HELOISE 'Birthday in a Box' made more than one G.I.'s day

Dear Heloise: I want to tell you something I did for our son who is stationed in Afghanistan. His birthday was coming up, and I wanted him to have something special for that day, so I sent him a "Birthday in a Box." I bought paper birthday plates, napkins, candles, noisemakers, a "Happy Birthday" banner, candy, confetti and a silly, special birthday hat. I gathered wrapped birthday gifts and cards from family members and added them to the box.
But what is a birthday without cake and ice cream? I was fortunate to find a canned cake locally that would stay edible. Then I went to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center here in Huntsville, Ala., and bought freeze-dried astronaut ice cream. If someone cannot find these items where they live, they are readily available online.
For anyone who wants to do something similar, be aware that there are certain items that might be prohibited by customs. Check with your post office for a list and for a customs declaration form, which must be filled out and put with each package. Also, plan on two to three weeks for your service member's "Birthday in a Box" to arrive. Military Mom in Huntsville, Ala.
P.S. Whenever I send goodies, I make sure there is plenty so that my son can share with his buddies. In his tent, he is the only one of seven or eight GIs who gets care packages.
Dear Military Mom: Send a big Heloise Hello and thank-you to your son, and we also say thanks to all military personnel far away from home! Thanks, too, to our service members who pull duty stateside -- every job is important. Heloise
Dear Heloise: We just completed a 4,000-mile road trip, which was a nightmare going through large cities because we got lost every time. It was due to my trying to tell my husband, who is totally deaf, which road to get off on. He is an excellent driver, but we yelled back and forth -- my saying "Get off on 75 south," and his saying "Where do we get off?" And my saying "Back there!!!" At a discount store, I spied a 9-by-12-inch white board with an attached marker and eraser. It solved the problem. I could simply write "75 south," and he could read it without all the confusion.
One time, a state trooper observed our many turnarounds and gently escorted us to the right road. Thanks a million, Cincinnati troopers! A reader, via e-mail
Who hasn't been there? Your hint is "write" on and will probably help save a few relationships! Heloise
Dear Heloise: I've recently recycled bed pillows and afghans by washing and drying our worn-out bed pillows and covering them with a favorite afghan to create a sofa or throw pillow. Kathryn Ziegler, via e-mail
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