Dear Heloise: As for uploading photos to your computer, I would also suggest making sure you have an online backup of all your computer files. A fire or flood can destroy your computer and any backup device you keep in your home. And it might also destroy the original photos which are stored at home.
When it comes to worrying about outdated technology, there will always be a way to update the files. You can still buy floppy to USB drive converters, and floppy disks haven’t been used for decades. I recently downloaded 3000 slides to my computer. I found that after 60 years some faded a lot; this is also true for color prints. Downloading them also makes it easier to share photos with grandchildren and others who no longer live nearby.
— Alex Magdaleno, Camarillo, CA.
Dear Heloise: I recently found a way to avoid running out of essential mail-order prescription drugs. I started filling two weekly pill boxes instead of one, and I fill the empty one every week. By doing this, I know if I need to request refills in advance.
—Margaret Bee, Houston, TX
Dear readers: In a recent column, there was a misprint on tire pressure. Overinflating car tires is extremely dangerous. Tires should always be inflated to the correct pressure, and this pressure should be recommended on the tire information sticker on the driver’s side door. When inflated to the correct pressure, traction will be maximum.
Dear Heloise: I would like to add to Lucy H.’s suggestion to use paper grocery bags. In our town, the deli meats in the grocery stores offer you your deli meats in zipped bags. It’s a waste of plastic if you ask me. I go to the baking department and grab a few waxed paper bags. I then ask the deli clerk to put my deli meats in there, and they never refuse. When I get home, I just put the meat and cheese in individual resealable containers for food storage.
— Kenny A., Bozeman, Montana.
Dear Heloise: Every January, I review important documents and files to see if they need to be updated. If something should happen to me, is there someone authorized to obtain medical, banking or insurance information?
Would they know how to get my account numbers and passwords or what insurance to call? Does this person know what bills to pay and how to access my online bank? Do they have a house key? Do they know my funeral wishes? Do they know where all these papers are kept?
It just makes it easier for anyone who has to deal with business in an emergency. It’s something everyone should do, even if it takes time.
Dear Heloise: Here are some useful tips for K-cup style coffee makers as well as irons. K-cup style coffee makers work best if you use filtered water, for example, from your refrigerator’s water dispenser. Home irons have fewer problems with internal buildup if you use distilled water and then empty the cooled iron when you’re done.
I appreciate all the tips and ideas you print that make life easier and more interesting.
