CHARLOTTE'S CORNER Winter has been challenging

Can one believe it’s time for spring already? I would guess that, after all the wonderful winter weather we had, we are probably just begging spring to raise its pretty little head.

It has been a rather interesting winter and, with the snow we had, I have found new reasons to be thankful. I actually got stuck in my yard in the “Big” snow. I was trying to go to work, but my car just would not move. I got out the old scoop shovel and I scooped out as much snow as I possibly could, moving snow to make a nice packeddown effect drive. I got out of the snow and then got stuck again. My hero, Zack Lambert, came by and tried to get me out of my driveway,but his vehicle just could not get traction. He and his dad, Kenny Lambert, came by and pushed me out of my yard ... I sure did appreciate their kindness.

Donna Stacy told me that after being "holed' up in her home about two weeks, (one snow just followed another, you know), she was blessed by a wonderful young man, Dane Addington, who came and offered to plow her driveway. She said he also did their neighbor Arch's driveway, and she thought it was just a wonderful thing he did.

February has been a great month for birthdays, as my nephew and daughter, Simon Taylor and Haley Robinson, have turned 18. They have birthdays about 12 days apartand have been "twins" since their birth. It is cool that they are now young adults and still are quite close.

A few others who had birthdays in February were Sharna Roby, Lanette Bieber, along with her daughter Katrina, Ed Gee, Douglas Ellis and Carol Ellis, and also Erica Ellis - Erica is one day younger than Haley - Julie Karkula, Candi Brown, Travis Pendergrass, Gary Affolter, Mark Decker, Brooke Jewell, Delores Adams and Joyce Shedell. Congratulations to them all.

My daughter Jessica came home for the alumni weekend at Ozark Academy. It is always good to see the wandering college students and this time was no exception.Benton did not come up. He had responsibilities to a church in Texas. He said he would have to keep his word to help at some program there.

Benton ran for student association president and won. This will be his secondtime as a student association president since he was one at OAA for a year.

So, Walmart is coming to Gentry! What is this world coming to? How wonderful to know that there will be a store down the street to go and grab things when one gets off work at 11 p.m. I hope that it is a positive thing and that it helps to make Gentry grow in wonderful ways.

Do enjoy the month of March. I think our winter is not yet over, so don't get out the shorts quite yet. I know that sometimes we have really cold days in April too, so I would suggest that we kind of keep the coats handy in the closet until we absolutely don't need them. Have a wonderful month, and don't forget to visit your local library, when you get a chance.

Charlotte Robinson is a long-time resident of the Gentry-Decatur area and writes a monthly column for the Westside Eagle Observer.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 03/02/2011