Snake sneaks into the house
A week before Hurricane Ian struck our area last year, I found a snake in my bedroom. I tried to get it out with a shovel and a dustpan. Of course, it then slithered behind my couch into the bedroom. I called 911, and the wildlife deputy came out but couldn't find it.
After sleeping in the living room on the couch for several nights, I looked up what snakes dislike. The smell of cinnamon and cloves were the main things, so I took a full can of apple cinnamon air freshener and fumigated my bedroom with it.
The next day, having no food or water, the emaciated snake had come out of hiding. I threw a beach towel over it and took it outside. So, if anyone ever has this problem, keep plenty of air freshener on hand!
— Joyce Jordan, Venice,
Florida
DEAR JOYCE ❯❯ I'm glad you were able to get rid of the snake. Readers, take caution in dealing with a snake. Call for help. Stay away from it, and do not touch the snake until help comes. You want to be sure that the snake isn't poisonous and that you don't get bitten, which can be deadly.
DEAR HELOISE ❯❯ All of your comments about how to improve your skin's health were spot-on. Here's one other important thing to do — use a sunscreen with high SPF on your face and all your exposed skin when outside!
— Suzy Thomas
DEAR HELOISE ❯❯ I liked the sound-off on throwaway society and the hints about reusing/repurposing items for certain tasks. Avoiding the use of disposable items helps us become more environmentally responsible. I, like other Heloise readers, now use silicone baking mats more and things like paper plates and disposable gloves less frequently.
Small changes among large numbers of people (like Heloise's readers), can make a big difference. — Susan C., Rutland,
Vermont
DEAR HELOISE ❯❯ I appreciate the dialogue in your published hints. It is so helpful to expand our knowledge. Regarding parchment paper, there is compostable parchment paper available now. So, I use that compostable product and add it to my composting bin. Silicone mats for cookie sheets are still plastic and will eventually have to be thrown out.
Keep up the good work of protecting our environment. I am happy that your column directs people to nonchemical cleaners like vinegar and baking soda.
— Judith MacLellan
DEAR READERS ❯❯ Freshen a toilet bowl by pouring full-strength white vinegar into the bowl. Let this stay on for about 5 minutes. Scrub, then flush. The bowl should be cleaner and smell better. Curious to learn more vinegar hints? Then, grab a copy of my six-page pamphlet “Heloise's Fantabulous Vinegar Hints and More!” To order yourself or a loved one a pamphlet, just go to Heloise.com.