Dear Readers: Today’s sound off is about the unrealistic expectations placed on women. — Heloise

“Dear Heloise: The world is full of beautiful women. Some look like supermodels, and some look like me — an average-looking person, clean and neat but not a great beauty. Still, beauty magazines would have us believe that a 30-year-old woman can look like the retouched 18-year-old model if we buy what they’re selling. I would be more impressed with a 50-year-old woman looking the best she can with the manufacturer’s product. I don’t care if it’s makeup/shampoo, clothing or undergarments.

“Show us a real woman for a refreshing change. Choose a housewife with a couple of kids, a full-time job and a few extra pounds on her hips. Why? Because these are the real heroes of our society. These are the women who do the best they can with what they’ve got, and more than likely, they aren’t supermodels. They’re just your average American woman with little time or money to spend on herself. Let manufacturers show us how their products work on real women who haven’t been retouched.” — Valerie H. in Los Angeles

SEND A GREAT HINT TO:

Heloise

P.O. Box 795001

San Antonio, TX 78279-5001

Fax: 1-210-HELOISE

Email: Heloise@Heloise.com

FAST FACTS

Dear Readers: Here are some additional uses for salt:

— Make a salt and water paste and rub on callused feet to remove dead skin.

— Use as a gargle solution to relieve a sore throat.

— Place fruit or veggies in lightly salted water while they’re cooking to help them retain their color.

— Soak a cloth in salt water and press it to a bee sting to reduce pain.

— Heloise

GREAT DANE, GREAT IDEA

Dear Heloise: We have two Great Danes, and I noticed they made such a mess while eating. Our vet told us they needed an elevated dog bowl. My husband made a platform about 20 inches above the floor with two large holes so we could just drop their metal bowls into the open slots. This worked like a charm. — Sherri W., Kona, Hawaii

BROKEN GLASS

Dear Heloise: I broke a water glass on my kitchen floor, but even after vacuuming and mopping I could still see tiny slivers of glass. I took a slice of fresh white bread, placed it on the slivers of glass and carefully pressed down. This method collected the remaining tiny pieces of glass. — Theresa L., Augusta, Ga.

A deer warning

Dear Heloise: Thank you for alerting pet owners that male deer can be aggressive and violent with household pets during the rutting season. I have lived with deer in our neighborhood in San Antonio for almost 40 years.

We have always given them a wide berth and enjoyed seeing them from a distance until the past few years. As their habitat has been overtaken by development, they can be found in our backyard almost any time of the day or night.

We have at least an acre of land, but even in the presence of our dogs in a fenced part of our yard, the deer come surprisingly close. Some of our newer neighbors began feeding the deer daily, so their numbers have greatly increased.

People who feed them are creating a baby boom of deer that cannot be supported in an urban area. — Linda L., via email

CAT PAD

Dear Heloise: A dish-drying mat makes a good fit and a comfy pad to line kitty’s crate when traveling in the car. It is washable and dries quickly. On vacation with kitty, if another mat is needed, one can usually be found inexpensively at any “dollar store.” — Adele M., Derry, N.H.

HINT FROM HIM

Dear Heloise: Your advice about growing cacti reminded me of a gardening column that I read many years ago.

A reader asked how often to water her cactus garden, and the reply was to watch the weather in Phoenix: If it rains in Phoenix, water your cactus. — Rich F., Custer, S.D.