HELPFUL HINTS
DEAR HELOISE: One of the staff who helps my disabled son is from Africa and has been here for several years. Now his wife and two young children are coming, and I need some suggestions for items to put in a gift basket. Since he has been here for several years, they do not need household items. Can you help?
— Barbara H., Springfield, Mo.
DEAR READER: They might like food items. Have you asked your staff member if anyone in his family is allergic to certain food? You also might draw ideas from the various sites that sell gift baskets. Ask yourself, “What represents America?”
You might want to go in a different direction and include small toys for the two children, depending on their ages, and maybe some nice things to pamper the wife.
DEAR HELOISE: I have a question. I need to eat something at night that will hold me over until morning. Which is better with calories: a bag of microwave popcorn with double butter or a medium baked potato with sour cream?
— Karen M., Hazleton, Pa.
DEAR READER: These are rather heavy things to eat at bedtime. If you must eat something, try fruit or a small salad. A banana with a glass of milk can be filling and provide you with vitamins and fiber.
Better yet, I’d suggest that you eat a filling dinner and not eat or drink anything before bedtime. There is an on-going debate about eating before bedtime, with one side arguing that your metabolism slows down at night and eating at that time causes weight gain. The other side argues that some people lose weight, because they don’t eat enough during the day and become hungriest later at night. Please check with your doctor to see what he or she suggests.
DEAR HELOISE: In two of our toilets there is a yellowish or gold ring in the bowl at water level. It’s very noticeable, and you can even feel it. I’ve tried everything I can think of to clean and remove it but no luck. What do you suggest?
— Betty B., Brookville, Ohio
DEAR READER: It sounds to me as though you have hard water. With a mineral buildup you’ll need a lime remover (found in hardware and grocery stores). If you can find a spray-on type of lime remover, follow the instructions on the bottle. This may take two or three applications, depending on how much buildup there is. After, you can use a toilet bowl cleaner with bleach.