Protect firewood from water, pests, mold

Dear Readers: By now, many of you have a nice supply of firewood stacked up. But make sure you're not inviting problems. How and where you store firewood is more important than you might think. Keep the wood dry and free of mold and bugs. That's why piling wood on the ground is a bad idea. You never know what's happily nesting in the wood.
* Stack wood off the ground using a commercial rack, or make your own with several pieces of galvanized pipe.
* Leave at least 6 inches between the bottom of the wood and the soil.
* Stack the wood with the bark side up for better protection against water, and keep the stack at least six feet away from your foundation.
* Keep a supply of dry wood in a plastic garbage can outside your back door, and bring logs inside only as you need them.
It's so cozy to sit in front of a warm fire on a cold winter night! Heloise
P.S. Please remember to use common sense when burning wood in a fireplace or wood stove. Don't burn green wood, and use a fire screen.
Dear Heloise: I take old pillowcases, cut slits in the hem and put in drawstrings (or you can buy inexpensive laundry bags at a discount store). We keep several in our suitcases for road trips. Everyone puts his or her dirty clothes in the bag, so when we return home, all dirty clothes go straight to the laundry room, and we can unpack later, after we rest. Barbara Walker, via e-mail
Dear Heloise: After reading your column about needing two people to check lights and signals on your car, I thought you should know about my accidentally discovered trick.
One day, while on a lunch break from work (being a car diner), I pulled into a business park nearby and parked in front of an empty office section with large, tinted windows. I noticed my turn signal flashing in the window, so I checked the other one. I then proceeded to check my headlights -- both dimmed and high beams -- and parking lights. After eating, I turned the car around and watched in the rearview mirror as I checked the rear lights -- brakes, driving lights, back-up lights and turn signals. Since I discovered this trick, I occasionally pull into the parking lot of an empty building and check all my lights. D.M., Galloway, Ohio
This is a super safety hint that is so easy to do. Folks, take a few minutes to check the signals and, most importantly, your brake lights. It could save a life and, in many states, a ticket. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I discovered something that made window washing a little easier. Others might already do this, but for me it was one of those "light bulb" experiences. Before I started washing inside, I brushed off the accumulated dust on the glass and around the frame, using a vacuum with the brush attachment. Eliminating the dust drastically cut back on the amount of newspaper and cleaner I used and helped reduce the streaking. Time and effort were practically cut in half. Bonnie Sumner, La Mesa, Calif.
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