Dear Heloise: Shoes can develop odors quickly, especially after long days. A simple solution helped in my house: I sprinkle baking soda inside each shoe before bedtime and let it sit overnight. Baking soda absorbs moisture and neutralizes odors. Shake it out in the morning, and the difference ...
Dear Annie: I work in a small office where everyone is friendly, but one co-worker has taken "friendly" to a new level. Over the past year, she's begun confiding in me about deeply personal issues: her marriage troubles, financial stress, arguments she's had the night before. At first, I ...
Dear Heloise: For those who wear wigs, I always wear a thin cotton headband under the elastic perimeter of the wig. It absorbs most of the oil and perspiration, especially in warm weather. I rarely have to wash the wig, and when I do, I just wash the edges to avoid soaking the entire wig. In ...
Dear Annie: I was really excited when I landed my dream job a few months ago. It has great pay and a title that can really take me places. But now, just a few months in, I'm pulling my hair out. We're in our "busy season," which means lots of late nights and working weekends. Every time I ...
Dear Heloise: Stale chips used to end up in the trash at my house far too often. Now I bring them back to life with a quick oven trick that really works: Spread the chips in a single layer on a baking sheet so that they heat evenly. Slide the pan into an oven set to 300 F for about 5 minutes. ...
Dear Annie: I am a woman in my early 40s, living several states away from the town where I grew up. My relationship with my parents has always been complicated, especially with my mother, and for the last 25 years I have also been estranged from my older sister. She still lives near my parents, while I built my life far away. The issue comes up whenever I consider visiting. If my parents know I'm coming, my mother almost always tells my sister and tries to arrange some kind of family get-together. What she doesn't seem to accept is that I do not want contact with my sister. Our ...
