Dear Readers: To remove road tar from your vehicles, purchase an oil-based, prewash spray made specifically for the surfaces of automobiles. Spritz this onto the tar spots and let it work for several minutes. Then scrub with a plastic scrubber. Rinse completely and buff the areas with a microfiber cloth. — Heloise

KIDS AT PLAY

Dear Heloise: I have a round lawn sprinkler that shoots water straight up in the air. Last year, I bought a child’s wading pool that was big enough for two small children and filled it with water. Then I placed the round water sprinkler in it and let my grandkids play inside. They had a blast, and on a very hot day, it was a good form of entertainment. They were wearing the sprinkler like a crown, pretending they were part of a fountain and having a ball.

Entertaining children does not have to be expensive. When my new refrigerator arrived, the grandkids played with the box it came in for hours. Another day, I bought some cheap sidewalk chalk, and they loved drawing on my paved driveway with it. When it rained, we made paper kites out of tissue paper and rags for a tale.

We started to grow an avocado in a jar of water back in October, and now that it’s sprouting roots, we’re off to plant it this coming weekend. They named the tree “Oscar,” and he’ll be planted in my backyard.

All it takes is a little imagination! — J.D., in California

FIRE SAFETY DRILLS

Dear Readers: Hold fire safety drills in your home to show your family members how to handle emergencies. Run them through a drill every six months so that they know which routes to take to get out of the house safely. — Heloise