HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: The local Square dance club had an advertisement in the newspaper for lessons. I had no idea what a square dance was, so I went up. Guess what? Single women, married couples — it’s now 36 years later, and I’m still dancing.

Every year, there is a national dance convention, and there are tours. In 2006, the National was in San Antonio; we even had a boat tour of the River Walk.

So if you can, check out square- dancing. All you need to know is how to walk, and your right from your left!

— Mike H., Poneto, Ind.

DEAR READER: I would encourage my readers to meet others, stay fit (as long as your doctor approves) and get moving — and dance, in all its varieties, is a great way to do all of that! (I might steer clear of break-dancing — is that still a thing?)

DEAR READERS: Let’s face it: Cold cereal can get pretty boring. How about mixing different flavors and textures to create your own unique flavor?

Mix rice cereal with cornflakes, oatmeal clusters with shredded wheat — the possibilities are endless!

And especially for the kids, mix sugar-laden cereals with more bland ones to cut the sweetness and to lower their sugar consumption. They probably won’t even miss the extra sweetness!

DEAR HELOISE: I was wondering why my cat’s tongue feels rough, like sandpaper — any ideas?

— Camille H., Albuquerque, N.M. DEAR READER: Camille, your cat’s tongue is made of “hooks” that are composed of the same material as fingernails — keratin. It’s rough so she can groom herself, for several reasons. She is staying clean by removing loose hairs, and she’ll lick herself postmeal — it’s in her DNA to do so. From her ancestors, she learned to remove all odors of her meal from her body, because predators can find her by the scent of her food.

The hooks distribute oils on the cat’s fur, which “waterproofs” the cat, and licking with that “hooky” tongue can remove parasites (fleas and their eggs).

She also is calming herself by licking her fur. If done excessively, however, she may develop bald spots, so a trip to the veterinarian may be in order. Finally, the hooked tongue acts as a scooper when the cat gets a drink of water.