Keep a flashlight handy for help in emergencies

In my adult life, I have never been without a good flashlight. Extremely strong LED flashlights can be used in cases of emergencies to temporarily blind an assailant.

John Emmons, via email

John, I think we all can agree how helpful and useful flashlights are in our lives. So, to my readers, buy batteries when you plan to use a flashlight, because batteries, like lithium-ion ones, do age.

To keep them useful longer, store them indoors during the winter and in cool places during the hot summer.

Dear Readers:

Heloise

Because we use our cell phones and landlines so much, they do get dirty and need to be cleaned often. To remove makeup, smudges or dirt, spritz an all-purpose cleaning spray onto a paper towel and wipe over the dirtiest areas on the phone. Never spray cleaners directly onto the phone. For a quick clean, use prepackaged wet towelettes.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: You are going to love this! For Christmas, my friend gave her grandchildren small charcuterie boards. They are in middle school. She also gave them a knife safe for children.

Corrinne Berkland, Universal City, Texas

Corrinne, how lovely! For my readers who don’t know, a charcuterie board is a selection of meats accompanied by nuts, fruits, crackers and dips.

Dear Heloise:

Heloise

I am in my late 70s, and my memory is not so sharp anymore. I easily forget doctor’s names, but will recognize the name when I see it. So, when I put my doctor’s names in my contacts, I precede the name with “Dr.” and put that with the whole name into the “first name” field — for example, “Dr. Joe Smith.” So, now all my doctors are listed together under “Dr.,” and I can easily pick out the correct one to call.

I also do a similar technique with restaurants that I call for takeout, by preceding the restaurant name with “Cafe.” It’s important in both cases to put it all in the “first name” field so that they display in alphabetical order, starting with “Dr.” or “Cafe.”

Dear Heloise: This is our Golden Ginger who had just given birth to nine puppies! She is a wonderful and proud momma.

Readers, to see Lynne’s Golden Ginger and our other Pet Pals, go to Heloise. com and click on “Pet of the Week.” Do you have a furry friend to share with our readers? Send a photo and a brief description to Heloise@heloise. com.

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or Email: heloise@heloise.com.