What a milestone! Elmer and Bernie Currie mark their 70th wedding anniversary today. It was 1941 when 21-year-old Elmer fell in love with 17-year-old Bernie. On Saturday they were surrounded by their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a host of friends who read like a Who's Who in local history. Ray and Betty Stone and Bob and Coke Hough were just a few of the longtime local luminaries at the soiree.

The anniversary celebration at the Lake City Senior Center was a joyful affair, Elmer and Bernie chauffeured to the event by their son, Rick in a 1941 Buick owned by John Robideaux.Not many couples are blessed with 70 years of togetherness. Elmer shared a few fun stories with me of their courtship, then asked me not to pass them along since he wants to make sure his marriage lasts another 70 years. Best wishes all around for many more years of wedded bliss.

***I love birthdays, and not just my own. One day out of the year we can unequivocally shout from the rooftops that it's great to be alive. We blow out candles, eat cake and ice cream without counting carbs, hear from family and friends near and far, indulge in goofing off or going out and if we're lucky, open a present or two.

Over a decade ago I started celebrating my birthday in this column with a few dozen other May birthday friends. Well, we've definitely grown by leaps and bounds, especially with those who share my birthdate. Join me in celebrating everyone who's marking a birthday this week in the merry month of May! Happy birthday today to Anne Hagman, Anthony Skarisky, Irene Deckon, Sharon Culbreth, Debra Altman, Bonnie McDowell, Ginger Gutler and Margie Adams. Tomorrow it's Mary Rawlsky, Lynette Moore Walsh (60!), Jason Penzkover, Jon Brewer, Wyatt Dickinson, Olivia Jacobson and Craig Ziegler who will be blowing out their birthday candles. Friday the 13th will be lucky for birthday celebrants Eric Keck, Kathy Hlebichuk, Charlie Morris, Steve Pollard, Tim Cushman and Judy Brooks. Sharing my May 14 birthday on Saturday are Williene Gagnon, Stephanie Davenport, Macy Ducoeur, Mark Hemenway, Rita Preston, Verla Packer, Randy McKahn, Jake Hobbs, Kathy White, Liz Ricciardi, Breanne Ruff, Kimberly Westrick, Kristie Messinger, Caren Easterly, Bill Ohlfs, Linda Green and Averie Barnes. On Sunday Chanse Watson turns 18! Diane Wahl is Monday's birthday girl and on Tuesday Skip Ryman, Brad Enders, Shawntel Shofner and Brad Finney are puttin' on their party hats!

***Cheers to local athletes making the Spokane Shock Arena Football stunt team: Adam Durflinger, Gavin Krieg, Matt Davies, Leslie Pulley, Angela Duke, William Dean and Katrina Kovacs!***

THERE'S MORE: New stories and photos almost every day at More Main Street. There's a link also for adding your birthday to the Main Street Birthday Club!***

Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. She was voted Best Local Writer for 2010 by the readers of the North Idaho Business Journal. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press. More Main Street blog is at http://moremainstreet.blogspot.com. Listen to Main Street Monday on KVNI AM1080. Kerri can be reached at mainstreet@cdapress.com