President Set Precedent

Sat., Feb. 12, 2000

By Paul Turner srpaulturner@gmail.com

Because he didn’t spend his whole life in the same state, we’ve long thought Lincoln’s birthday should be an occasion for celebrating Americans’ tradition of mobility.

Yes, that means acknowledging that ex-Californians have a right to live anywhere they want.

* Inland Northwest self-help books someone should write: “Unleashing the Logger Within” and “Getting in Touch With Your Inner Steelhead.”

* Skillets: “My parents were married in January of 1917 and were given two iron skillets,” wrote Alice Herbert. “They are still in good condition. I gave one to my sister last year.”

The one Linda Tracy uses has been in her family 54 years. “I love my iron skillet,” she said.

Rosalie Thorp has five, including one that has been in the family about 70 years.

Estellene Shaver said they’re still the best things to use when frying chicken. Julie Hale agreed. The one she uses has been in her family at least 60 years.

And then there was this from Margaret Underwood.

“Looking back, I’m not sure if I married for love or to escape washing Mom’s iron skillets,” she wrote.

“After marriage, I used my brand-new aluminum skillets. Then there were scare stories about cooking in aluminum. Then I bought stainless steel cookware. It scorched food too easily.

“Now I have three ancient iron skillets bought at yard sales. I love them. Moms know best, don’t they?”

* The Slice recommends: Steam Plant Square is worth checking out.

* Mirror, mirror: Always fun when parents see themselves in their kids’ behavior and it’s a horrible sight.

* Slice answers: The majority of responses to the question about the area’s most annoying voice named various local broadcast personalities it is our Year 2000 policy to ignore.

* Society’s great divider: The Census should ask about mayonnaise.

* Somewhere in Spokane today: Someone will face the task of writing a letter of recommendation for a person who doesn’t deserve one.

* The secret to romance: It helps if the man and woman are pretentious about the same things.

* People in the phone book whose last name is Lincoln: Caren, Duane and Denise, Edgar, Kaye, Margaret, Robert A., Robert N., Ralph and Janey, and just plain Robert.

* Today’s Slice question: Who is this area’s best amateur tour-guide?

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