Never too late to earn a high school diploma

“Learning is an ornament in prosperity, a refuge in adversity and a provision in old age”

Ninety-nine-year-old Audrey Crabtree of Cedar bFalls, Waterloo in Iowa, US, may not have read Aristotle’s above quote but has surely proved what he had said. Audrey at 99 years of age received an honorary diploma for her time at Waterloo East High School recently.

“And I feel so much smarter,” she quipped after the ceremony. Audrey, who began her education at a one-room school house in north-east Iowa, left high school in 1932 due to a swimming and diving accident that forced her to miss several school days. She also had to care for her sick grandmother.

“I was a senior, but I was short a credit, so I would've had to go back the next fall,” she said.

That would have interfered with her plans to marry her first husband. In 1957, the couple bought the flower shop where she had worked after their two children started school. But her husband died of a heart attack two months into their business venture.

She operated “Flowers by Audrey” for 28 years. She married two more times and outlived both husbands. Her family today includes five grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Despite Audrey’s professional and family success, those around her had noted her dissatisfaction with not finishing school.

“She had voiced quite a while back the one regret she had in life was that she never had gotten her diploma,” said Shelley Hoffman, Crabtree's granddaughter.

Hoffman contacted Waterloo Community Schools and helped arrange the diploma ceremony.

Family and friends surrounded Crabtree as the current principal of East High handed her a diploma during an education board meeting.

“I wouldn't advise anyone to drop-out,” she said. “I just have to say in my life the Lord has been so good.”

Recalling her school days as a teenager, she said that her writing was ‘illegible’ and her spelling ‘original'.

Crabtree was given a copy of her last report card and memorabilia from her time at the high school, including a jacket and homecoming pins. She also received more than 100 handmade congratulatory cards from middle school students.

And the honorary diploma will be an ornament in prosperity,a refuge in adversity and a provision in old age for 99-year old sweet old lady Audrey Crabtree.

Little Polly and her giant pumpkin

“Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are”

Little Polly Hallewell was not singing the popular nursery rhyme for a star in the sky but for a pumpkin at the allotment where she has a plot in Tostock, Suffolk, UK.

Green-fingered 10-year-old Polly was surprised at the way the pumpkin grew larger and larger due to her singing.

The orange monster is 12kg (2st) heavier than she is at 44kg (7st) and also the biggest one at the allotments where she has a plot in Tostock, Suffolk. ‘I picked the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star because it is very easy to remember from my childhood and it’s simple,’ explained the pumpkin princess.

‘I was really surprised to see the size of the pumpkin, I can’t believe singing worked. I’m really proud of myself.

‘I really enjoy working in the allotments. I have a lot of hobbies but I always go to the allotment straight after school.’

Polly said her parents gave her the tip after hearing Prince Charles talked about it in the 1980s.

If Polly has a fairy godmother and some mice she too will be able to go to the grand ball in this giant pumpkin!

Believe it or not!

It is unbelievable!

Thousands of tourists flock to see these unbelievable attractions from all over the world.

They are found in one of London’s biggest attractions - Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Mansion in London.

One of Hollywood’s biggest heartthrobs - Brad Pitt has been recreated using cigarette ash. Brad is not alone in the gallery of greats. He joins Michael Jackson made of candy. The Beatles are made using chewing gum. And mind you, the best of these artworks is the portrait of the Duchess of Cambridge made entirely of pink lipstick kisses. The young artist who painted it using only her lips created the ultimate Royal tribute - with a portrait of the Duchess made by kissing the canvas thousands of times.

Natalie Irish of Houston, Texas, created the portrait by putting on lipstick before pressing her lips against a blank canvas. By varying the pressure of her kisses she was able to create an accomplished portrait of the duchess - with an uncanny likeness.

This is one of the main attractions at this mansion. However, Ripley's mansion contains so much more than just unusual artwork and is home to a mirror maze, a laser race and an array of weird and wonderful things. Their collection of real shrunken skulls will keep the children fascinated for hours, as will the life-sized knitted Ferrari, a two headed lamb, the original ‘Toot Sweets’ machine featured in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Peel 50 - one of the smallest road legal cars ever produced.

Ripley’s London is the largest of the 33 Ripley’s Believe It or Not! attractions around the world.

Fans of Brad Pitt can see his cigarette ash portrait at Ripley's Believe It Or Not