The Slice: Nothing like the blankety-blank outdoors

Welcome to The Slice’s pre-Memorial Day DIY column on camping.

Given that opinions vary about the appeal of this form of outdoor recreation, it seems fitting to invite you, The Slice reader, to speak for yourself.

How? That’s easy. Just fill in the blanks.

It’s (    ) to understand why camping is among the Spokane area’s most (    ) warm-weather activities.

Who wouldn’t (    ) getting away from (    ) and sleeping in a (    ) that smells like (    ) and then waking up with a mysterious rash on your (    ) that itches like (    )?

Few pursuits promote family (    ) quite like (    ) outdoors. Once you have tasted (    ) prepared under the stars you will never (    ) again.

You’ll hardly even notice that you have not had a (    ) in a couple of days and your whole family is starting to (    ) like (    ).

Sometimes being one with nature can mean camping next to the (    ) of the movie “Deliverance” or seeing heavily armed (    ) sitting next to a (    ) of empty beer cans at the adjacent campsite.

Some people make a big deal about insect bites. But if you slather on (    ) of petro-chemical (    ), there shouldn’t be much (    ).

And if you hear a loud (    ) coming from the woods in the middle night, there’s a good chance it is not a hungry (    ) or a ferocious (    ), but just a harmless (    ) or maybe Uncle Bob.

Of course, camping isn’t just sitting around the (    ) and telling stories about (    ). There’s hiking, fishing and (    ).

Children can learn useful outdoors coping skills if they discover a (    ) has burrowed beneath their skin or a (    ) has gotten tangled in their hair. And every child should know how to extract a fish hook from his or her tender (    ).

Parents might even find it’s the right time to discuss the (    ) of (    ) with a child who overhears the young couple at the next campsite loudly (    ) and (    ) until the break of dawn.

But it’s worth remembering that temperatures can plunge overnight at this time of year and you might just (    ) your (    ) off.

Today’s Slice question: Who holds in the Inland Northwest record for changing his or her mind the greatest number of times about paint colors?