Dear Heloise: Before I go to bed, I spend about 3 minutes preparing for the next morning. I set up the coffee maker, put anything that I need to take with me by the door, and leave out anything I’ll need on the counter rather than tucking it away in a cabinet. It isn’t a dramatic change, ...

Dear Annie: My husband of five years has dementia. We've known about it for two or three years. He retired last year, and I work full time. It's getting harder. He argues every point, doesn't want me to go anywhere without him and repeats himself. He says he will just "wait for me" when I ask ...

Dear Annie: For years, I've made it a point to remember every birthday in my extended family -- my nieces, nephews and now their children -- by sending cards with a little money tucked inside. It's been my way of staying connected since I don't see them often. Now I'm retired and living on a ...

Dear Heloise: I’ve had a lot of trouble opening bottles of nail polish. Some bottles have tops with a smooth surface or a shape that’s not easily grasped. And don’t forget bottles that have partially dried shut! My quick fix is to wrap a rubber band around the bottle cap. It’s so much ...

ESCANABA — Apple blossoms are the essence of Memorial Day weekend in Upper Michigan. As American as apple pie, apple blossoms are the prelude to a great growing season. After a long, cold winter, gentle pink and creamy white flower petals on tree branches are like an answered prayer! As ...

Dear Heloise: Every house has a junk drawer, and everyone knows exactly which drawer it is. The reason that it never stays organized isn’t due to a lack of effort but a lack of categories. Everything goes in together because there’s nowhere else for it to go. Then you can’t find anything ...