HINTS FROM HELOISE

DEAR HELOISE:

Help! I baked a large batch of cookies for the church ladies who plan special events. I placed a thick tablecloth down on my dining table, then placed the cookies on a cooling rack over the tablecloth so that the cookies could cool off on the rack.

Long story short, I now have some white spots on my lovely family heirloom table. How can I get the color restored on my dark, wooden table?

—Colleen J., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

COLLEEN, HERE IS what I recommend: Mix a small amount of white toothpaste (don’t use a gel) and baking soda together, then rub this into the white areas in the same direction as the grain of the wood. Rub until warm. This will take a while, so don’t rush it. Please be patient, and don’t give up.

Once the white marks are gone, wipe the areas with a slightly damp cloth. After it has dried, polish the area and the rest of the table, too.

—Heloise DEAR HELOISE: Most of my family lives in another state, so when there are weddings or birthdays (or during Christmastime), I always have boxes to mail out with gifts. I usually buy a sachet with a scent, wrap it in tissue paper, and put it inside the box that I’m mailing out.

When the person receives the box, they get a nice surprise when a faint, floral scent rises up to greet them. The recipient can enjoy the gift with an added bonus of having a sachet to place in a drawer.

—Samantha E., Overland Park, Kansas

DEAR HELOISE: Between my husband and me, we have seven elderly relatives living in various nursing homes in California, Utah and Michigan. We don’t get to see them very often, but once every two weeks, I buy colorful postcards and jot down a few sentences to let them know that we’re still thinking of them.

I also send out birthday cards to them as well as Christmas cards, Easter cards and cards for other occasions.

It’s a small thing to do for people who get very few visitors. Sometimes I cut out something from a newspaper or a magazine that I know would interest them. They all love the contact and the news I send. Just a little effort on my part can make their day.

—Catherin G., Coral Gables, Florida

DEAR HELOISE: I had a good friend who suggested putting tinfoil between my Crock-Pot lid and the actual Crock-Pot. No steam seeps out this way. Also, it can be used between a roaster pan and its cover. Moisture stays in.

—Jacci, via email