DEAR READERS: Today’s Sound Off comes from a reader who is not too happy with the sizes of her pillowcases.
She wrote: “Pillowcases are too narrow to get a bed pillow in! I’ve been fighting them for years.
“They were never this narrow when I was growing up. Every set of sheets I have has pillowcases that don’t easily fit any of my pillows without being a frustrating battle.”
— Kay H.,
Palmdale, Calif.
Kay, maybe the bigger problem here is that the pillows nowadays are thicker and fluffier than when we were growing up. If so, then maybe manufacturers need to rethink pillowcase sizes because of this fact.
DEAR READERS: Here are some other uses for muffin tins:
Make large ice cubes for punch bowls.
Use as an “equal portion” device.
Turn over to hold taco shells while filling.
For different paint colors when painting.
As a snack tray at children’s parties.
DEAR HELOISE: Growing up, my mother was the “Cleaning Queen” of the neighborhood, and vinegar solutions were her go-to products. I hated the smell of vinegar. Now that I am older, I see the usefulness of vinegar as a cleaner/deodorizer. As I use it more and more, I also am finding its scent to be a bit more tolerable.
— Clarisse R., via email
DEAR READER: I love using vinegar, not just as a cleaner but also as an ingredient in recipes. The more you know about the various types of vinegars, the more you will find yourself using them for more than just cleaning.
DEAR HELOISE: Whenever I garden, I wear a straw hat. Inside the hat is a damp cloth to keep my head cool, especially if I am out in the heat for a while. If the cloth gets warm, I take it out and shake it a few times. This action cools the cloth off and allows me to continue working.
— Heather T., Texas
DEAR HELOISE: Family gatherings equal leftovers. When taking food home, we use a hardy paper plate and load it up with food. We cover it with plastic wrap, then slip another plate under the first to hold the wrap in place.
— Judy in Houston
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