Solar garden lights come in handy during power outage

Dear Heloise: Last month, the power was cut off in our neighborhood due to an emergency. My next-door neighbor and I went to check on an elderly neighbor to make sure she was okay and bring her a sandwich and flashlights.

Then, my neighbor had a great idea.

She pulled two of the solar-powered garden lights (the inexpensive kind that are on a single stake) out of her garden and put one in the elderly neighbor's kitchen sink and put another in the bathtub. This gave our neighbor some additional ambient light until the power came back on. — Hedy Williamson, via email

LISTING CONTACT INFODear Heloise: After reading a recent letter in your column about listing medical contacts, I thought I would add my two cents. Since I have to make appointments and insurance calls for my mother-in-law, I list her doctor's office and insurance companies under "Mom's Dentist" and "Mom's Health Insurance."

This way, I don't get confused with my own doctor's contact listing beginning with "Dr." And, if my husband or daughter need to find either of our information — and I'm not physically (or mentally) able to — they won't get confused either. — Marianne, via email

LABELING GLASSES CASESDear Heloise: The letter from Eldon W. of Falstaff, Arizona, mentioned the "If found ..." labels that he uses in case his items get lost. I wanted to add what I do for the labels on my various cases of glasses. I label which glasses they are and the date I received them. (For example: "computer glasses, March 2021" or "reading glasses, January 2023.")

When I get new glasses, I put the previous pair in my motor home. If something breaks (frame or lens), I have a second pair to fall back on, and this way, I don't lose track of which pair is the backup. — Kathryn Bassett, Pasadena, California

TAKE YOUR PURSESDear Heloise: I had to write in about the recent advice recommending that women leave their purses in their cars while shopping and taking only their credit cards into the store.

This is really bad advice. I did this once and returned to find my car window smashed as well as my purse and other items gone.

Someone then told me that thieves watch for women in parking lots who leave their purses in their cars.

It's better to carry a small, cross-body-type purse that holds just the essentials so that you can wear it comfortably while shopping, rather than risk leaving a purse in the car. — Mary in Texas

STOVE SHOPPINGDear Heloise: When buying a kitchen stove, I suggest getting one that has the burner knobs on the front. If you have a pot or pan boil over or something flashes up on the stove, you don't need to reach over the stove to turn the burners off. — D. Hansel, Houston