The Slice: Around here, we definitely talk the walk

The real essence of Spokane’s active outdoor lifestyle isn’t boating or hiking.

It’s talk — talk, talk, talk.

People talk about their plans. Then they head out. And then they come back and talk about how it went.

Which is fine.

But sometimes you have to wonder which we savor more — doing it or talking about it.

“Fill in the blank: My life would be easier if you could fly nonstop to () from Spokane.

“Just wondering: How do you react to e-mail marked “High Importance”?

“Three key questions: 1. Do little kids still get a bang out of camping in their own backyards?

2. Are your children planning any such sleep-outs this summer?

3. Can I come over and take notes on the big adventure?

“Speaking of kids: Karyn Christner saw The Slice’s allusion to young children getting a big charge out of seemingly mundane outings or activities such as going to the dump.

It reminded her of the time she brought her 6-year-old niece to an automatic car wash. Christner thought the little girl would love it. “Boy, was I wrong,” she wrote.

They entered the tunnel. The foaming brushes and water sprays went to work. And the kid freaked.

“She started screaming and didn’t stop until we were way clear.”

“Slice answer: “I laughed out loud when I read your question about coin stashes,” wrote Jan Jesberger. “My mom has to be the reigning queen of coin stashes. Last year we moved her to a new, smaller home. And when we cleaned out the old house we found that we had to open EVERY box because every single one contained money of some kind.”

“Multiple choice: A person who never watches highly rated TV shows and never goes to see blockbuster movies could be said to be …

A) Out of touch. B) Someone with taste. C) A communist. D) A rogue loner. E) Out of step with the herd. F) Other.

“Arousing medical interest: Mike McKeehan’s allergic reaction to noxious weeds so impressed an emergency room crew that they decided to capture the moment on film. “They had me strip naked so they could take pictures of my lower arms and legs.”

A similar thing happened to Marilyn Daniels’ husband after he arrived at a dermatologist’s office with a full-body rash determined to have been a reaction to a medication. The office staff took pictures for their odd but true album.

“Today’s Slice question: If there were State Department warnings about travel to Spokane, what specific risks would these advisories highlight?