Answer the call just in case

DEAR HELOISE >> I read a recent letter about medical alert systems not showing who the call was from. I was on a transplant list for three years. We were told to answer any call that came in because “the call “might not come from the hospital. It might be from the resident on call, and who knows what area code is on their phone!

So, if you, or a loved one, are waiting for an organ transplant, that would be something to consider. Thanks.

— Beverly Temple

DEAR HELOISE >> In response to

Old Lady in Mission Viejo, California, who wrote in about not receiving thank-you cards, the exact same thing happens to me. Luckily, I do have some grandchildren who always says thanks, whether it’s through a note, email or phone call.

Those who do not say thank-you after a few gifts have been sent will no longer be receiving them. (They are adults, not little children!) And this goes for adult children as well! You are not alone!

— Joy, The Villages, Florida

DEAR HELOISE >> So many new shoes come with a support stick in the box. A good reuse for these sticks is to use it as a stake for small flowers in your garden, using string or ribbon to tie them together.

— Sue, in South Carolina

DEAR HELOISE >> Homes are usually set to 74 to 76 degrees Fahrenheit, which is comfortable when you are dry and clothed. But, when you’re wet in the shower, it’s pretty cold.

To warm up your bathroom the quickest for showering, turn on the hot water and spray it on the shower walls for 30 seconds. This heats up the walls, instead of letting all the hot water simply run down the drain. And, of course, the walls heat up the whole bathroom while also humidifying it. Be sure to turn it way down before you use the sprayer on yourself.

— John Phillip Jaeger, Irvine, California

DEAR READERS >> Dryers are essential and make laundry day a lot easier. Use these hints to get the best use from your dryer and to save on your energy bills.

Take these steps: Clean out all the dryer’s lint screen and around the drum, too, before or after each load. And be aware that a buildup of lint is one of the leading causes of home fires. Make sure to dry a full load, because just drying a few pieces of clothing will waste money. But do not stuff it full, because it will take longer and the clothing will get wrinkled.

It’s not a good idea to put wet clothing in with other clothes that are only partially dried. Remove the clothing right after the items are dried to prevent wrinkling. And never leave your dryer running when you are not home. Thousands of home fires are caused by dryers annually. Write to Heloise at P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; Fax 210-HELOISE; or email Heloise@ Heloise.com.