HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR READERS: Today’s Sound Off is about the grieving process when you lose a pet.

DEAR HELOISE: We recently had to have our beautiful 17-year-old black Lab put to sleep due to kidney disease. I can’t even begin to explain the grief and pain we feel at the loss of this sweet pet. I wish people would stop saying things such as, “You can always get another dog.” Yes, we can, but nothing takes the place of a beloved pet. Or “Time heals all wounds.” Sure, but right now, I’m grieving the death of my dog, and I don’t want to hear things like this.

I wish people would just listen when I need to vent. I don’t want to hear about the death of someone else’s pet; I’m consumed by my own loss. Just let us grieve when we lose a dear pet. Listen without offering advice, and don’t brush off our loss, because it’s real and very painful to us.

— Mavis G., Marietta, Ga.

DEAR HELOISE: I have some rubber shelf liner left over, and I’ve found several more uses for it:

I cut out a square and placed it under a sofa cushion that kept slipping forward.

I put it under my pet’s bedding to keep it from sliding across the kitchen floor.

I cut a small square and used it to remove pet hair from my furniture.

I wrapped a few delicate things in the liner before shipping them by mail.

— Loretta W., Springfield, Mo.

DEAR HELOISE: As a nurse, I’ve seen many casts put on people who’ve broken a bone, and there are a few things we tell the patient to help them avoid injuries. First, don’t use a wire hanger or any sharp object to scratch an itch under the cast. Try sprinkling baby powder under the cast. If a cast gets wet, use a blow-dryer set on low heat to dry it. You can use an old sock or knit cap to keep your toes or fingers clean and warm.

— Lois G., Livonia, Mich.

DEAR HELOISE: I buy 32-ounce jars of mayonnaise, and the last inch or is so hard to get out. A frosting spatula does the job easily.

— Leslie W., Alexandria, Va.

DEAR HELOISE: I make a lot of jigsaw puzzles. When I first open the box, I pour all the pieces into a colander and shake it over the trash to get rid of the paper sawdust.

— M.Z.S., California

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio,Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email