s been a wonderful life,” Crater said.
One of the advantages to having a leap year birthday is that it’s the sort of thing that people tend to remember.
“It’s different. I’ve been getting texts from people all day long,” Harold Peterson said.
Peterson, of Philipsburg, turned 72 years old on Monday — or 18 years old, if you want to get cute.
He remembers growing up with a leap year birthday as being something of a rarity, a conversation piece, if you will.
“People didn’t let me forget it,” Peterson said.
He had a fairly low-key celebration on Monday, driving to Muncy on an errand and then returning home to read the newspaper. Peterson said that he will probably go out to dinner with his family at some point in the next few days.
After all, it’s not every year that a senior citizen takes that first, awkward step into adulthood.
“I’m sort of proud of being born on a leap year,” Peterson said.
Frank Ready: 814-231-4620, @fjready
This story was originally published February 29, 2016 at 5:52 PM with the headline "Age is a state of mind for leap year babies."