Combo locks work wonders
DEAR HELOISE » I read with interest about the senior citizens who discussed forgetting their keys when trying to get into their homes and how expensive it is to get a locksmith. They also mentioned hiding keys in multiple spots, but the easier solution is the same thing I've done in my business, Olde Judge Mansion B & B, which is a bed-andbreakfast.
Get one of the combination locks and put it on the front door. You can change the combination any time you want; usually, it's just four numbers that you type in, and then the door opens for you. It's a great solution. Other members can also have another combination because they usually take up to 10 combinations.
In an emergency, you can easily give the authorities a special code for them to get in. Make sure you put that on the door, and remember that it can always be changed afterward.
— T.U., Troy, New York
DEAR HELOISE » Joe and Jean from Missouri should look into condo living for their retirement. Lawn maintenance is taken care of by the association. Snow plowing is, too.
— Maddy, in Vermont
DEAR HELOISE » This is yet another followup to those who experience unexpected fees on their restaurant bills. If extra charges are not clearly posted in public view or on the menu, or the server does not inform you of them prior to ordering, you are under no obligation to pay them. Simply refuse. The business has no legal ground to stand on.
— Jim Maroney, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
DEAR HELOISE » My son and his wife are avid campers, so while I was on a trip to Frankenmuth, Michigan, I found a Christmas ornament that had a campfire and two camp chairs (with names engraved on the chairs) to give them with their Christmas gifts.
When I was telling a fellow traveler about it, she said, “Wouldn't it be a good idea to wrap it with a box of graham crackers, a bag of marshmallows and Hershey chocolate bars?” I thought it was a wonderful idea since they both love s'mores!
DEAR HELOISE » Here's a few really easy hints that have made life a little easier for me.
First, I often see people struggling to open up the skimpy produce bags at the grocery store by licking their fingers to get a better hold on the opening of the bag. Ew! When you head into the store, grab a wet wipe from your car or from the front of the store in order to wet your fingers.
If you are in the produce section and don't have access to wipes, then pick up a water-sprayed produce item first and then bag it. From there, get whatever else you're buying and touch your cilantro purchase to freshly wet your fingers before you open the next plastic storage bag. Don't lick your fingers!
Second, a rather simple way to contain different-sized rubber bands in the kitchen junk drawer is to string them on a large safety pin. You can easily slip off whatever size you need from the pin and reclasp it.
— S.O., in Little Rock,
Arkansas
Write to Heloise at P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; or email Heloise@Heloise.com.