Smoking Band in Iowa!

I was just sitting in bed one night and just started getting really mad about the things I have to do as a bartender. Like making sure no one is over served, now one in under age, and no one gets into a fight, so on and so on. But now they put this can't smoke in a bar band, which is one more thing that I have to watch because I could get fined. So the more I thought about it the more I got mad, because I'm dealing with people that are grown adults and can make decisions for themselves. Anyway here's what I'm writing to the Telegragh Hearld if I can get down to 250 words which is hard because I need every word in the letter to make my point. Not that this letter will help anything, but it makes me feel better.

A Little Note From A Bartender...

My family has owned a neighborhood bar since the 1940's. Many smart wonderful people have come through that door. We have men and women who served OUR COUNTRY in every different war, we have had law officers, respected people of our communities, and many others that are old enough to make decisions on their lives. As for me, I'm not a smoker, and lord knows I'm not a writer, but I do know this, in America, home of the free, it's not right that I have to be the one to tell these people NO, you can't smoke in here, go outside. These people who smoke can vote for the next person to run our country but they can't come in and relax BY CHOICE. These people who smoke can FIGHT for our country but they can't come in and relax BY CHOICE. These people who smoke can run a successful business but they can not come in and relax. Don't get me wrong I enjoy going home after work and not smelling like smoke, but I make the CHOICE to have a life that is around the people who smoke. I just think that the business should be able to decide. Then the smokers and non smokers have a CHOICE to go where they want to. Each and everyone of us could die tomorrow and by chance it could be lung cancer, but odds are it will be something else. I don't feel it is my job to tell these people that are hard working AMERICANS that they need to go outside to relax and smoke because SOME (mind you some) feel you are killing them with seconded hand smoke. If you talk to half the non smokers that come in to our bar they feel it's not right. I know things won't change but I feel that it should be up to the business.

Baseball

This summer of 2008 was a very busy one. Chase played for two teams. Zach played for one and sub ed on another. Chase and Zach both played for Sherrill. A great small town team with lots of friends from school. Lots of good times. Besides playing ball, after the games they would catch frogs all around the ball diamond till we shut the lights off.

Chase played for the Dubuque Twins this year. Made lots of new friends from different schools. He even signed up for a baseball camp thru Loras College with another kid on the team. I was more scared then Chase was the first day I had to drop him off with a bunch of strangers, I didn't even want to leave the parking lot. I believe I had tears coming down, because I was scared for him. What if he couldn't tie his shoes, was afraid to ask to use the bathroom, didn't know how to order his lunch, and so much more. I was more scared that day then him starting school. He did awesome was such a big kid and got to know lots of kids on different teams.

Dubuque Baseball is much more advanced then Sherrill, which is good. Played a lot more and learned a lot more. Zach sub in for the Twins on two tournaments. Boy was he sure proud that he could play with kids two years older. First time up to bat Zach had a base hit, and the only one that inning to get a hit.

Chase also played a fall ball. It was where the kids pitch and you can steel bases. Everything that they do in baseball, which was called C ball. This summer he was in D ball which is 6,7, and 8 year olds. C ball is 8,9, and 10 years old. He did good for being young and moving up.

Can't wait till next year!