OCR Text |
Show A6 Wednesday, August 13. 2008 Vernal Express D 1 VD?W xpress BERTHA BUTTERBEAN How to get out of school shopping -O-P-HSH-0-N- "We're working on the logistical details for the Clintons' convention appearances." Web opinion poll Each week the Vernal Express offers an online poll to its readers. To participate in the poll, visit www.vernal.com and click on the opinion link. Polls are not scientific and represent the opinions of voluntary Internet users. New polls are posted weekly and printed results represent voting as of Tuesday morning. If you have an idea for an opinion poll, e-mail it to editorvernal.com. Results for this week Should Uintah County incur the cost of conversion and purchase of natural gas vehicles for its fleet? a) Yes 50 b) No 50 Yes This poll question will continue for one more week. GfL ft v J '? AOOKiVQ, CHICK. j L. 1111 I i . - V II- J i: :.V" fa , .Mi , . ( IT'S NO FUN GETTING OLD. OR IS IT? BY jfcvw A$1$Y Express Publisher The hands are getting gnarled and and hard to move. Standing up takes more than just effort. It is always done with a little moaning and groaning. And then, when she does stand, she takes a minute to look down and get her balance before she moves. And the moving is described more as a shuttle rather than a walk. But her eyes. Even though the bodv is wearing down, her eyes are still alert and bright. She is still able to talk and process the things going on around her. I love her memory of the past that has given her wisdom for the present. She always has a memory to talk about and words of advise to fill in around the edges. Her stories are alive. And then the body. She spent over an hour getting ready for church. Maybe another 30 minutes to get her hair adjusted just right as she sits at the counter in the kitchen, resting her arms on the counter top and combs her hair. It took about five minutes to shuffle to the door and down three steps and then over to the car door. But, before she gets in and sits down, she can tell that she is not going to make it today and frustration sets in. As her stomach hurts more and more and she realizes that she needs to head back into the house. She comments that it makes her so mad to go through all the preparation prepara-tion to go out, and then she can't. So, it is back into the house. She is tired and so a nap is in order to kind of let things settle down in her system once more. And then the process begins once again. But, before we say good by, there is another chance to sit in front of her and discuss other things that didn't mean a hill of beans to any political leaders over the years, but means so much to us we know as family. I learn more about family and heartache. I learn about being happy in whatever living conditions you could afford. I learn that it is not easy getting old and it is not always fun, but it can be rewarding if people are patient. Several weeks ago I wrote about the energy of grandkids and taking the time to teach them and love them. Now, I am reminded that we should take the time to sit with those older than us and let them teach us and love us. It was a good feeling. y ByDaniCoipbo GW MWuch thing as school shopping. Instead there was a bricf(about and mild concern con-cern over whether a kid had a paid of shoes that were suitable for school (broadly speaking). But things have changed since then and there seems to be a prevailing notion that stores close on the first day of school and will not open again until it is time for that other buying institution, institu-tion, Christmas shopping. And so there is the ceremonious cer-emonious and stress-ridden rush to buy everything a pupil may need for the whole school year and put it away for the first day of school, which incidentally is probably prob-ably the only day of school said pupil will be excited about it anyway. But you don't have to fall for it. I have been out to the stores on the first day of school more than once, and they were all open. School shopping as an institution and the myth about the stores closing forever is perpetuated by kids who are just trying to get more goods out of you, and the marketing industry which is trying to get more money out of you. So don't get excited at least not about buying clothing cloth-ing and supplies. (Save that excitement for the really good things about the first day of school like the few hours of quiet that you will be able to enjoy.) If you think the school shopping system is an institution institu-tion you will have a hard time bucking, never fear, Bertha Butterbean is here, and she was a pro at finagling her way out of new wardrobes and such. Here is how you hold out against all the pressure: 1. Remember that on the first day of school the sun comes up and goes down as usual, in fact is it just another day, not even printed in red on the calendar. 2. Remember that your kid can only wear ONE outfit on the first day of school He doesn't need five new outfits for the first day. 3. Remember that the stores will be open on the first day of school, and the day after that and the day after that. 4. Remember that it is still summer weather when your kids become pupils. Remind Re-mind them that only government govern-ment offices, and not schools, are air conditioned. Stress the parts about turning red-faced red-faced and sweating which no self-respecting student ever wants to do. The point is that they can wear their summer clothes for a few more weeks, and their classmates will wish they were cool and comfortable comfort-able like your kids will be. 5. Remind your children that is isn't cool to show up on the first day looking like they never got any new clothes during the whole summer. It is better to wear something not quite new than to go looking look-ing like their social calendars had nothing on them during vacation. 6. You might also be able to convince the kids that they don't want to go looking like they live for school. 7. A little persuasion may convince them further to hold off on the shopping until they see what everyone else , is wearing. They, especially ; the girls, wouldn't want to get caught in an outfit just like someone else has. And now we come to the objective of the whole exercise. exer-cise. If you can contrive to get your students through the first week of school without actually buying new clothes for them, you've got it made. After that, everyone's clothes are old anyway, and no one will know the difference. A v 1 y 1 I - V y Got A Beef? Tell it to the Vernal iXPREM. 4te a letter to the Editor! Public Forum - Letters to the Editor What is your opinion? The Vernal Express welcomes letters from its readers concerning any subject pertinent to the Uintah Basin. There are no restrictions on contents, if in good taste and not libelous or vindictive. Letters may be edited for grammar and style, length and content. All letters must be submitted exclusively to the Vernal Express and bear the full name, signature, phone number and address of the writer or writers. Letters for the sole purpose of expressing thanks to individuals or groups will not be printed in this forum. Submissions may be mailed to 54 N. Vernal Ave., Vernal, UT 84078; faxed to 435-789-8690 or sent by e-mail to editorvernal.com The name or names of the persons submitting letters must appear on all published letters. Letters express the opinion of the writer or writers and are not necessarily the opinion of the Vernal Express. History surrounds demolished buildings Dear Editor, '"' The past few weeks there have been some buildings between 100 and 200 North on 500 east that have been destroyed, two of which had served as early Vernal hospitals and known as the Campbell hospitals. I had hoped that something some-thing would be printed about their background and I'm glad that Ralph Preece recently re-cently made mention of them after being contacted by the Vernal Express. It is my understanding that both buildings were started as hospitals with the white stucco one being the first. Later, a better and larger frame building was built and the older one was turned into an apartment house. It is believed that the small white dwelling next to it was at first used as either a doctors office or for administrative admin-istrative purposes. In time, a local rancher, Marion Wall and his wife Mary purchased this smaller building to use as their home where they raised their family and were living there until they passed away. When these buildings were constructed and how long were they used as hospitals, I can't say, but I do know that some of the older members of my family received doctor services there including surgery in both facilities. Some of the doctors who performed services there were Dr.' Garett O'Donnell, ran early woman doctor, along with doctor Rich, Christy and Franke to mention a few. In later years they closed the Campbell hospital and opened another one up on main street next to the Episcopal Epis-copal Church and rancher Ernest Er-nest Smith from the Dragon area and his wife bought the larger and newer frame building. build-ing. They would later move to Vernal's west side and they made arrangements with a well qualified nurse, Ruth Selbe to turn the building into a care center, which was perhaps the first of its kind to be started in Vernal. Ruth done an exceptional job in managing this facility until it was closed down and another opened up on 200 north and 400 east. Following it's closure as a care center, it, like the white stucco building, was used as an apartment house. Later it was used as a private home. I don't know who the Campbells were that originally origi-nally brought these facilities into use as early hospitals. I do know that members of the Campbell families have been involved down through the years from pioneer days in serving in various ways for the good of this great Uintah Basin. Anyway, I thought that these buildings, with such an historic background, needed some recognition about the important part they once played in Vernal's early history. Respectfully submitted by George Long , , , Property taxes . Dear Editor, I am asked to pay more property prop-erty taxes this year than I paid for my house payment, interest, insurance and taxes several years ago, and am now retired. Where is this money going to come from? Social security does not include enough to help at all. The assessor asks what could you sell your house for? I would just like to live in mine, not be taxed out of it. Charles L. White Unspoiler To the Editor, Ralph, Ralph, Ralph! Ralph Nader doesn't like the title of "Spoiler." Hmmm! Wasn't it Mr. Nader who got 97,000 votes in Florida in the 2000 presidential election? elec-tion? Al Gore lost the state by 597 votes and eventually the presidency. Do you think, some of those Nader votes were Democratic votes? You know the rest of the story. The Supreme Court settled the Florida dispute and handed the presidency to George Bush, the loser of the national election. America has received its karma with two terms of President Bush. The economy is tanking under a Republican anti-tax theology, the housing market is causing Shockwaves, and Ralph Nader still doesn't get it. Nader is registering at , 3 to 6 percent in the polls, depending on which one you . look at; presidential candi-. dates McCain and Obama : are in a dead heat. Will Ralph Nader hand the White House to John McCain and the Republicans Re-publicans in his roll as the un-spoiler? Ron Lowe, Nevada City, CA Local landlords Dear editor, I think it is disgusting the way all the landlords in Vernal have turned against the local people and raised their rents so high that the people that don't work in the oilfield can not afford to pay the rent. Some of the landlords in Roosevelt have lowered their rent. Why can't Vernal? What will the landlords do when the boom is over? Hopefully the locals will only support the landlords that have supported them by lowering their rents now so that locals can afford to pay their rent. I was born and raised in this town and I've always been proud to say I'm from here. Things now make me wonder if that pride was misplaced. Linda Timothy Vernal V awry ; l |