Charlotte's Corner | Fall has finally arrived

I have always enjoyed September because it goes pretty fast and it is almost always hot.

People start out saying, “See, it is fall now,” at the first dip in the temperature, but oh, wait, it gets hot again, and we realize that summer is not quite ready to loose its grip on the hot weather.

I guess it has been cool enough, however, for the little turtles to start walking across the road. I have seen so many little terrapins crossing the roads lately. Please be careful as to not hit them but don’t have an accident avoiding them.

For those of you who say, “There is no free lunch,” the McDonald’s that just opened in Gentry proved that statement to be a lie. The day before they opened, they had a two-hour window where they gave free meals to many hungry people.

I spoke with one of the owners and told him that I could see that Gentry has now “arrived” since we have a McDonald’s. What will come next? Chuckie Cheese?

I want to wish a happy birthday to my niece Kristin Park, who turned 12. I also want to wish a happy birthday to Bill Weeks and Nadine King. Nadine and I worked together yearsago in the Decatur High School lunchroom, and what fun we had! Nadine is just the perfect person to do dishes with. We enjoyed the kids and the idle chatter, and Bill Weeks' wife, Betty, was there with us. Oh, for the good ol’ days.... Oh well, life must go on, and we are thrilled for those birthdays when we can remember the good ol’ days.

My daughter Haley got her first car this month.

I am thinking we were led by providence to get a nice Mercury Sable for her. And while there are a couple quirks, we hope this will be something that she can use for a long time for getting to work and school.

It is getting close to voting time. If you have not yet registered, please do so before the fifth of October.

I am seeing signs popping up all over Gentry and Decatur, like never before. Every time I go through Gentry, I think I see a new sign for someone running for City Clerk.

Must be a well-paid job for so many people to be wanting it.

Congratulations to James Needham and Christine McMullan, who were married this last weekend. Christine has been chasing that guy forabout four years now, so it is time they made it legal.

Ha.

If any of you are mad about recipe books, stop at the McKee Thrift Store, and get the new book that celebrates 50 years of McKee Foods. There are a lot of wonderful recipes, and there is a section for vegetarian foods. Now, you can always take a recipe that has meat in it and stop at Sleepy Hollow and buy some “fake meat” as I love to call it - I guess “meat substitute” is what they are called - and use it in the recipe. If you are an employee of McKee Foods, you get a company discount.

Sympathies go out to the Einhellig Family in the recent death of Johnny Einhellig. Johnny was in my brother Nels’ grade from second grade on up to about 11th grade. I guess Johnny and Tommy Lester were two of the finest baseball players when we were in the 5th and 6th grade. We always knew they would be famous baseball players, but that goes to show you what fifth graders know.

Have a wonderful October. Winterize the ol’ house, or at least start thinking of it, because October does have a few cool days in it. Oh, I don’t think it can get too cold for me.

I always like to say, “You can always put on more clothes, but you can only take off so many.”

Words to live by, huh?

Charlotte Robinson is a longtime resident of the Gentry and Decatur area.