WESTSIDE — January is always a long month. And with snow, ice and bad weather, it makes it even longer. I know it is really a time when we get into the winter weather, but don't think it is over yet. February and March are still big snow months, so don't get out that bikini yet.

January started with a lot of sadness when three people who were long time Decatur residents died the same weekend. Ervin Owens, who was raised inthis town; Rick Ryan, who I have known since I have been around Decatur and, hence, I assume he was a long time Decaturite; and Lefty Daharsh. They were all men who worked, lived and died in Decatur. Truly it was a sad weekend! Ervin is my mother-in-law's cousin and also Donna Stacy’s cousin. Their dads were brothers. And who doesn't know IKE Owens? Lefty worked with Peterson Industries for years. Rick Ryan certainly was known to people as the man with all the wooden pallets north of Decatur by the turn off to Crystal Lake. He was too young to go.

James Spykstra also died around that time, a bigger than life man, who had a large love for God and always attended church with us. His funeral was one of the nicest I have seen in years, and there was more laughing there than crying, I do believe. People stood and gave testimonies of how he influenced their lives, and from now on I will have to ask Sam Herod if he has been using Margaret's hair spray because of it. What a nice way to be remembered, with laughter instead of so many tears. The Bible does say to cry at a birth and laugh at a death. And while that is said to encourage us to be glad when a person no longer has to worry about sin, and at birth they have a lifetime of fighting sin, that is why we should cry. Certainly all these gentlemen may now rest and wait for God to judge them kindly.

Not meaning to have a sermon there, I shall go on. My children went back to college and are wishing they were home so they too could enjoy the snow. I think they would think twice about that, if they were out chasing a runaway goat, which got away from us during this big snow. Goats were made to cause stress, I do believe.

I spent time putting new calendars up and writing down weddings, birthdays and so forth on the calendars - If you don't have proper dates for these things, you will never remember them if you are anywhere past the fourth decade of your life. Or, that is what I have decided.

Congratulations to SRA (Senior Airman) Mel Amos, daughter of Donald and Lorrie, for being chosen Crew Chief of the year 2010. What a wonderful award! Mel is in the Air National Guard and attends Arkansas Tech at Russellville. She also just made the dean's list there, so must be very focused to do good at all her interests.

I failed also to mention last month that Delbert Wilkins had his 90th birthday. I saw his daughter Peggy in the store, and she told me thathe turned 90. I was thrilled. My dad and her dad used to work together. God promises us three-score plus 10, so when you get four score plus 10, you are doing really well.

It was fun reading those twenty questions that the paper sent to people to answer. Some people certainly should just have ignored that little bit of fun, if they had no better answer than "I don't know," or "I don't care." What is not to care about the best muppet alive? Do have a great month of February. Keep that de-icer and window scrapers handy because we will be needing them.

Charlotte Robinson is a long-time resident of Decatur and Gentry and writes this monthly column.

Opinion, Pages 7 on 02/02/2011