The Slice Despite The Positive Signs, High Hopes Are Out Of Season

We appreciate the calls about buttercup sightings and reports of robins in the yard.

But trust us. It’s too early to become emotionally attached to signs of spring.

Irish update: The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick received 421 calls after The Slice mentioned that the group’s Shamrock Committee was looking for people born or married on St. Patrick’s Day. That’s a few more than they can return. So here’s the deal. They want to salute you folks by having you march together in this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which will be held in downtown Spokane on Saturday, March 16.

So if you are one of those with a March 17 birthday or wedding anniversary and want to be in on the festivities, head to the staging area at least an hour before the parade starts at noon. And look for the signs.

More regionally flavored country song titles in search of a song: “To All the Red Lights I’ve Run Before.” - Jack Hendrix “It’s Just Another Six-Pack Flashlight Deer Huntin’ Night.” - Craig Caraway

A cut for a cause: Several dozen local hairstylists will be doing their thing Saturday to benefit the Inland Northwest Area Special Olympics. To find out how you can support this effort and perhaps wind up with a new look, call 1-(800) 442-2508.

Nature’s plumbing: We heard about a little boy who was watching the Spokane River when it was really churning a week or so ago. He seemed transfixed by the whitewater. “Look, dad,” he said. “It just keeps flushing and flushing.”

Sorting things out: “A girl my daughter works with loves Lucky Charms but doesn’t like the marshmallows,” wrote Spokane’s M. Anderson. “For her Valentine’s gift, her husband gave her a box of the cereal - after he had picked out all the marshmallows.”

Customer for life: A reader named Tina is high on the service provided by Cox Cable Spokane. One of the company’s employees recently got her kitten down out of a tree.

Today’s Slice question: If you don’t count voicemail, answering machines and talking to administrative assistants, who is the hardest to reach by phone in the Inland Northwest?

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Drawing

MEMO: The Slice appears Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; fax (509) 459-5098.