Picture this: Finding your parked car in a snap

Dear Heloise: I was just reading about the woman who uses her digital camerato take pictures of items in various stores. I used mine recently when visiting a very large fair. I was with my daughter and her infant. Parking was plentiful, but it was a long way to walk. Light posts had letters on them so you would know what row you were parked in. I was a little concerned that after a long day, with temperatures around 90 degrees, we would not remember where we had parked, so I took a picture of the letter on the post, along with the row, so we wouldn’t be wandering around later with aching feet and a crying baby. Carol Charbonneau, Wolcott, Conn.

Carol, great hint! This would be good when vacationing families go to theme parks, too. Heloise

Fast facts

Dear Readers: There are many uses for our good old standby shampoo. Here are a few for you to consider:

SBlt When traveling, shampoo can be used instead of laundry detergent.

SBlt It’s a great way to launder delicate hand-washables.

SBlt Works as a cleanser on the sink, tub and shower walls to remove soap film and dirt (note: Mix a little baking soda with the shampoo when extra scrubbing is needed).

SBlt Can be used as a body wash.

SBlt Baby shampoo makes a good bubble bath.

SBlt Serves as a laundry pretreatment for stains or ring around the collar.

SBlt It’s a good substitute for dishwashing liquid when hand-washing dishes. Heloise

Dear Heloise: I love to color-code socks. My husband and I have a few pairs of socks that are the same brand and color. I baste a little dot of pink thread at the cuff of mine so we can sort them easily. A Reader, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: I enjoyed your recent article on candle safety. You suggested using a metal blade to push wicks down to extinguish them. In a catalog, I saw an expensive “candle dipper,” which does that. It was simply a piece of wire with a loop. I reached in my junk drawer and pulled out an “egg dipper” from last year’s Easter dye. It is perfect for pushing the wick down, and the loop pulls the wick right back up so I’m ready for the next time! Geraldine Mann, San Diego

Sound off

Dear Heloise: My complaint is businesses (doctor’s offices, vets, shops, etc.) that don’t pay attention to a customer when you walk in. I get a “hello” and then am ignored. They don’t say, “Working on your order,” “getting your file” or anything. I am just left to stand or sit there wondering what’s going on. How would they feel if I walked in and just stared at them or sat down and ignored them? Grumpy 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