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When planning a scavenger hunt

Dear Heloise: My 4-year-old grandson and I enjoy playing scavenger hunts together, but sometimes we can’t remember exactly what he has hidden outside. To make things easier, we now line up seven or eight items that we’ve chosen to hide -- usually his toys -- and I take a quick photo of them on my phone before we start. As one of us finds an item, we line them up again and compare them to the photo to see which ones we’ve found and which are still missing. It keeps the game fun, avoids frustration, and helps ensure that nothing is left behind. Having a photo helps every time! -- ...

Police logs

Brown County Sheriff’s Office • Responded to a one-vehicle crash without reported injuries on CR 24 just east of Mathiowetz Construction, Leavenworth at 2:24 p.m. Wednesday. Levi Jakes, 20, New Ulm was driving a 2020 GMC Sierra westbound that crossed the road, entered the opposite ditch, hit a fence and REA pole. Damage was moderate. New Ulm Police • Arrested a 41-year-old New Ulm man without incident on a Brown County warrant for failure to appear in court at 10:22 a.m. A report was done for documentation.

Balancing independence with newfound curiosity

Dear Annie: I need advice about a situation I never expected. I’m 37, single and mostly happy with my life. Then my new neighbor moved in. He’s charming and easy to talk to, and I realized I’m suddenly aware of every interaction, overthinking every glance or comment. He’s friendly and sociable, nothing overt, but I catch myself reading too much into casual gestures. I find myself planning my errands around seeing him, replaying conversations in my head, and feeling a strange mix of excitement and anxiety I haven’t felt in a long time. I’ve always been independent and ...

Don’t pick at the produce please

Dear Heloise: I frequently see fellow shoppers in the grocery store produce section who snatch and eat bits of items there -- grapes, cherries, blueberries, blackberries, little peppers, and even a small apple one day. While individual instances are miniscule, this “grazing” over time can have a significant impact on inventory costs, which jacks up the prices that we all pay. Oh, by the way, it is also shoplifting ... theft ... stealing. Don’t do it. -- Jim R., in Houston Jim, it’s also unsanitary. You never know how many unwashed hands have touched the tomatoes or grapes. ...

A front-row seat to a midlife spiral

Dear Annie: My friend of 20 years confessed to having a crush on her executive coach, which then developed into a flirtation, which then became a sexting affair. I have always known she is unhappy in her marriage, but I cannot condone cheating and have told her so. She’s also started vaping, pierced her nose, talked about buying a new car (she just bought her last one two years ago) and even had an addition put on her house so she could have her own room away from her family. I’ve told her she’s exhibiting signs of a mid-life crisis. She told me she’s fine and that working ...

Having a phone for emergencies

Dear Heloise: As my grandchildren have gotten older, it occurred to me that their parents had gotten rid of their old landline. Today, many homes rely only on cellphones. Also, parents are wary of giving their young ones cellphones. This means that when young children are safely left at home without adult supervision for short periods, there is no way for them to call for help in an emergency. Parents might consider having a separate cellphone in the house to replace the old landline and teach youngsters how to use it if needed. Thank you for all your hints. -- Diane Hobbs, A ...