A belated “Happy Birthday” to Ruth Lucas, a friend in Kaaawa who had her 90th a few days ago. Family and friends gathered yesterday at St. John’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Kahaluu to celebrate the occasion.

Ruth is a retired English instructor at Kapiolani Community College, a winner of the campus Excellence in Teaching Award in 1985, who once also worked at the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

She now shares her Kaaawa oceanside property with her son, Nahoa, and his family. Their dogs happen to be regulars we stop to see every morning on our walk. And she also walks at dawn, usually getting out even earlier than we do.

We asked her for advice on getting to 90.

“Do lots of walking,” she said, then added with a smile in her voice: “Do lots of drinking. Keep moving!”