Lunchbox mess was no April Fools yolk

Dear Heloise: When a Hint to Heloise (which I enjoy reading every day) about marking hard-cooked eggs appeared in our newspaper, the Cecil Whig in Elkton, Md., a smile crept across my face as I recalled my own experience.

Many years ago, when our children were in elementary school, I made hard-cooked eggs the night before for their lunchboxes. The next morning, I was cracking eggs for a scrambled-egg breakfast, and one of the eggs was hard-cooked! No one had complained or made mention of anything amiss.

When I questioned them over breakfast the next day, our oldest son admitted that yes, he had gotten a raw egg in his lunch. “Why didn’t you say something when you got home?” I asked. He replied nonchalantly that yesterday was April Fools’ Day, and he thought I had done it on purpose. It had smashed in the lunchbox all over everything. I was mortified!

Now, with a pencil I draw a grumpy face on hard-cooked eggs left in the refrigerator. Joan D., Chesapeake City, Md.

Your letter gave us a laugh in Heloise Central! Thanks for reading the column in your paper, which is a longtime client! Heloise

Dear Heloise: Here’s a hint for folks who go in for X-rays, CAT scans, MRIs and other tests. If they need to compare your new X-ray to a past X-ray, call the lab a day or two before to check that it has your previous tests.

Nothing is more frustrating than arriving on time for a lab appointment only to have the staff keep you waiting for ages so they can find your previous file. It’s best to be prepared, rather than be delayed if the records are not on hand. This phone call also can serve as confirmation of your appointment. This will save you from driving all the way to the lab if they aren’t ready for you. K.M., via e-mail

Dear Heloise: You know how we get all those department-store circulars and they are full of annoying perfume-sample leaflets that fall out as soon as you open the circular? Well, I save the few fragrances that I like and use them when I travel.

I open one up, then fold it back and stick it in my bag full of “worn” clothes. It also keeps the rest of the clothes smelling good, and the bag of dirty clothes from emitting any odors. It is especially good in the hotter months. It’s important to make sure the fragrance flap is folded back, as it will stain clothes if it touches them. Roma, Edison, N.J.

Dear Heloise: We recycle when we can. We use an empty tissue box as a trash can in our car. We’ve done this for quite a while — it doesn’t make a mess in the car, and no one knows it’s a trash can. Kathy, South Hutchinson, Kan.

SBlt Send 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