HELOISE Tips for avoiding a swampy backyard

Dear Heloise: When we moved into our first house four years ago, we found that we had a terrible flooding problem in our backyard. My husband bought a small, electric, submersible pump that we could put in the area that was under water and pump the water out to the street through a garden hose.
Since then, we've had drains installed in our backyard, but we still use our pump another way. We have a toddler who has a kiddie swimming pool, and when it's time to dump out the water, my husband puts the pump in the pool. After attaching a garden hose and a sprinkler, we can use the pool water anywhere on the yard. This is better than dumping it right where the pool stood. This hint might not be for everyone, but for those who already have a pump, it is great! Penny Blair, Houston
Dear Heloise: When traveling by car, take a small bar of soap (like hotels and motels supply) in your purse for rest stops that don't furnish soap. Lou Ogden, Yreka, Calif.
Dear Heloise: I had a really good idea when I was painting and couldn't finish the job all in one day. I put the roller into a self-sealing, gallon-size plastic bag, and then while holding the outside of the bag with my left hand, I pulled the roller off of the handle, rolled it up in the bag and zipped it, airtight.
The roller keeps without drying out for days! It was easy to get the roller handle back into the roller while it was still in the bag. No paint on your hands. Susan Simmons, Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Dear Heloise: Incandescent light bulbs often get stuck in their sockets and are difficult to turn. Sometimes the bulb breaks off, and I have a real mess to fix. I found that if I rub a very light film of petroleum jelly on the threads of the light bulb before screwing it into the socket, it comes out with ease. This really works for bulbs installed in high-moisture areas (outdoors, garages, bathrooms and appliances). Don Hepfer, San Diego
Dear Heloise: My hint is to use lighter fluid to get that sticky residue from a price sticker off. It immediately cuts through, and the glue wipes off instantly! Then I wash the item extremely well before using. Lynne Branigan, via e-mail
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