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Make the bed simply and quickly

Dear Heloise: Regarding the widower who doesn’t like walking around the bed to center the top sheet, here’s a simple solution that saves time and steps: Get a permanent marker in a color that is similar to your bedding. Make two small guide marks -- one at the top edge (which is covered when the sheet folds) and another halfway down the side. Use these marks to quickly line up the sheet, avoiding trips around the bed. If you live alone, a couple of small inch-long marks on the mattress edge shouldn’t bother anyone. They’ll be hidden once the bed is made, and it makes the ...

While you wait for “Theo of Golden”

There is much buzz about Allen Levi’s debut novel “Theo of Golden.” The book format alone has 77 holds on it in our library system and there are more holds on other formats. Levi’s work is described by the publishers as “…a beautifully crafted novel about the power of creative generosity, the importance of wonder to a purposeful life, and the invisible threads of kindness that bind us to one another.” If you are wondering what to read as you wait to read about Theo, or if you love the book and want to read more charming, heartwarming, and uplifting books centered on human ...

Dating, equality and breaking old patterns

Dear Annie: For most of my life, I picked the wrong partners. Over time, I realized it wasn’t bad luck. I was choosing what I had seen, not what I had actually done the work to earn. Those patterns came from my family and the system I grew up in, and I kept recreating them. A few years ago, I left that behind and made a full 180. I simplified my life, built routines and took responsibility for my choices instead of repeating familiar dynamics. The calmer and more grounded my life became, the clearer it was that my old way of dating no longer matched who I am now. To avoid repeating ...

Activated charcoal absorbs odors

Dear Heloise: When I moved into an apartment that had recently become nonsmoking, I quickly learned that the odor from previous tenants can linger for far longer than expected. Even after maintenance aired out the apartment with a fan, the tobacco smell was so strong that I woke up my first night coughing and uncomfortable. The next day, I visited a hardware store and asked for advice. I was told to try activated charcoal, which comes in a small plastic container about the size of an onion-dip tub. I removed the lids and placed one container in each room. The results were amazing! ...

A family wedding minus one

Dear Annie: Am I being too sensitive? My niece’s son is getting married this year. I always believed I was close to her family, but when the “save the date” and shower invitations went out, my daughter was not included -- although all the other cousins were. My daughter rarely attends family functions, so when one of my sisters asked why “Charlotte” wasn’t invited, the answer was, “We didn’t think she would come.” Charlotte is my only daughter, and I feel that the least they could have done was mention this to me beforehand. Instead, I stood at a family gathering and ...

Find healthy snacks for children

Dear Heloise: To Susan L., as a retired registered dietitian who specialized in pediatrics, I absolutely do not recommend popsicles as a snack. They are high in simple sugars and can be high in added sugar, with limited vitamins and minerals and no fiber. There are numerous other healthy snacks that are not high in sugar, such as hummus with vegetable sticks or cheese with whole-grain, low-sugar crackers. Although fresh fruit contains natural sugar, it is not sticky and has vitamins and fiber. -- Dena G., via email NO PROCESSED FOODS Dear Readers: We have another reader who ...