Dear Heloise: I read

your column daily and

would like to share what I

do when I receive or send

flower arrangements. If I

receive them, I immediately

send a text or an email to the

person who sent them. I tell

them I have received their

lovely flowers so they know

that they were delivered.

I also take a quick photo

of the arrangement and

enclose it in the message.

Finally, I follow up with a

written thank-you note that

I send in the regular mail.

I also find that when I

send flowers through online

florists, I’m unsure about

the quality of what is being

delivered on the other end. I

think taking a picture of the

arrangement can be so helpful

so that the sender can see

exactly what was delivered

and make a decision as to

whether to use the florist

again. — Nancy K., Arcadia,

California

GOING TO COLLEGE

Dear Heloise: To Regan,

in Alice, Texas, I encourage

you to follow your dream to

go to college. When I graduated

high school, I decided

to skip college.

After two years in a

mundane job, I decided that

I needed a change. One day,

my job required me to be

on campus at a major university

in Columbus, Ohio.

As I ate lunch, I watched the

students as they walked to

class, and I finally decided

to make that change.

I immediately called the

course counseling office on

campus and said, “Please,

you need to help me. My

life is stuck, and I need

help!” The lady laughed,

bless her, and told me that

she gets several calls a

month from people like me.

She assured it wasn’t too

late for me and walked me

through the whole process.

I was enrolled and sitting in

class within a month. I’m

not going to lie — it was

hard, and it was the scariest

feeling. But I made it!

I’m retired now after a

fulfilling career as a high

school and community

college instructor. I met

my wife in class, and we

are celebrating 37 years of

bliss. Hang in there, make

that call to a local community

college and try it out.

You can do it. — Ed M.,

Riverside, California

Send a money-saving or

timesaving hint to Heloise@

Heloise.com. I can’t answer

your letter personally but

will use the best hints received

in my column.