Here’s a hint for new parents

DEAR HELOISE » I bought a birthday card for each of my children every year and wrote them a quick note stating their likes, friends, hobbies and a few anecdotes. It took 5 minutes once a year. I put the cards in a shoe box in my closet. When each child turned 18, I presented them with a history of their childhood. It meant so very much to them.

— Nancy

DEAR HELOISE » I am picky about my bananas. If I buy a bunch that are just right, in two days the rest of the bunch is too ripe. If I put them in a refrigerator to slow down the ripening process, by the second day they have started turning black. I found this does not happen if I separate them and put them in a foam cooler or ice chest with a frozen gel bag. This keeps them about 50 degrees or cooler, and they don’t turn black.

I have also had luck putting them outside in cool weather as long as it is above 32 degrees. If you have the opposite problem, and they are too green, put them in a bag with an apple, and they will ripen much faster.

— Alex, Camarillo

DEAR HELOISE » Here’s a quick and sanitary way to open those pesky plastic bags in grocery store produce aisles that cling shut: Breathe on the fingertips of one hand and roll the bag edges between those fingers. You need to do this quickly since the little moisture it puts on your fingers soon evaporates. This is much cleaner than the old way of licking your dirty (yucky) fingertips. — Bill R., Merrimack,

New Hampshire

DEAR HELOISE » A simple way to shine stainless-steel flatware is to wad a small (8 inches by 8 inches) sheet of aluminum foil and put it in the dishwasher flatware basket and wash as usual. The aluminum foil will be darkened from the tarnish on flatware. When finished, toss the aluminum wad in the recycle bin.

Hope this helps those who hate polishing but want shiny flatware without the hassle.

— Jessie, Long Beach

DEAR HELOISE » I love reading your column daily in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. To keep my kitchen counters somewhat clutter-free, I store handheld and stand mixers, blender, electric can opener, toaster and crockpots on the lazy Susan turntable in the base cabinets. It makes for easy access and lots of counter space.

— Nancy R.

DEAR READERS » Tena Elkins sent in a photo of her cute Labrador, Wily, cozied up on her couch! He looks so relaxed and comfortable.

To see Wily and our other Pet Pals, go to Heloise.com and click on “Pet of the Week.”

ACROSS

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Wave one’s arms? Maker of some replacement heads

Lose focus, in a way

Sight from Maui’s west shore

Classic song with the line “Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci / And lots of wavy hair like Liberace”

“The same”

Fan belt? Headache

Load off

Not totes

Mire

Repeated voice role for Steve Carell

Lacking zip? “Duke” for Marmaduke

Item on a library shelf

Sarcastic “Oh, like you thought of that yourself” “Who’s with me?” Horizontal group hug session

Code with tags Like some telephone nos. What “chicken” and “egg” are examples of 42

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DOWN

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Philanthropist Broad

Polaroid’s SX-70 camera, for one: Abbr.

Traffic marker Ragtag Best-selling sports video game franchise Bank in London, for example: Abbr. West Point grad, informally

Animal that can grow up to 3,000 teeth in its lifetime

Child’s play

“I’ve heard enough”

Ones making the rounds?

Final act

Home to Museum Island

Begrudge

Tube letters Ne plus ultra

Bro

Watson and others

Something found under a mattress Female salmon Hoary

Inveigh (against) Sophocles heroine “Peace, bro” 13 14 20

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Algae, at times Draw on, in a way Goes back to the beginning

Alpine folk dress Supercapacitor unit

With gusto Washington nickname

Of the moment Outcast

Setting for Melville’s “The Encantadas”

Live a little

Words on a ticket Place where students can find solutions

Charles ___, artist whose bust of M.L.K.

Jr. was the first image of an 39 40

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African American displayed at the White House

The end of Wikipedia? Ostinato provider in Ravel’s “Boléro” Oozes

“Not so!” Imperfection Slavic form of Elijah

Member of the world’s happiest people, per repeated World Happiness Reports Something of your neighbor’s not to covet, per the Ten Commandments Te-___ (Mexican cigar brand)