Dear Heloise: I love having a FRENCH MANICURE, and I like it to look good for as long as possible, but occasionally the white edges get scratched. When this happens, I get out my correction fluid, touch up the scratch, then apply a clear coat, and no one can tell the difference. — Mary Ann in Wyoming

PEDESTRIANS

Dear Heloise: I just narrowly missed hitting a pedestrian early this morning. The person decided to cross the street from between two parked cars. So, I have a few reminders for folks out exercising early in the day and also at dusk:

* If you wear earbuds while you exercise, be extra-careful about traffic, because you may not hear a vehicle approaching.

* Walk facing traffic. This is especially important if there is no sidewalk and you need to walk in the road.

* Do not cross the street from between two parked cars. Go to the crosswalk, where you are much safer.

* Get off your phone and watch where you’re going. I can’t emphasize this enough.

* When it’s dark outside, wear reflective clothing or carry a flashlight so you can be seen.

— Henry H., Pebble Beach, Calif.

GARLIC AND TEA BALLS

Dear Heloise: My husband hates biting into a chunk of garlic, so instead of tossing the cloves directly into a soup or stew that I’m cooking, I put them in a tea ball and drop it into the pot. All the flavor but none of the chunks. — Angela J. in Utah

NEW USE FOR OLD PANTYHOSE

Dear Heloise: My husband is in the military, and he has to keep his dress shoes shiny, so he used my old pantyhose to buff them. Turns out they’re great for shining dress shoes. Who knew? — Sarah M., Albuquerque, N.M.

BIRD FEEDER

Dear Heloise: Instead of throwing away cardboard toilet paper rolls, I smear peanut butter on them, then roll them in seeds and hang them from branches for the birds to eat. — May T., Keswick, Va.

GET YOUR SOCKS TOGETHER

Dear Heloise: I think my washing machine eats my socks. I’m always losing one sock, so when I go to match up my socks after washing them, I seem to be one sock short. Help! — Bob S., via email

Bob, this is an easy one: Just take a safety pin and pin two matching socks together. Do this with all of your socks before you wash and dry them. — Heloise

LOOK IT UP

Dear Heloise: I keep my phone by my side. When I come across a word I don’t know or haven’t heard before, I quickly look it up. Then I try to use the word in a sentence. This works great! — Kevin R., age 11, in Virginia

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Hints from Heloise run occasionally in Lifestyles. Readers may send a hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE, or email: Heloise@Heloise.com. Letters won’t be answered personally.