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Show ( 1 . It -X Makes Cents x;v ' By r , VI JUDGE BLAKE j x ( " 4 Dear Readers: When my husband got the oil changed in our car today, he came home with the old oil filter in a plastic bag. "Here's a present for you," he said, then explained that many hunters and ranchers carry - used oil filters along when they're out in the wilds so that they can start a fire should they get caught in a storm. "The oil clinging to the filter will ignite immediately and burn for hours, producing plenty of heat to dry out your wood," he said. "It will make a lot of smoke, but at least you'll get a good fire going," Note: It must be a fabric or cardboard filter, not one that is completely encased in metal. We've decided to take one or more of these filters with us whenever we travel from now on in case we have car trouble or an accident or get caught out away from help in a storm. And matches, too, of course. .. . Dear Vi: We got a woodburning stove last fall and are very pleased with it. One thing we learned, however, is that you need dry wood. Ours wasn't dry, so we purchaesd some from a dealer, who was kind enough to suggest that we burn some "wet" wood along with the dry. Since green wood burns slowly, this is especially helpful when you want to keep a fire going all night. We plan to get in our supply of wood early this year so that it will be dry and ready for winter. The Atwoods, Evanston, Wy. We once had neighbors who, each summer, stack their firewood in such a way that it makes a wall around their patio area. This provides the wind shelter and privacy they want during the summer months and saves the expense of building a cement block wall as they originally planned to do. Their "firewood wall" is large enough to last two seasons and their patio cover keeps the wood dry, so, by using the old first, they always have dry wood. Another friend built a bench around a shade tree, under which their firewood is stacked. Something about spring turns our thoughts to painting and fixing up our homes. Here are a few hints to help with the painting: A. When painting a room, always make sure there is enough paint in the can to finish the wall you're working on. Then, if you have to start a new gallon, any slight variation of color won't be noticed. B. Re-mix the paint at least twice a day even though the dealer mixed it by machine for you. The easiest way to do this is to pour it from one container to another. C. Don't make the beginner's mistake, that of spattering paint by flipping the brush at the end of a stroke or rolling too fast. Amateurs also tend to dip the brush (or roller) too deeply and fail to wipe off the excess on the edge of the can. Why not start as a pro. D. One way to get a professional job even though you're not a pro is to invest in a good brush. Good brushes 1 are expensive, but, cared for properly, they will last for years. Clean brushes thoroughly after each use and hang them to dry so that the bristles don't get bent. "The trouble with the turning points in life is that are no green arrows." Doug Larson, United Feature j Syndicate. Dear Vi: I hope you or your readers know of a trick to keep male cats from spraying on my windows. As soon as I wash them he comes around making his place again. I'm going to go crazy! Please help! M. Smith, Cedar City, Ut. .. "Bang!. Bang! , That, was.th spontaneous reply from almost everyone I asked. But, of course, you don't want to kill someone's pet. But, if you know who owns the cat, you might ask them to have him neutered, which, tends to make male cats less likely to stray from home. Other suggestions were: 1. Get a male dog. He'll keep the cat away. 2. Frighten him with beebe gun or flipper, install an electric fence wire, douse him with hot water or spray him with a strong force from the garden hose. Of course, you'll have to catch him in the act. 3. Try spraying the area with a cat repellant, obtainable at garden supply shops or wherever pet supplies are sold. Moth balls are also reputed to keep cats away. 4. I was also wondering if rat or mice traps would discourage him. He might just sidestep them, though. Readers, can you help? Readers: We invite you to contribute con-tribute to this feature. P.O. Box 122, St. George, Utah, 84770. $2.00 paid for each letter used here. |