The Slice: A winter that kids ought to recall

I hope that many years from now people who are little kids around here today will dismiss excited reports about winter weather and say, “Ah, this is nothing. Why, back in ought-eight and ought-nine … ”

•Slice answer: Do wintry road conditions reduce cell-phone use by area drivers? Caitlin Dibble, a student at Rogers High School, doubts it. “They may be using it MORE because everyone is complaining to everyone about how the snow is affecting their bad driving.”

•For me, 2009 is going to be the year of … : “Becoming a mother in-law,” wrote Francie Radecki. “I am so excited. I’m going to be the best ever! It helps that my future daughter in-law is a doll.”

“Retirement,” said Tori Pallies Hanson. “After enjoying teaching young people for 47 years it is time to stop. It has been a fulfilling career, but I look forward to not having to set my alarm clock ever again. Woohoo!”

•One theory: If your fireplace seems to be sending a lot of smoke into the living room and you know the flue is open, it could be that your chimney is partially gagged with you know what.

•Feedback: The Slice continues to hear from readers who had snow shovels stolen. “I’m pretty sure a couple of days later a kid showed up on my porch with the same shovel, wanting to clear my sidewalk for $20,” wrote one. “I believe he forgot which house he stole it from.”

Another reader told of leaving a useless, broken shovel out as bait while hiding her good one.

•Name game: Kathy Konek told about a Gonzaga Prep grad named Swenson who married a guy named Swanson last year.

Swenson changed her name to Swanson. But you have to assume that either way that was going to cause some confusion.

•This date in Slice history (1995): Readers’ accounts of slipping on ice or snow and falling down. One woman, out for a winter stroll, inadvertently pitched her just-purchased latte into her husband’s face as she lost her balance. “It was even dripping out of his ear.”

But it should be noted that his first concern was determining that she was all right.

•Online but off the market: “Our son, Chris, proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Marjie, on New Year’s Eve at First Night,” wrote Nancye Hensz.

So, the next morning, Hensz asked for details.

Said her son, “I’ll have to go change my status on Facebook.”

Which pleased his mom, even if it made her feel like a dinosaur.

•Today’s Slice question: Should hot chocolate ever be made with anything other than whole milk?