HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR READERS: Even though the holidays seem to have just finished, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! The cards and candy are already out in the stores.

So, here’s a hint for a very special postmark for your sweet valentine cards. Every year, Loveland, Colo. (“The Sweetheart City”), handstamps more than 160,000 cards with the year’s winning design and verse in the postmark. It is a wonderful way to show someone you are thinking of him or her. Why not send one to family, friends, troops overseas or even yourself?

To have cards stamped with the valentine postmark and verse, address and stamp each card (49 cents for standard cards) and place them all in one large, first-class envelope. Send to: Postmaster - Attention Valentines, 446 E. 29th St., Loveland, Colo. 80538-9998.

For your cards to make it to their destination in time, they need to be received no later than Feb. 7 for all U.S.-destined mail. (Foreign mail must be there no later than Feb. 4.)

There are other sweet valentine postmarks to choose from. How about:

Valentine, Texas (79854),

Romance, Ark. (72136),

Heartwell, Neb. (68945),

Lovejoy, Ga. (30250).

Follow the same procedure, and address to: Postmaster, Valentine Remailing and the city with the sweet postmark of your choice.

DEAR HELOISE: As an older, high-risk cardiac patient, I offer the following tip: My wife and I travel often, and found out through experience that I need to carry a copy of my last EKG.

This saves time and expense if you experience chest pain and go to an emergency room. The staff can use it as a baseline to compare with the EKG that was taken on arrival. - George in California

DEAR READER: This is important to anyone with a serious medical condition. And carry a copy of all the meds you take.

DEAR HELOISE: Regarding your hint about transporting food in a cooler or large box: What I’ve done for years is use a laundry basket (lightweight, with handles). Instead of newspapers, I fold a bath towel, put a dish on that, then place another folded towel on top. It will keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. If anything spills, it’s easy to toss the towels into the washer.

S.C. in Erie, Pa.

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email Heloise@Heloise.com