Heloise

Dear Heloise: I read your recent column in the Beaver Dam Daily Citizen. I’m a walker, not a dog owner. I’ve observed that many dog owners do pick up the doo-doo, but then when they think no one is watching, they drop the bag on someone else’s lawn or in the street. Please take the bag home and put it in your own trash. It is only marginally less pleasant to pick up the bag than the unbagged doo-doo! — Hannan, via email

Hannan, you’re right! If it’s your dog, it’s your responsibility to pick up the poo. I get many angry letters from homeowners who complain about people who do not pick up. The following letter is just one of many. — Heloise

LAZY DOG OWNERS

Dear Heloise: This morning, a woman let her dog use my front lawn to take a potty break. I saw it, grabbed a roll of paper towels, ran outside, and shouted, “Get back here!”

The woman turned around and walked back with some idiotic excuse for leaving the dog poo on my lawn. I handed her the paper towels and just said, “Pick it up!” I pointed to a small camera that is attached to my house and told her that I had her and her dog on video. I also knew where she lived, and in about 5 minutes, so would the police if she didn’t pick up the poo.

She picked it up with a length of paper towel and tried to hand it to me. I stepped back and told her to take it home and put it in her trash. It’s time that homeowners put their foot down. Now she doesn’t walk her dog down my street anymore. — Fed Up, in New Jersey

LAMPSHADE DUSTING

Dear Heloise: The best way to dust lampshades is with a brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner rod. — J.L., via email

ADVERTISEMENT REUSE

Dear Heloise: The annoying advertisement sheets we too often receive in the mail make perfect, handy dustpans. — Irma B., via email

NEEDLE-NOSE PLIERS

Dear Heloise: I am a senior with arthritis in my hands. When I needed to use eye drops in a tiny bottle that I couldn’t squeeze, I used a walnut cracker to hold the bottle and squeeze the eye drops into my eyes.

I also keep needle-nose pliers in my kitchen drawer. It’s helpful when I have vitamin bottles, whipped cream cans, or other bottles with a plastic tear strip. It grabs them and makes it easy to remove the strips.

I thought your readers might find these ideas helpful. I have always loved your column. — Lois K., via email

EASY SORTING

Dear Heloise: I use pill box sorters for my earrings. It works great for storing them, especially when traveling. — M.L.C., in Wyoming

CLEANING TABLETS

Dear Heloise: I love your column, and my family has a set of books that your mother (I think) compiled! Although I have used bleach on coffee mugs, I have found that dental tablets for cleaning false teeth work better. I just drop one to two tablets into the cup and leave it. This also works on to-go travel mugs. — Laura M., via email

Laura, great hint! And yes, my mother and I both wrote books, but the books that you mentioned are actually mine. Hope you enjoy them! — Heloise

SEND A GREAT HINT TO:

Heloise@Heloise.com