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The Slice: Four seasons, endless fun

Say something good about Spokane.

Kirsten Fehlig can. “I have found that there is so much to do here, in all seasons, that sometimes it’s hard to pick and choose.”

Bob and weave: It amazes Francine Boxer when people ask her to spell her last name.

But you never know. It could be Bachser, Bahksur, Bahxzer, et cetera. Or, if someone mistook Francine for a Porsche, it could be Boxster.

Today’s high-mileage grill: “Still going strong,” wrote Janice Van Winkle. “Purchased at Shadle Center J.C. Penney for Father’s Day in the 1960s for $25. Six siblings shared the cost using paper route and babysitting money. It is faithfully used for family BBQs at Dad’s house.”

It’s a store-brand model called the Foremost. “We even have the manual. Every year we say we will use the rotisserie that came with it. Maybe this will be the year.”

Slice answer: “A family of 10 including three generations and one bathroom,” wrote Mary Martin, who doesn’t recall the bathroom door. “You mean there really was a door? That’s news to me.”

Name game: So someone you know is going to have a baby and you want to suggest a few names.

That’s fine. Chances are, you already have ruled out recommending nicknames from “Top Gun.” What to do?

Well, you could offer character names from “Ride the Wild Surf,” which was released in the summer of 1964. Here are just a few.

Jody, Brie, Chase, Augie, Steamer, Eskimo and Swag.

No? Well, how about names from another summer arrival from 50 years ago, “A Hard Day’s Night.”

John, Paul, George, Ringo, Norm, Shake and Grandfather.

One more. Let’s consider names of characters from 1964’s “Goldfinger.”

James, Auric, Oddjob, “M,” Solo, Moneypenny, Pussy Galore and Dink.

Summer rerun warm-up question: What conversations did your license plate prompt when far from home?

Today’s Slice question: Ever see someone’s off-putting Twitter self-description and wonder why that person’s friends did not stage an intervention?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. Mike Vlahovich wonders what to do about Virginia Creeper vines seemingly bent on world domination.

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