Dear Heloise: I live in Maui, and after my husband died in May, a girlfriend came and took a bunch of his beautiful aloha shirts to make a quilt for me. Each square is a thousand memories.

— Pat Longshore, via email

TWO PHONES

Dear Heloise: I have a mobile phone but do not give out the number except to friends, medical providers and similar people. I still have a home phone with an answering machine, and this is the number that is given to anyone else. My outgoing message says that I’m either out or screening my calls.

If I see a number I don’t recognize, I wait. If someone starts to leave a message, I answer. If they hang up, then I hit the “block call” button. It works really well.

— Lilith, in Ventura

HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK

Dear Heloise: For the few times that I need a cup of buttermilk for a recipe, I add a teaspoon of white vinegar to a cup of milk and let it sit for about 10 minutes. There’s no need to run to the store for another carton of buttermilk.

— Diana Lerro, via email

EASY LABEL REMOVAL

Dear Heloise: If you want to remove the commercial label from an empty plastic container, don’t fuss with soaking the container in soapy water and trying to scrape it off. A thin coat of peanut butter left on the label overnight will loosen it so that you can peel it off easily. No frustration required!

— Joyce L., in Lerna, Illinois

HOT/COLD PADS

Dear Heloise: I love reading your column in the Orange County Register. This is my hint:

For sore areas of the body where you might need a hot or cold pad, just take a bag of uncooked rice and heat it up in the microwave for about 35-40 seconds. For a cold pad, take the same bag of rice and put it in the freezer. Not only does it work well, it’s very inexpensive.

— Opal, in California

AUTOMATED JOB INTERVIEW

Dear Heloise: I recently had a job interview by phone with an automated voice. I had to answer a series of questions for the company to review. I hated the whole experience. I had questions about the company and its products that I was unable to ask. This is such an impersonal way to qualify an applicant for a position.

— Krista, in Memphis, Tennessee

Krista, it’s one of the many changes we’re all facing these days. It won’t be long before this is standard practice in most places of business.

— Heloise

COVER ALL YOUR BASES

Dear Readers: Eye shadow base serves many purposes; it evens out your skin tone, gives shadow something to “grab on to” if your lids tend to be oily, reduces creasing, and makes colors more vibrant and long-lasting.

Also, you don’t need a special eye shadow base. Concealer has the right consistency to act as an eye shadow base. Give it a whirl!

— Heloise

Send a great hint to Heloise@Heloise.com.