HELPFUL HINTS
DEAR READERS: This letter originally appeared in one of my columns in 2006. Many of you may be dealing with something similar today, as indicated by my mail. I’ve added a new comment with some updated hints from me. Please read on:
“Dear Heloise: I’m older and a widow. After a time of being sad and sitting in a recliner, I decided to get active. I joined a gym, and I do two days of exercise and two days of water aerobics there. I also joined a senior nutrition center for lunch. It’s great! I’m happier, and I feel so much better!”
— Doris Doris, good for you! We are all different. People mourn in different ways, and there is no set time limit that I know about. Readers, if you think it’s time to lift the darkblue cloud, ask for help from family and friends you trust, your physician or a trusted adviser. The person you lost would not want you to be sad for the rest of your life. Here’s a hint from me, just for you: Start laughing! Watch funny movies, read the comics or think of something really silly that makes you laugh. One of mine? I think of the woman who wrote me that she sat on the toilet backward (in the morning) so she could write her thank-you notes.
DEAR HELOISE: I have at least 100 pairs of earrings. I buy ice-cube trays from the discount store, sort earrings by color, style, etc., place them in the trays and stack them in the bathroom cupboard. I love this, and it doesn’t take up a lot of space.
— Erin W., Orange, Calif.
DEAR HELOISE: I have a nice patio, and my problem is that when it rains, it is covered with earthworms. Do you know any way to stop this?
— Delores P., Indiana DEAR READER: One suggestion: Keep the lawn mowed short and raked up — don’t leave grass clippings and leaves on the lawn, as that’s like a decomposing buffet for the creepy-crawlers. You can ask at a garden center for a pesticide to use if you want to dispatch the worms to worm heaven.
DEAR HELOISE: Here’s a time-saving hint on unloading groceries and getting them to the kitchen: I have a big red wagon. I take it to my vehicle, load up the groceries and head straight to the kitchen. It takes only one trip.
— A Reader, Harvey, La.
Heloise@Heloise.com