Know how to be a good houseguest
Dear Heloise: We
e an extended family and a large home. I love having family stop by and come for a visit, but I’ve noticed that they seem to think all the work is on me. I know most of them read your column faithfully, so I was hoping you might drop a hint or two on how to behave while visiting someone else’s home. — Samantha C., Charleston, South Carolina
Samantha, I love having company, too, but like you, I want them to remember that I’m their host, not their slave. So, here are my hints for being a good guest:
■ Ask your host what time you should arrive.
■ Arrive with a small gift and send a thank-you note or message.
■ Offer to help your host with dinner, errands or cleaning up.
■ Respect your host’s pri- vacy by giving them some alone time. They aren’t there to entertain you 24/7. Bring a book to read or go exploring in the area.
■ Offer to take the host out to dinner or make din- ner for them. But if you make dinner, make sure to clean as you go. Don’t leave them with a mess.
■ Be respectful of the time your host goes to bed and gets up. They have a routine that they’re used to. — Heloise
Bitter coffee Dear Heloise:
My coffee comes out terrible. I’ve changed coffee brands, used cold tap water, used distilled water and measured my coffee grounds carefully. Yet I always get a nasty bitter taste. What am I doing wrong? — Carol N., Sugar Land, Texas
Carol, are you cleaning your coffeepot carefully and using the right grind? I’ve found that when coffee starts to taste a little “off,” it’s usually due to a buildup of coffee oils.
First, run white vinegar through the pot to get the oily buildup out of its inner workings.
You might have to do this twice. Afterward, run clean water through your coffeemaker to get the vinegar taste out.
You can either run your coffeepot through the dishwasher or clean it by hand with warm water and mild soap. Do not run the mechanical part of the coffeemaker through the dishwater. — Heloise
Shopping in bulk
Dear Heloise: My husband and I live on a ranch in the country. For this reason, we buy in bulk. I put items that can melt in plastic bags, but all of my other groceries are packed in paper bags. I make sure those paper bags are recycled.
We take the items in plastic bags inside first and get them into the refrigerator. The other items in paper bags can wait. We also recommend that people use coolers to carry frozen items if they are traveling a longer distance. — Betty L., Medicine Bow, Wyoming
Send a great hint to: Heloise, Box 795001 San Antonio, TX 78279-5001, or fax 1-210-HELOISE.