DEAR READERS: Today's Sound Off concerns the downside of having a beachfront house:
DEAR HELOISE: Summer is drawing to a close -- thank heavens. My husband and I have a beach house, which we thoroughly enjoy. We bought it so my husband of 48 years could recover from a serious heart attack. What we don't enjoy are drop-in visits from people who think that they're staying the week or weekend. So, to people who feel free to drop in, please wait to be invited. This is a home, not a hotel. Show some respect for our privacy.
-- A Reader in California
I hear this often from folks who own a beach house or a lake house. So, readers, what do you think?
DEAR HELOISE: When sorting my family's laundry, I could never tell which were my son's socks and which were my husband's, because they both wear the same size. Now I code the socks by using a few stitches of red thread for one and blue or yellow for the other. I just sew an "X" on the toe of each sock.
-- Becky A., Claremont, N.H.
DEAR HELOISE: I have a sticky substance that is stuck on my electric griddle. How do I get it off without damaging the surface?
-- Abby M., Maryland
DEAR READER: Always clean your griddle after each use. Use a wooden or plastic spatula (not a metal one, which could scratch the nonstick surface) to gently scrape off any stuck-on food into the collection tray or into a corner, then scoop it out. While the surface is warm, pour water on it so that it bubbles. Use the scrubbie side of a sponge (never steel wool) with a little dishwashing soap and water to gently clean the surface. Finish by wiping first with a damp paper towel, then a dry one.
DEAR HELOISE: It seems that every time I reach into my sewing basket, I stab my fingers on my scissors. Help!
-- Lennie S., Michigan
DEAR READER: Stick the pointed end of your scissors into a piece of cork.
DEAR HELOISE: I love growing tomatoes, but in my tiny yard, there's no room anymore. Any ideas?
-- Barb O., Kentucky
DEAR READER: You can always grow cherry tomatoes in a hanging basket, or the larger varieties in a pot with a tomato cage.
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
ActiveStyle on 08/13/2018