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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Berm, baby, Berm


There's really no way to look good blowing snow.
 (FILE / The Spokesman-Review)
Paul Turner The Spokesman-Review

Expecting a baby soon?

Well, I’ve got an idea for a name that will help your family remember the special season of this blessed event.

For a boy, might I suggest “Berm”?

If you want, it could be short for Berman. And you could call the lad Bermie.

For a girl, the options include Berma, Bermella, Bermetta, Bermine, Bermison, Mreb, Bermlyn, Bermney, Bermanda, Bermiona, Berm’net, Berma Lou, Berma Shave, Bermellen, Bermantha, Bermiette, Bermenzie, Bermiana, Bermigail, Bermphia, Bermlyssa, Bermalie, Berminy, Bermannah, Bermayla, Bermielle, Bermelia, Bermanne, Bermadette, Bermsy and Bermabelle, to name just a few.

Life is about choices: “Every year I say to my husband, ‘We should get a snow blower,’ ” wrote Vicky Ferro. “This year, before Christmas I said, ‘I should ask for a snow blower for Christmas – but if I do, it won’t snow and the snow blower would just sit in the garage taking up space.’ “

Some winters, that could happen.

“So my wonderful husband Ken presented me with a stunning bracelet for Christmas. I love it and wear it often. Too bad it doesn’t have magical powers to shovel the driveway.”

Meeting at the middle: I have a friend named Martin whose birthday is Feb. 9. His friend Joel has a birthday on Feb. 7. So they always visit by phone on Feb. 8.

Slice answers: Lots of good-natured readers wrote or called to say “Dogtown” and “Hillyard” are not synonymous and that the former once described an area east of the railroad tracks.

It was never really correct to refer to Hillyard proper by that name.

Noted.

Somewhat lost in the conversation, however, was the fact that the question had actually focused on whether there are people who persist in calling Hillyard by that nickname – rightly or wrongly. I had been prompted to ask after a reader told me she was tired of the fact there are still those around here who do precisely that.

Helpful wintertime hint: Before asking people to push your stuck-in-the-snow car, make sure your parking break is released.

A friend who works out at the airport was helping a woman whose vehicle inexplicably wouldn’t budge. He was about to give up when an Air Force guy also helping with the pushing asked the driver if, by chance, her emergency break was engaged.

Here’s some more advice: If someone hands you something cold, hard and translucent and claims it is a magic crystal from Superman’s fortress of solitude, be a little skeptical.

There’s a good chance it’s just a piece of an icicle.

Today’s Slice question: Are you more worried about your roof or about going up there to shovel and then falling off?