Heloise

Dear Heloise: Here we are at the end of January 2022, and I have yet to receive a thank you for any gift I sent my children or grandchildren. Not only did I not get a thank you note, I didn’t get a thank you by telephone.

My own children are now adults, but they were not raised to believe they are so “special” that they could ignore simple kindness. I asked my daughter if she likes the cashmere sweater I sent her, and she said she did and it fit well but she never said, “Thanks, Mom.”

I thought it was just my family that had become so rude and ungrateful, but my friends say they have the same experience with their adult children and grandchildren. Have we raised a bunch of spoiled brats? I think next year I should send nothing. I’m sure they’ll say something to me, but maybe that’s the only way to get my point across to them. — Dorothy W., Scottsdale, Arizona

SEND A GREAT HINT TO:

Heloise

P.O. Box 795001

San Antonio, TX 78279-5001

Fax: 1-210-HELOISE

Email: Heloise@Heloise.com

PET PICTURES

Dear Heloise: I always keep a current photo of my kids on my cellphone, but now I also keep a picture of our two dogs as well. Last week they went missing after digging their way out under the fence. I asked people if they had seen my two dogs, and finally a man said he had and they were in a nearby park. I had a picture to show people, and one person remembered seeing them, which made finding them much easier. Now my furry friends are home safe. — Jill G., Clayton, Missouri

EYELASH CARE

Dear Heloise: A friend of mine recently gave me a suggestion that I thought would make a great hint. I bought a very soft child’s toothbrush, and I brush my eyelashes before I apply my mascara in the mornings. This helps me avoid that clumpy look as I apply a couple coats of mascara on my eyelashes. — Jodie N., Peekskill, N.Y.

CAR KEYS

Dear Heloise: I lost my car keys in the grocery store last week, and that was all it took for me to find a solution. I went to the hardware store and bought a brass item that has a spring-loaded hook on each end. You push a lever and it opens, allowing me to hook my key ring on one end and the other end is hooked onto either my blue jeans belt loop or a part of my purse. No more lost keys! — Pat L., Duncan, Oklahoma

AREA RUGS

Dear Heloise: I’ve sold expensive oriental rugs for over 20 years, and I can tell you how to care for those expensive items in your home.

First, use a rug pad. Not only does it cushion the rug, it helps keep it from wearing out. Next, rotate the rug every six months for even wear, but never go more than one year without rotating. Vacuum your rug every week. Dirt will cut the fibers of any rug. Have the rug professionally cleaned once a year or at least every two years. — S.H.M., Boston

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