The Slice: Wacky weather made it really cool to invent excuses

We keep hearing that the coolish spring and summer wasn’t great for backyard tomatoes.

And some cite it as the reason they didn’t go camping or whatever.

I’m sure all that’s true.

But why stop there? What else can we blame on the weather?

Just listen in on the following conversations.

1.) “How do people here reconcile their flattering image of Spokane as this sweet, big-hearted place with the fact that many residents apparently spend most of their time looking for something to steal?”

“Well, you know, there weren’t all that many hot days this summer.”

2.) “You bought your pet from a backyard breeder? You didn’t even look at a shelter? Don’t you realize how that just encourages these puppy mill operators and perpetuates the scandalous overpopulation problem?”

“It seems like we hardly had any summer at all.”

3.) “I don’t get it. You post those angry, ignorant notes, but you don’t sign your real name. Exactly how does that make you feel good about yourself?”

“It was just so nippy this summer. I had to find something to do indoors.”

Slice answer: Spokane’s Jim and Sue Burford, both UC-Davis graduates, are in favor of their alma mater joining the Big Sky Conference for football.

It would give them the chance to go to games in Cheney and – assuming there are other UC-Davis backers in attendance out at EWU – join in the unique Aggies cheer: “Bossy Cow Cow.”

Jim is pastor at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in the West Central neighborhood. And The Slice thinks it would be a nice gesture if sometime, maybe after a service, a few of the congregants greeted him with that cheer.

All together now: “Bossy Cow Cow.”

Reader challenge: What if this column had been around in 1910? Just imagine. I’ll send a coveted reporter’s notebook to the reader submitting the best Slice item from 100 years ago.

In case you’re wondering, some of the most popular baby names back then were John, William, James, Robert, Joseph, Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret and Ruth.

Today’s Slice question: Who would you love to vote against but cannot because you live on the wrong side of the Washington/Idaho state line?