Gift cards for parents make the giving easier

Dear Heloise: I have a hard time knowing what to buy my parents for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversary, Christmas, etc. I finally came up with an idea that we both like. I buy them gift cards for their favorite restaurants. Since they live in a small town, I check the closest bigger town to see what restaurants are located there. Brooke in Colorado

Brooke, gift buying can sometimes be challenging! Find out favorite restaurants, other activities such as movies or theater, or even transportation such as a bus pass or taxi fare, and buy gift certificates or cards to give. Heloise

Dear Readers: Here are some handy uses for cup hooks:

• Next to the kitchen sink to hang rings, watches, etc., when doing dishes.

• Install one near the back door for various uses.

• Put one in a closet to hold belts, scarves, etc.

• Place one in the bathroom to hang necklaces, bracelets, etc.

• Use to keep trailing plants happy. Heloise

Dear Heloise: Some time back, you made a statement not to wear jewelry in pools and lakes. Well, here is a story: My dad had a cottage at Hamilton Lake, north of Fort Wayne, Ind. My brother-in-law Ray dove off the pier, and his wedding ring came off. He was very careful not to disturb the area where he went in. He looked and looked, but the ring was gone. The next year, Ray dove in and saw something shiny, grabbed for it — you guessed it, it was his wedding ring. Paula B., via e-mail

Glad the ring was found! This is exactly why you should take care when wearing jewelry when swimming, etc. Heloise

Dear Heloise: Before putting wet cloths on dirty blinds, vacuum the blinds first with the brush attachment of the vacuum to remove any loose dirt. Dusting only throws dirt back up in the air, and water creates mud! Vacuum both sides up and down and side to side — then use a damp cloth to polish them up. Frances Farmer, Kingwood, Texas

Dear Heloise: We were recently given a gift of a box of various scented sachets. One of the envelopes inadvertently ended up in the sheets when being changed. This was discovered when the aroma of sea breeze enveloped the covers. It is now a habit to include a sachet envelope when changing the sheets. It also keeps the sheets fresh in the guest bedroom, and it’s a nice touch when having company. Sonya and Fritz, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Sound Off

Dear Heloise: There are some stores that will not honor computer-generated coupons. They will accept coupons from magazines or the Sunday paper, but not the ones you can print off Web sites. This is frustrating for me, because I’ll often try a product if I get $1-$2 off. I know this is store policy to avoid fraud, but it’s frustrating nevertheless. Glynis, via e-mail

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