Etiquette in flight

Dear Heloise: I’ve been a stewardess with a major airline for a long time, and I’d like to remind airline travelers of a few RULES OF ETIQUETTE while traveling that often are forgotten:

■ Lock the lavatory door — you might be surprised how often people forget this.

■ Leave your shoes on — never walk barefoot on an airplane.

■ Board quickly when you are called to get on the plane.

■ You are not the only one on the plane. Be respectful of the people around you. Use only the overhead bin above your seat.

■ If you are asked to sit down and buckle your seat belt, do it. This is for your own safety.

— Kathy D. in Detroit

Dry skin

Dear Heloise: My feet and hands get so dry during these cold winter months. I’ve tried a number of creams and lotions, and nothing seems to work. Got any hints for dry skin? — Roselle N., Chippewa Falls, Wis.

Roselle, for dry, chapped hands and feet, try this: Before bedtime, apply a generous coat of olive oil or petroleum jelly to your hands and feet. Then cover both with cotton socks and cotton gloves, and leave them on overnight. — Heloise

Stay healthy

Dear Heloise: There is so much written about cholesterol these days that I don’t know what to think anymore. What is a healthy amount for the average adult? — George and Beverly Y., Salina, Kan.

George and Beverly, your doctor will do a blood test to determine your lipid profile, which will show the levels in your blood of LDL (lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol), also called the “bad” cholesterol; HDL (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), also called the “good” cholesterol; and triglycerides, which are fats in the blood from foods we eat — they are stored in fat cells throughout the body.

You HDL should always be higher than your LDL, but talk to your doctor about your cholesterol levels, what the numbers mean and how to lower your cholesterol levels. — Heloise

Choosing a pet

Dear Heloise: My husband wants to get our 4-year-old son a dog, but I think that’s way too young to have a pet. What do you think? — Renee E., La Grange, Ky.

Renee, you might want to wait until your son is old enough to help with the pet’s care. Pets should never be given as gifts to anyone. Experts also say you should take into consideration the size of the animal, the yard size and the expense of pet ownership. Never get a dog or cat and leave it outdoors. A pet is meant to be primarily an indoor family member. When you finally decide to get a pet, look first at animal shelters to save an animal’s life. Then head to the vet for a checkup to be sure your new pet is up to date with its shots and to see if it needs to be spayed or neu- tered. — Heloise

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise. com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.