Helpful Hints

DEAR HELOISE: I don't have a computer. After running out of writing stationery, I went to have it replaced. What a shock to discover that no store in my area carries writing stationery.

This generation uses the computer, and handwriting is from the past. A writing tablet is all I can find.

Is writing stationery considered obsolete?

-- Dorothy M., California

DEAR READER: How true this seems to be. Thank-you notes and party invitations are easily found, but pretty stationery has seemed to disappear. Maybe we can catch the ear of merchandisers. Letters written on pretty stationery can't become a thing of the past.

DEAR HELOISE: My husband sometimes scuffs the flat painted walls in our rental home with his wheelchair. Any suggestions?

-- Nancy Q., via email

DEAR READER: It's best to use a gradual approach to taking care of these stains. Start with the mildest cleaning agent, and if that doesn't work, take the next step.

To try first: a soft towel dampened with water. If you see no improvement, try a melamine-white sponge, but rub gently.

A last resort can be laundry detergent: 1 tablespoon to 1 gallon of water.

Never use scrub brushes or harsh cleansers. These can leave swirl marks, and will attract more dirt.

Always label bottles with their exact contents, and keep out of the reach of children.

DEAR HELOISE: To store salt and pepper grinders that are open at the bottom, find a jar lid of the right size and place the grinder in it.

I keep them in the pantry so no one sees the mismatched lids.

No more grinds all over the place.

-- Kate H., Tustin, Calif.

DEAR HELOISE: I love eating a sandwich with potato chips. I decided that what I like best about the chips is the crunch. I switched to a fresh green pepper. I cut it into small squares, so it's just like chips. That's a lot healthier.

-- JoAnne M., Ohio

DEAR HELOISE: I keep a pair of kitchen tongs in the glove compartment of my car. It makes picking up dropped items from the floor so easy, and I don't have to remove my seat belt -- safety first.

-- Patty G.,

Parkersburg, W.Va.

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

Weekend on 12/08/2016

Upcoming Events