^HINTS FROM HELOISE] Moving losses
Dear Heloise: I have moved many times and invariably lost at least one box of goods. I now have a solution. Be sure to mark each box numerically, i.e., 1,
2, 3, etc. Then when all the numbered boxes have been loaded and confirmed on board the truck, have the driver sign off that all boxes are on board. Bet you won’t lose one box coming off the truck. -- Sharon
W., Beaumont, California
Sharon, that is one easy and logical way to keep track of your precious goods when you are moving! -- Heloise
SERVING ICE CREAM JUST RIGHT
Dear Heloise: When I want to serve ice cream after dinner, I find that it is usually too hard to scoop straight out of the freezer. Leaving it on the counter for a little while allows it to melt around the edges, while leaving the center hard. I discovered that if I move it from the freezer to the refrigerator about an hour before serving, it softens nicely and can be easily scooped. Just don’t forget to put it back in the freezer! -- Sherrill, Forest, Virginia
SMART WATCHES
Dear Heloise: I read in your column about all the things smart watches can do. They can also be a “lifeline.” My friend’s husband died from a fall at home. Since her children all live away, they bought her a watch, which she wears all the time. If she gets hurt at home and doesn’t respond, the watch senses it, and help is sent to her address. -- Donna B.
GETTING ALL THAT SAUCE OUT Dear Heloise: I use really thick spaghetti sauce that comes in a jar, and I used to really work to scrape the sides and bottom of the jar to get all the delicious sauce out. However, I found a trick that works really well. After emptying what you easily can out of the jar, just pour in a few ounces of your favorite wine, replace the lid, and give it a few shakes. Now it’s easy to pour the rest of the sauce out, and as a bonus it will be flavored with your favorite wine. Delicious and fast! -- Heidi H., Massillon, Ohio
GARBAGE DISPOSAL CLEANING
Dear Heloise: I just read your column on using ice cubes to clean the disposal. This has worked very well for me for decades. After doing that several times recently on our stinky disposal, I used a spatula to pull back the rubber retainer at the very top to see if there was anything still stuck in the disposal, only to find the culprit. The underside of that retainer was truly gross. After cleaning it, the odors left. This cleaning was definitely needed, but not pleasant. Perhaps your readers will find it helpful. -- C. Moser, Green Valley, Arizona
C., this is a great idea to thoroughly clean our disposals, since we don’t see all the food debris and awful gunk underneath the rubber retainer. Try to clean it regularly. -- Heloise
FINDING A LOST PET
Dear Heloise: I read with interest your column recently about what to do to try to locate a lost or stolen pet. I would like to add another suggestion. Notify all local veterinarians that you have lost your pet. Describe the animal and provide a picture, and let them know whether the animal is chipped. Ask the veterinarian to be on the lookout for someone bringing the animal in as if it’s their new pet. You do such a great job of informing the public about animal care and alerts. -- Wanda D., Pleasant Plains, Illinois
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.