SUSAN SAYS

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

| Here we go again, another new month. And aren’t we excited that it’s September, because it should cool down a little!

I have plenty of times worn shorts in October and been extremely comfortable. The weather can still be warm, or downright hot, but I think September will finally give us the rain we need, plus some cooler weather.

Congratulations to Elizabeth Hardy and Justin Deady on the birth of their new little baby, Kailyn Elizabeth.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell Grandma and Grandpa Tom and Ruth Hardy congratulations in becoming first-time grandparents. What a beautiful baby Kailyn is! She came to visit us at the post office - Grandma used to work there - and we were thrilled for their blessing.

Haley and I got to visit my brother Nels and his little family, Deb and daughter Lindsey, this last week. They live in Jane, Mo., and we enjoyed seeing how Lindsey is growing. She is now two - and I must add, a bright two.

A birthday greeting needs to be sent to Jake Janzen of Gravette, who celebrated his 90th birthday. His spry bride was telling me how he doesn’t like a fuss being made over him just because he turned 90. But since so few of us have that blessing, I thought we should make a little fuss.

Happy birthday to Rachel Robinson, who turned 23 this month - and as I writethis, I realize that I need to send her a card. My nephew Andy Swanson turned 25, and a belated birthday to Mike Coones, who turned 49 again. I thought 39 was redundant, so I am guessing he won’t mind 49.

I also want to mention my cousin Robin and her husband David Sagel. They celebrated their 25th anniversary. Shoot, it just seems like they were getting married, but I guess time flies when you are having fun.

Last week, I went to Sam’s Club to shop and realized that their pop was on sale - or so it appeared to me - because it was $4.98 for a 24-pack. I got a few packs to share with my friends at the Post Office, but when I checked out there were these extra “fees” on the receipt. The lady said that the State of Arkansas is now charging for us to buy pop.

Now, I don’t know if this is only at “club” stores, or at local discount stores as well, but for every 24-pack I bought, they charged me an extra 47 cents. That was not sales tax, but a separate tax to remind us simpletons that we could get obese by buying sugary drinks, or something like that.

Now, believe me, I am not happy about this. Don’t I live in a free country? Can’t I get obese if I like? I should have that right.

Are they going to start charging a tax on products that have lard in them?

After all, lard comes from a dead pig, a scavenger, and certainly that is not good for me to eat.

And what do they do with this money? Pay medical bills for people who have obese-related diseases?

It certainly seems like they are overstepping their bounds here. And just because they charge us a tax, will that make us automatically thinner? Well, they could do two things: Put in less sugar. Or, hey, instead of charging us a tax on something that is “bad” for us, why not try selling drinks that are good for us at a cheaper price? I certainly would drink apple juice or orange juice if it were as cheap as pop is. And I noticed they had water there - for 67 cents each - and why not charge us 27 cents for that? It would make more sense than charging us a fee just because they can.

I hope you enjoyed Labor Day and will enjoy Halloween next month. Ooh, another thing that is bad for us! Watch out, or you may be buying candy and get charged extra taxes just because there is a good amount of sugar in those candy bars that are passed out at Halloween time.

Donna Stacy was proud that two of her grandsons have started college. Travis is off to college in Russellville.

Lucas, who got a full scholarship to a college in New Orleans, went south.

Also, when driving on McKee Drive in Gentry, make sure to come to a full stop at the east side of the road, toward the railroad tracks. Apparently, people have been complaining that people are not making full stops - where your tires stop rolling on the pavement - so the police have taken it upon themselves to train us to stop. So, unless you want to make a donation to the coffers of the Gentry Police Department, please remember to stop at the stop sign.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 09/08/2010