Marian Vandenberg from the Three Mile area has been selling Avon for 40 years.

During 33 of those years, the 78-year-old has been recognized for selling more than $10,000 worth of Avon. She was elected to the President's Club for doing so and received the Mrs. Albee Award for each of those years.

Marian still enjoys power walking, picking huckleberries and shoveling snow.

Her children are Janet Preston from the Three Mile area, Lori Preston-Barlow of Moses Lake, Wash., and Richard Preston of Miami.

Three couples married for a combined 155 years recently celebrated the milestone.

Donald and Erma Peterson of Naples, who have been married 51 years, were joined by Duane and Alice Peterson, and Willard and Jean Peterson Peihl, all of Sandpoint. Both couples have been married 52 years

A dinner hosted by the Petersons' son, Shane, and his wife, Janet, of Olympia, Wash., was held at Ivano's Ristorante in Sandpoint.

Also present were the Petersons' son, Scott and his wife, Kris, of Naples and Erma's sister, Ginger, and Joe Fulop of Creston, British Columbia, Canada.

The Genealogical Society of Boundary County recently opened its eighth season with music from the Old Time Fiddlers. Doris Howard led fiddlers Eleanor Erickson, Earl Stephens and Sonja McCalmant; pianist Janet Sapp; and guitarists Jim McCalmant and Barry Coleman.

Tunes played included Ozark Moon, Redwing, Huckleberry Rag, My Little Girl, The Jenny Lind, Sleeping Giant, Rubber Dollie and the Twilight Waltz.

Soloists Barry Coleman and Doris performed old-time favorites.

When the group played the Blue Skirt Waltz, it evoked a pleasant memory for LaVeeda Linnemeyer. Linnemeyer recalled hearing the song in 1938 when she and her sister would attend dances in the county.

Her sister would occasionally wear a blue dress to a dance and would be serenaded with the song by friends.

Drawing winners for the Winter Sale-A-Bration at Quality Farm & Garden Center were Mavis Baker, Fred Foese, Raven Heuser, Mary Matthews and Roger Myers. Catherine Del Salle guessed 521 dog cookies in the jar; there were 525. Mike Karnes guessed 357 screws in a jar; there were 390.

Emily Eberle is home for the Christmas holiday. A 2005 graduate of Bonners Ferry High School and the 2004 Boundary County Junior Miss, Emily is a junior Chinese studies major at Dartmouth College. Dartmouth is an Ivy League university in Hanover, N.H.

She is the daughter of Loi Eberle and Bob Bissett, both of Bonners Ferry.

Emily's brother, Will Eberle, is also home for the first time in six years. Will lives in Vermont, where he is a carpenter and works on luxury custom homes.

Spreading the Word is about the people of Boundary County. If you've gone on a vacation, have a wedding planned, are moving or anything else you'd like to share, call Gwen Albers at 267-5521 or send an e-mail to galbers@cdapress.com