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. Ifmeone 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, California

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 to 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. At present, larger companies feel that this streamlines the interview process and cuts down the expense of hiring new people. 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 money-saving or time-saving hint to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.)