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Keep flag hems fray-free

Dear Heloise: People spend their hard-earned money on outdoor flags only to have the hems fray in a short time from weather. If you turn the hem over and restitch on a sewing machine, the edges will not become ragged from the elements. I especially like to see the American flag flying fray-free in the wind. -- Brenda Richardson, in Shelbyville, Kentucky REVISITING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT Dear Heloise: Regarding Jim and his check engine light fix, after 40+ years in the automotive industry, I have seen my share. Be advised that the check engine light monitors numerous items. Some ...

Forced to make an impossible choice

Dear Annie: I never thought I would write to an advice column about this, but I am genuinely torn. I am a 34-year-old woman with two dogs, Bella and Murphy. They are both rescues and have been with me through a breakup, a move and the death of my dad. I joke that they are my “first kids,” but there is a lot of truth in that. My evenings are built around walks, snuggling on the couch and muddy paw prints by the door. Six months ago, I started dating a wonderful man I will call “Evan.” He is kind, funny, responsible and treats me with real care. I can see a future with him. The ...

Please be considerate with noise

Dear Heloise: I have one neighbor around the corner who just put up a flagpole in their front yard. I have another neighbor who has hung windchimes from a tree in their front yard. I can easily hear the clang clang from the flagpole and the ding ding from the chimes in my house, even though my windows are closed. I work from home, and this is very distracting. To make matters worse, I live in Buffalo, New York. In the winter, it is windy almost every day, which makes the noises louder. If I can hear the noises, even though I am not close to either house, I can only imagine how other ...

Finding connection in later life

Dear Annie: Now that my husband and I are in our 70s, it feels as if our social world has shrunk to the size of a postage stamp. Friends have moved away to be near their children, others are dealing with health issues, and a few have simply drifted off. We used to host dinners, take short trips and enjoy a lively circle. Now the phone barely rings. Our children are kind but busy, and I don’t want to rely on them for every bit of companionship. Still, the quiet gets to me. I just want something to look forward to besides doctor’s appointments and the nightly news. I’ve tried ...

Unprofessional service provider

Dear Heloise: In response to Diane T. in Arizona, I had the opposite happen to me. I had been going to a hairdresser for many, many years. It was my hairdresser who started to not be on time. My time is important to me. I booked appointments on my day off from work. I am a morning person, but she did not open until 11:00 a.m., so I was making my appointments for 11 or 11:30. Several times over the last year that I saw her, she was the one arriving late. She would call me to tell me where she was and why she was late. The reasons she gave did not sit well with me. Plus, she didn’t ...

Put peace first in 2026

Dear Readers: Before we rush into a brand-new year, I want to pause and say thank you. Thank you for reading, for writing in and for trusting me with the parts of your life you don’t always share at the dinner table. Thank you for letting this corner of the page be a place where we can talk about the messy, meaningful work of being human. I don’t take that lightly. And if no one has told you lately, I’m glad you’re here. New Year’s Eve has a funny way of making us feel two ways at once: hopeful and raw. Hopeful because we get to begin again. Raw because we can’t help but ...