Waiting-room cell phone calls annoy others

Dear Heloise: A reader wrote about using the waiting time in a doctor’s office to use her cell phone to catch up with her sister. I hope she shows some concern for others and takes her conversation outside. There is nothing worse than being a captive audience in a waiting room and having to listen to someone going on and on about Aunt Mona’s latest surgery or what he or she is planning for dinner or who said what at Bobby’s birthday party. These are private conversations and are of no interest to the rest of us.

Please keep them private! Many of us try to read quietly while waiting, and people blabbing on their cell phones are very inconsiderate. By the way, many doctors and dentists have signs posted about no cell-phone use in the waiting room. Leslie, via e-mail

Actually, the reader was in the exam room waiting for the doctor. But I do agree with you that it is annoying to have to listen to cell-phone conversations while in the waiting area. Heloise

Dear Heloise: I code the top of medications in my medicine cabinet with a dot of nail polish. Each family member has his or her own color, so medications don’t get mixed up. Maggie, Kansas

Dear Heloise: I believe someone wrote to you about not wanting to use the host’s nice hand towels hanging in the bathroom. A friend of mine fixed this problem by putting a small basket on top of the toilet with about seven washcloths in it. It also contains a wrapped bar of glycerin soap, so guests know what the cloths are for. Her nice, expensive towels never get touched, and guests have clean cloths for their hands. Greg Schmidt, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Dear Heloise: Here is a great recycling idea: We use online banking to pay almost all of our bills. However, we get a lot of mail with return envelopes enclosed. Rather than throw these envelopes away, we keep them by the phone or the computer and use them for scratch paper. Carol, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

Dear Heloise: My dishwasher is really old and recently went out. I am unable to replace it right now. I’ve never minded hand-washing dishes — I just always disliked having a towel and dish rack on my kitchen counter.

So, what I do now is open the dishwasher door, and as I wash dishes, I use the dishwasher racks for drying. It’s great when I really don’t have time to put the dishes away — I just close the door and put them up later when I have time. Now I am no longer always looking at dishes on the kitchen counter waiting to be put away! Lisa in Louisiana

King Features Syndicate