DEAR HELOISE: We are currently giving out appointment times for covid-19 shots, but all too often someone is a no-show. They don't come and don't call to cancel. I know we all have busy lives, but a phone call takes only a minute. I also know no one likes being given a needle stick, but this shot protects you and those around you, so please, keep your appointment and keep yourself healthy.
-- Andrea C., Dallas
DEAR HELOISE: I have nonstick cookware and didn't want it all scratched up. So, besides using only wooden or plastic cooking utensils, I store them with a paper towel or a paper plate between the pans. This way I can stack the pans and not have the nonstick coating scratched off. Pots and pans are expensive. Why ruin them when you can keep them in good shape for years?
-- Brenda P., Springfield, Ill.
DEAR HELOISE: I found out that if you take too many condiments, service workers at restaurants just toss them out. Now, if I have any extra condiments (salt and pepper), I take them home, store them in a plastic container with a lid and use them when we go on picnics or have barbecues.
-- Lana J., Fulton, Ohio
DEAR HELOISE: My mother turned 70 a few weeks ago, and she received a number of nice gifts, but I decided to make a memory book for her. My sister and I put together an album of old photos from the days when we were all younger and spanned over time as we grew up. There were dates, times and names to go with the photos. We all laughed at the clothing we wore, but there were some very happy memories with the pictures. Mom asked if we would mind placing it with her when she goes to her final rest. Giving "things" to people is a nice idea, but sometimes the elderly enjoy a trip to their past when they were younger, their children lived with them and life seemed easier.
-- Marcie V., Fresno, Calif.
DEAR HELOISE: I love to watch the birds as they splash around in the birdbath in my garden. Unfortunately, they get the water rather dirty, and I need to scrub out the bird bath. I found a brush used for washing dishes with a handle that holds a soapy gel is the ideal cleaning tool for things like that, and it's not expensive. Now my feathered friends can bathe all they want in a clean birdbath.
-- Janet W., Cody, Wyo.
DEAR HELOISE: My kids love to help me make dinner and bake. Instead of aprons, I place a man's shirt over them. I cut the sleeves short on an old shirt and it works much better than an apron. When we decorate cookies for special occasions, such as Christmas, my little artists get icing on the shirts but not on their clothing. I just throw the shirts in the wash and they come out as good as new.
-- Lettie R. in N.H.
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
Heloise@Heloise.com