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Show 1 ' : It Makes Cents By Vi Judge Blake Dear Vi: You recommended smacking a stubborn bottle lid flat on a hard surface to loosen it. I find that tapping the edges of the lid briskly with something like a knife handle will do the same thing. I like this way better because (even though you say you've done it many times) I'm always afraid the bottle might break when I turn it upside down and smack the lid on the counter. Kelli Kunej, Escondido, Calif. This reminds me, readers, to remind you that the easiest way I know to get the top back on a can of spray paint, oven cleaner, or whatever, is to set the cap down on the counter and push the can into it. Where do our helpful hints come from? Everywhere and anywhere. any-where. A young student I recently met told me that to relieve back, joint, and muscle pains, her Croatian Croa-tian grandmother applies a towel soaked in hot apple cider vinegar to the painful areas. For arthritis relief, re-lief, she also soaks in a tub of hot water' with about a pint of apple cider vinegar added. (She insists that it must be apple cider vinegar.) For arthritis, this girl's grandmother swears by a daily hot vinegar or lemon juice cocktail (About two tablespoons of either per 8 ounces of water.) I've heard of the vinegar and lemon juice drink, but not bathing in vinegar or applying it locally. So here's one more idea to add to our vinegar book. The nurses at Dixie Medical Center recently chastised me for printing the letter from a reader saying she cools cookies on newspaper, news-paper, which absorbs excess grease. Newsprint, they say, is most unsanitary. un-sanitary. It may be all right to use a pad of it with a paper towel on top, but do not drain food directly on newspaper. Years ago, while employed em-ployed at a large printing firm, I noticed that the paper was very hot when it came through the presses. This, I reasoned, made it sanitary. Perhaps it's different now I don't know, but just to be safe, let's not put food on newspaper. Thanks for the warning, dear nurses. We appreciate and admire your dedication dedica-tion to keeping us healthy. Several times in the past I have suggested using cat liter to deodorize deodor-ize rooms, expecially carpets. That's why I smiled when I read about a woman who filled her husband's hus-band's smelly cowboy boots with cat liter and left it there all weekend. week-end. On Monday morning she dumped it out and the boots smelled fresh and sweet. Her husband, she said, never knew the difference. To prevent a mess, it might be wise to fill bags made from old nylon hosiery ho-siery with cat liter and put them in smelly shoes, especially sneakers, at night. Prevention Magazine (July 1999) suggests lemon juice for lightening age spots, "a natural coloring pigment in the skin that can darken after repeated exposure to ultra-violet rays." According to this article, lemon juice contains the alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) found in many "anti-aging" skin creams. To use: at night, apply straight lemon juice to the spots with a cotton ball, taking care to keep it away from the eyes. After two or three weeks, if there's no sign of irritation, do this twice a day, once in the morning and again at night. Let it dry before going outside, though, and wear sun screen because be-cause citric acid increases sensitivity sensitiv-ity to sunlight. Some people notice no-tice a difference in eight weeks, others may take up to a year. An added bonus: AHA may also reverse re-verse wrinkles-though lemon juice has not been studied for this possible possi-ble benefit," according to this article. arti-cle. It delights me to note how old-time old-time home remedies are being lauded today as if they were new discoveries. Our mothers and grandmothers, for example, used lemon juice for their complexions and hands.. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The sin of ingratitude, that, in the eyes of the Savior, is one of man's most offensive sins. We all have so much for which to be grateful. Readers: This is your feature. Send your good ideas to IT MAKES CENTS, 328 So 300 E 5, St. George, Utah, or E-Mail: viblakeinfowest.com. If used here, I'll send you $2. or a copy of "Kitchen Tricks," "What Else is it Good For?" or "Vinegar, The Homemaker's Best Friend" Please state your choice. These booklets are also available to others. Price $2.50 plus $1.00 for postage. For back issues of IT MAKES CENTS log onto my web page, www.infowest.comcents and click Archives. |