This is Arkansas epitomized - cold weather, and then summer. Spring is sort of lost in between a couple of weeks there.

The heat is almost too much for this lady. I remember thinking how I loved summer, but now I still think winter is better. I can always put on more clothes, and in the summer I can only take off so much without getting arrested.

May was a fun month but a long one, with temperature changes and graduations, weddings and the like.

I always viewed my graduation, now about 31 years ago - bless my soul - to be as important as my wedding or the birth of my children. It was truly a high spot in my life. I had accomplished something as important as a doctorate becauseI had put in 13 years of study, not just eight years of college. I think those who finish kindergarten through high school level should be proud of their achievements.

My niece Kimberli Park graduated with her eighth-grade class at Ozark, and we are proud of her. Candy Brown walked down the aisle for her 12th-grade graduation and our nephew Dylan Robinson, in Missouri, also graduated from the 12th grade.

Lucas Stacy, grandson of Donna Stacy and son of Jim and Elaine Stacy, graduated from Siloam Springs with a full scholarship to Tulane University in New Orleans- $60,000 dollars. We are proud of you, but I hope the humidity down south doesn't fry your brain.

On a sadder note, we must say good-bye to some loved ones. We are sorry for the Cloud family losing Marvin, the Willet Family losing their daughter and sister, wife and mother. Tamara will most certainly be missed. Also from Gentry, Gladys Taylor lost her battle with cancer, and she was such a dear lady. I often saw her when I was cleaning the post office in Decatur.She was so friendly once she realized who I was. Years ago, I had went to her place because a friend of mine had a crush on her handsome son, a little tag-a-long, so to speak. My cousin Denise Whitcomb lost her father Bob last week. He was my favorite uncle.

Happy Birthday to some special people this month. My mother in law, Ruth Robinson, turned 77 last week, and she spent her birthday weekend in the hospital. She is doing better now, so we are glad for that. My niece, Harmony Swanson, also turned 18, which is a wonderful age to be - or so they think when they are that age - and my friend Monico Macias turned 39 again, or was it 49?

This probably will be in the paper a little later than expected as I got so busy over the holiday weekend, that I didn't get it to the editor in time for the first week of publishing.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 06/16/2010