Some folks choose to start the new year by participating in a 5K such as TESH's Hangover Handicap or by pretending the water temperature of Lake Coeur d'Alene isn't 38 degrees when they take the Polar Bear Plunge. I admire them all but I choose to be bundled up on the Sanders Beach shore in front of Robert Cliff's bonfire today. :)

What could be better than to kick off 2014 by getting your ducks in a row? OK, they won't be lined up they'll be in the Kroc Center Cove Lazy River for the Post Falls Rotary Frozen Duck Race on Thursday. Only 700 numbered rubber duckies to be sold and there are prizes for 1st ($500 VISA gift card), 2nd, 3rd and last place.

This Main Street column has been appearing weekly since 1990, first in the Post Falls Tribune, then the Coeur d'Alene Press, the Spokesman Review and back to the Press. At the end of each year I would tally the number of people whose names appeared in the column, including birthday shout-outs. The last year of a tally was 2006 and there were 718 people in print in Main Street. Now birthdays alone top the 2,000 mark so no more tallies. But suffice it to say I genuinely appreciate the huge number of people who are doing the things it's an honor to shine the light upon here each week.

Gail McGaughey has surely set some kind of record after this holiday season, welcoming several new nutcrackers to her already expansive collection. The total is nearing 140. Since she leaves them displayed in her home until the end of January it occurred to me that a holiday interior decoration tour to benefit a local nonprofit a la the Annual Garden Tour would likely be a huge success. While I'm not one who pulls out all the stops to decorate inside at the holidays, I know many who do. I'd buy a ticket to go ooh and aah at lovely local interiors.

And yes, some of you may have seen actor Sean Astin around town right before Christmas. He was here to see his mother, Anna Pearce aka Patty Duke, in a performance of Traditions of Christmas at the Kroc Center.

Just a few of the friends we've lost in 2013 who will be missed ... tribal ledger artist George Flett, humanitarian Lidwina Dirne and just this past month, long-time police chief and county clerk Cliff Hayes. All leaving legacies of lives well-lived.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne

For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

Resolve to be a blessing in someone's life every day in 2014.

Happy New Years Day birthday wishes to Linda Cook, Jan Leaf, Shaun Williams, Shana Crimp, Cheryl Sheperd, Johanna Johnson, Katrina Boyer, Kathy Dingman and tomorrow to Nicole Barnes, Jerry Roth and Dion Unruh. On Friday Katie Soy, Jeff Block and Erika Umphenour celebrate. On Jan. 4 Idaho's First Lady Lori Otter shares a birthday with Darrell Whitesitt, Debbie Ferguson, Norman Tucker, Bert Storlie and Brandon Sutich. Wish a happy birthday on Sunday to Marty Hayes, Jamie Lynn Morgan, Sherri Patton, Phil Eager, Timothy Barrett, Dirk Darrow, Bobbi Doupe, Rick Gunther and Debbie Raeon. Putting on their party hats Monday are Gary Allen (GA), Colton Peugh, Kris Cederburg, Judi Caceres and Kellie McCracken. Starting the week with birthdays are Katie Marmon (40!) and Sydne Watson on Tuesday.

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 2013 by the readers of the North Idaho Business Journal. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email mainstreet@cdapress.com.