Dear Heloise: I recently was in heavy rush-hour traffic and noticed a senior couple in the lane beside me. The lady in the passenger seat had her aluminum cane standing up between her legs on the front floorboard.
My concern is that these people do not realize that, should their car be involved in a wreck that deploys the passenger air bag, the cane would be propelled into the lady's face with tremendous force. The cane or any object that is between the air bag and the occupant would be turned into a hazard.
I am sure that the couple I observed and thousands of others do not realize that this is a dangerous situation that could cause severe injury. Please advise your readers to place their canes in a safe place. —Gordon Weddle, Danville, Ky.
Thanks for writing and reminding us to use caution and common sense. —Heloise
Dear Heloise: I like using the new wet floor-cleaning sheets because they are so fast. One day as I started to clean the bathroom floor, I noticed I was out of them. So, in a pinch, I put a dry dusting-type sheet on and just sprayed it with all-purpose cleaner. Worked great! —Bonnie P., Simi Valley, Calif.
As long as the all-purpose cleaner is safe to use on the flooring, this is a quick cleanup hint. —Heloise
Dear Heloise: Several years ago, a friend gave me a super tip for getting all of the contents out of tubes of toothpaste, etc. Just run the tube across the edge of a counter from the bottom toward the cap. This works very well to push the contents toward the cap. You can redo it when you use more of the toothpaste, etc. This doesn't take a whole lot of pressure, as you are using the counter, so it might be something that seniors can do easily. —Lily Max, via e-mail
Dear Heloise: These days, it gets kind of expensive to bring birthday treats for your child's school classroom. And if you go to the store bakery to pick up these items, it can be costly.
Well, my son's birthday is in July, and he went to an all-year-round preschool. One year, I bought a couple of boxes of red, white and blue frozen ice pops. There were enough of these frozen pops to feed all the kids — and the teachers, too! It was not only cheap, but a refreshing treat as well. The kids loved them! —Sheri, via e-mail
Dear Heloise: My husband and I are staying temporarily with his sister, a non-baker. I love to bake, and pies are my specialty.
Lacking a rolling pin, I had to come up with an alternative. I used a wine bottle filled with water, and to make my pastry easier to roll, I chilled the bottle before using it. It works well, I'm enjoying my baking, and the family is enjoying the pies. —Ruth Rubino, Fort Pierce, Fla.
Dear Heloise:After my doctor prescribed a new medication, I had a difficult time taking it at the regular time each day. My little travel alarm helped me remember the medication until I had it ingrained in my brain to take it regularly. —Stella Grover, Lancaster, Ohio
Did you know that you can make your own jewelry cleaner at home with a product you probably have under the sink or in the laundry room? All you need to do is mix equal parts of sudsy ammonia and water.
Place the jewelry in the solution and let it soak for a few minutes. Then, using an old, soft-bristled toothbrush, give it a scrub. Rinse well and air-dry. Caution: Don't use this solution on opal, pearl, lapis lazuli, amber, jade or any soft, porous stone. —Heloise
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 210-HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can't answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.
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