Personal recorder jogs

Recently, the San Antonio Express-News ran a letter from a 90-year-old regarding notepads placed in several rooms for memory joggers. I am 92 and active, and a few years back I found that a small handheld personal recorder serves me quite well in this way.

I have it in my pocket when moving about, by my chair when reading, on the nightstand at night, etc. It is invaluable in reminding me to email, phone or add to shopping lists, or to remember a simple chore.

— Mrs. Lou T. Dagel,

Seguin, Texas

I changed my purse around so I have one small pocket just for my keys. But I didn't stop there, I made a copy of the key and put it on my work keys. So if I forget my keys (which is happening less as I stress to put it in the pocket where it belongs), I can still get in with my work keys. Thank you for all the great information! Take really good care!

— Kathleen L., Lomita

You can quick-clean combs and brushes just by soaking them in a baking soda and water mixture (4 tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in 1 quart of water).

Baking soda also be can be used for cleaning, deodorizing and cooking, Learn more in my pamphlet “Heloise's Baking Soda Hints and Recipes.” You can get a copy by sending $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Heloise/Baking Soda, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. FYI: Is your dishwasher smelly? Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of the dishwasher between uses to aid in controlling odor.

In a recent column a reader wrote about items being stolen from their front porch. I'm surprised you didn't mention reporting the theft. The homeowner might not recognize the thief. But the police might already have a file on the person. The police are the obvious ones to be gathering clues from various reports and videos — including not only appearance and vehicle descriptions, but patterns in streets targeted, times of day, teams of thieves, etc.