Dear Heloise: My Sound Off: Store employees so engrossed in conversations with each other and/or on cellphones that they seemingly don't have time to wait on me!
I understand that employees are friends, and a parent may have kids calling after school and such, but employees should focus on the customer. I'm standing there waiting to pay at a counter, or need help with a question. Thanks for your time.-Jim Y. in St. Louis
Jim, that's an often-voiced complaint. An emergency is one thing, but chitchat on a cellphone in FRONT of a customer is just plain bad business. Readers? Business owners? What do you have to say? Keeping customers is a main goal of business.-Heloise
FAST FACTS
Dear Readers: Other uses for lemons:
- Run lemon peels through the garbage disposal to freshen it.
- Spray lemon juice to kill weeds in the garden.
- Use dried lemon peel to spice up tea.
- Rub on hands to eliminate onion odors.
-Heloise
PAINT PROJECT
Dear Heloise: I want to paint my guest bedroom, but determining the actual color to use is difficult.
The light varies throughout the day, and this affects how the color "reads" on the wall. I painted a white board the color I want to use, put it on the wall and checked it throughout the day. Still can't decide, but I have narrowed it down to two colors.-J.S. in San Diego
PLAY CLAY
Dear Heloise: Help! My young nieces are coming to visit. You had a recipe for modeling clay that we can make at home-please repeat it!-Sonya in Alabama
Sonya, happy to, and it's soooo easy! Here is the recipe:
2 cups baking soda
1 cup cornstarch
1 1/4 cups water
Mix the cornstarch and baking soda in a saucepan, then add the water. Cook over MEDIUM heat, stirring constantly, until blended. Empty onto a plate and cover with a damp cloth until cool. Knead until smooth, then break into sections. You can add a drop or two of food coloring for fun. Store unused clay in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Baking soda is a must-have around the house. I've compiled a collection of my favorite hints and uses for baking soda in a handy pamphlet. To receive one, visit my website, www.Heloise.com, to order, or send a long, stamped (70 cents), business-size envelope, along with $5, to: Heloise/ Baking Soda, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Before putting new cat litter down, sprinkle a little baking soda in the pan to help keep it fresh. Cats don't like change, so if Kitty stops using the box, dump the soda!-Heloise
SAFETY HINT
Dear Heloise: When my young grandchildren come to visit, I take a bath towel and put it over the top of each door in the house. The door won't close all the way. They can't get stuck in a room, and no smashed fingers by mistake.-Helen B., Jackson, Miss.
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