DEAR HELOISE: I read your column in The (Springfield, Ill.) State Journal-Register, and the mention of CAKES BAKED IN COFFEE CANS is an excellent hint. I've been sending parcels weekly to military personnel for seven years, and now I've affiliated with Adopt-a-Chaplain.org as a means to provide support to those who need a little extra help. The treats most commented on lately have been the powdered-sugar doughnuts (individually packaged, easy to carry and a taste of home). Other items that are appreciated are music CDs and DVDs of TV shows and movies, popcorn, jerky, gum, coffee, tea and cocoa. The U.S. Postal Service has special flat-rate boxes at reduced rates for mailing to APO or FPO addresses.
All the snacks are distributed and encourage men and women to stop by to chat in a nonthreatening environment about the issues affecting them. -- Vaughn W. Henry, Springfield, Ill.
How wonderful to be able to send a little bit of home to our troops. I had to edit your letter for space, but the "goodie" points are all here. -- Heloise
Plumbing woes
DEAR HELOISE: I had a co-worker tell me that water was running or leaking in her toilet bowl. So, she called a plumber, who charged her $75 to replace the flapper ($70 for the call and $5 for the part!). Everyone should check the toilet flapper once or twice a year. -- Judy in Kentucky
Dryer sheets
DEAR HELOISE: I am writing in regard to a reader who nearly had a mishap while doing laundry. I have been lucky not to fall, but those laundry dryer sheets are very dangerous. They do tend to fall on the floor when you are unloading the dryer, and they can be missed. -- Nancy Levine, via e-mail
Nancy, dryer sheets contain fabric conditioners that are oily, and yes, they can be slippery. You can use the dryer sheet to wipe down the washer and occasionally clean the lint trap. -- Heloise
Letter of laughter
DEAR HELOISE: After reading about flannel-backed tablecloths, I wanted to share this. We invited friends and their teenage daughters to go camping in our pop-up camper and the girls in a tent. A cold front unexpectantly blew in, and after giving the sleeping bags and blankets to our guests, my husband and I struggled to keep warm with just a sheet. In the middle of the night, after racking my brain for some way to get warm, I got up and went outside, took the tablecloth off of the picnic table and placed it over us, with the flannel side toward our bodies. We slept warm as toast the rest of the night! -- Shari Levert, Lakehills, Texas
Litter buckets
DEAR HELOISE: I buy cat litter in the bucket-type containers. After they are empty, I use them for dry cat food, dog food, birdseed and leftover fertilizer for my lawn. The lids come in different colors, and I label them with the contents so I can tell at a glance what's inside. -- Lena, via fax
Peanut-butter milk
DEAR READERS: Don't want to waste that last bit of peanut butter in the jar, but it's not enough to make a sandwich? We've found a delicious solution. Pour a glass of cold milk in the jar, secure the lid and shake vigorously. Add a squeeze of chocolate syrup if you'd like. And you can do the same with the jam, jelly, preserves or marmalade jar. -- Heloise
Easy open
DEAR HELOISE: You know how hard it is to open the plastic bags for fruit and veggies in the store? I sometimes write my list on a sticky note. The other day, I pulled a bag off the roll and got the idea to press the note on one side of the bag at the top. Worked like a charm. I've tried rubbing the plastic, blowing on it, you name it -- but from now on, I will use a sticky note! -- Jan, Washington, D.C.
Other use
DEAR HELOISE: I recently discovered that my large metal baking rack is useful for more than cooling fresh-baked cookies. I've started placing it over the dishes in the top rack in my dishwasher before every load. No more dishes flipping over and filling with dirty water.
I also place it over one sink while prepping fruits and vegetables as a handy place to let them drain after washing. -- Brenda from Utah
Cutting the cake
DEAR HELOISE: I read a question from another fan about cutting cheesecake or angel food cake. My hint is to use an electric knife. This works great cutting either cake. Also, when a recipe calls for a chicken breast cut up into small pieces for stir-fry, use an electric knife. -- Connie Conway, via e-mail
Gift card
DEAR HELOISE: I have been a big gift-card giver, always choosing the person's favorite store, restaurant, etc. But one time a gift card I had given was empty when the person tried to redeem it. I didn't find out until I asked, because this person was too embarrassed to tell me. I can only assume that the card wasn't properly swiped at the time I bought it.
Now, I always put the receipt in with the gift card. That way, the person has the proof to show that the money was indeed spent without having the embarrassment of asking me, should the card be empty. -- Terri, Omaha, Neb.
Bathmat
DEAR HELOISE: I live out in the country and take my bathmat out on the deck to dry so it does not get moldy. This can be pretty hard to do in the winter, so I found a way to solve the problem in all seasons. I roll it up with the little suction cups on the outside and, with a spring clothespin, pin the top ends together where they meet. I stand it over the drain hole, and when tub and mat are dry, I put the mat down for the next shower. -- Lillian in New Jersey
Lighting fixtures
DEAR HELOISE: I think it should be very important for your readers to know that they should read directions that come with lighting fixtures.
My daughter purchased a fixture but used the wrong-size light bulbs (higher wattage), and almost caused a catastrophe. Luckily, she has a great sense of smell, and we found the problem and fixed it right away. -- Dave in Pennsylvania
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
