Recipe cards great for notes

Remember when we used to have a little card file with handwritten recipes? I still have a ton of these unused recipe cards on hand. I now keep them by my computer desk to use for jotting down notes about websites, craft ideas, notes to myself, etc. It’s better than tossing these cards into the trash.

— Maddy, in Vermont

DEAR HELOISE >>

DEAR HELOISE >> I read your recent column about having a current photo of your kids in your phone in case of separation at a mall or park. I would like to add to this hint: Take full-length photos of your kids as you leave your home. This way, a parent does not have to recall exactly what their kids are wearing and can give the authorities an accurate description! Thanks.

— Beth, in California

DEAR HELOISE >> If you are having problems like Brenda, in Norman, Oklahoma, with your computer freezing and a scammer asking for your information, it’s because you have downloaded malware.

Be careful of what you click on. Avoid clicking on links in emails, no matter who they are from. Install a good malware blocker.

It’s always possible to shut down your computer, too. For a desktop, unplug it. For a laptop, hold down the power button until it closes down.

— Patricia Roberts,

Bellaire, Texas

DEAR HELOISE >> For easy access to my appliance manuals, I store mine in a three-ring binder. I label the tab on a plastic pocket divider and slide the manual right into the pocket.

— Barbara G., Houston

DEAR HELOISE >> I wanted to respond to Glenda F., who discussed locking herself out of her house. While hiding a key under a stone might seem OK at first, most criminals know where to look.

I suggest she get a keypad door lock (easy to install and program), and that should solve her problem. She can also program her keypad to accept more than one code.

— Cat Steinhauer

DEAR READERS >> When you are cooking cabbage and it stinks up the kitchen, you can easily eliminate this awful odor by adding vinegar to the water.

Eager to know what other uses vinegar has around the home? Then you must get a copy of my pamphlet “Heloise’s Fantabulous Vinegar Hints and More!” To order a pamphlet, go to Heloise. com. You can also get this handy pamphlet by sending $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Heloise/vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX, 78279-5001.

I have an organizing idea to share: I’m involved with several organizations where I need to contact people, but don’t necessarily know them well. So I found a way that helps me organize them in my contacts on my cellphone and computer.

I put the name (or acronym) for the organization first, then their name. That way, I can search for them by organization, such as “BHS: Ann Smith.”

DEAR HELOISE >>