HELOISE Backup call ensured wedding guests received a thank-you

Dear Heloise: Our daughter recently got married and found out that not all of her thank-you notes were received, even though we mailed them from our home. She decided to call everyone personally and thank them for their gifts and for sharing her wedding day. We have gotten so many responses of appreciation. Billie in Washington
Oh, the thank-you-notes conundrum! Many times when sending out a lot of mail, a piece can go astray. Our postal workers do the best they can with the millions of pieces of mail they process. Calling is certainly a good backup. Heloise
Fast facts
Here are a couple of ways to reuse an empty, plastic margarine tub:
UGreat for a water or food container for your pet.
UUse to store craft items, like sequins, etc.
UPut leftovers in them -- they can usually be used in the microwave, too.
UUse in utility room for nails, screws, bolts, etc. Heloise
Dear Heloise: When my bath puffs have been well-used and need to be replaced, I use them for scrubbing and cleaning in the bathroom, especially in the shower, but also in the kitchen and outside on the porch -- any area of the house. They work great, and you can just throw them in the washer and they come out great. Debbie Wellman, Elk River, Minn.
Dear Heloise: I stumbled upon a great, easy way to make little trim paint touch-ups after one of our white-painted wooden door frames got a "dink" in it.
I already keep a small, tightly lidded glass jar of touch-up paint in the house for situations like these, but I didn't want to go hunting for a paintbrush. So I used a clean, unused makeup sponge to dab on the paint -- it covered the spot beautifully. It did such a good job that I found myself doing many tiny touch-ups with it! Amy Crawford, Plano, Texas
Dear Heloise: After losing my prescription glasses, I came up with the following: Take an address label, write your phone number on it and stick it to the inside of your eyeglass case. It's quick and easy. Susan Papp, Pollock Pines, Calif.
Sound off
I read a letter in your column from a woman who carries a purse-size aerosol breath spray to spritz in a public restroom. Please advise your readers not to do this. Many people have allergies and asthma, and such products can bring on a reaction or an asthma attack.
This is one reason why I have stopped wearing perfume, and try to use unscented products such as deodorant and hair spray. I also try to be careful about the cleaning products I use, so that when my friends and family with breathing problems come to my home, they will be comfortable visiting. D. H. in Texas
XSend 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.
King Features Syndicate