HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: My dog really likes bananas. Are they OK for him to eat?

— Leigh A. in Oklahoma DEAR READER: Bananas actually are an OK snack for dogs. Bananas are rich in potassium and high in fiber. A delicious snack for man or dog? A banana bite with a small amount of peanut butter!

A couple of caveats: Only give bananas occasionally; their sugar content can be high, which can lead to tummy trouble; and the banana peel is, of course, not edible. Toss it in the compost. Check with your veterinarian about bananas and other healthy snacks for dogs.

DEAR HELOISE: When I put the dogs outside to relieve themselves, sometimes they dawdle around too much. And now the weather is super chilly!

A quick walk down the street (leashed and with bags for waste, of course) usually helps to get things moving.

— Brent T. in Pennsylvania

DEAR HELOISE: I saw an ingenious way to serve cake at a birthday party. Yes, to small family gatherings in this, the age of covid, but here goes:

Each person is issued a plastic tumbler glass and turns the glass upside down, then presses the glass into the cake (wine glasses can be issued to adults). The cake will fill up into the glass and render the perfect portion of cake.

It’s not pretty per se, but the guest will eat the cake out of the glass with a fork. It’s easier than trying to balance a slice on a plate, and ice cream can still be put on top!

— Gina D. in Kentucky

DEAR HELOISE: My 2-year-old grandson is really skinny, and boy’s pants just fall off of him! My friend suggested this: At 2 years of age, jeans are not necessarily gender-specific. Girl’s 2T jeans are cut smaller and narrower.

That was the solution. For now he’s in girl’s jeans, and they fit much better. He’s not tugging at them to hold them up! — Grandma Betty in New Hampshire

DEAR HELOISE: I was the manager of an optical department for three years, and you wouldn’t believe what substances people use to clean their glasses: saliva, their hot breath, commercial window cleaner and even vodka!

Please, only use specifically designed glasses cleaner and a microfiber cloth to clean eyeglasses and sunglasses. Glasses are typically treated with a coating on the lenses, and these rogue cleaners can strip the coating away!

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