Henry Lawrence Lansdell is on Cloud 9 this morning. You see this Roman turned 99 today — on 9-9-9.

Today marks the continuing numerical anomaly where for the first 12 years of the century, we’ll have a date where the day, month and year are all the same number. It started on Jan. 1, 2001, and will continue through Dec. 12, 2012.

July 7, 2007, was particularly popular with brides because of seven’s reputation as a lucky number.

In number theory and some cultures, nine is considered a fortunate number too.

Lansdell thinks so as he edges closer to the century milestone.

“I think it’s great,” he said of celebrating his 99th on this day of nines. “We never know how many years we get to mark.”

Lansdell graduated from Darlington School in 1929. He married Mary Elizabeth Mahan and they had two sons, Richard and Thomas Lansdell. He and his wife were married for 51 years before she passed. He retired from State Mutual Insurance in 1975 and was once an avid golfer.

Lansdell said he thinks

the key to longevity is “attitude and a good doctor.” He plans to celebrate his birthday with family and friends.

Others are using this day of nines for marketing. The stylish ani-

mated movie “9” starring Elijah Wood opens today. (There’s another movie “Nine,” starring Daniel Day-Lewis, coming out later this year.)

The number nine has figured prominently in Beatles songs. A voice repeats “Number 9” over and over and over again in “Revolution 9” and John Lennon had “No. 9 Dream.” So it’s no surprise that today is the day digitally remastered versions of all the Beatles studio albums will be released and highly anticipated “The Beatles: Rock Band” video game also hits the stores.

Apple, too, promises big news today as well.

Speculation is that it will be iPod and possibly iTunes related.

Of course, the most notable numerical moment of the day will occur this morning at 9:09 a.m. It will be the ninth minute of the ninth hour of the ninth month of the ninth year of the century.

But the 99-year-old Lansdell will tell you every moment, every day and every year is to be treasured.

“Every single one is a precious,” he said.