Dear Heloise: I frequently see fellow shoppers in the grocery store produce section who snatch and eat bits of items there — grapes, cherries, blueberries, blackberries, little peppers, and even a small apple one day. While individual instances are miniscule, this “grazing” over time can have a significant impact on inventory costs, which jacks up the prices that we all pay. Oh, by the way, it is also shoplifting … theft … stealing. Don’t do it. — Jim R., in Houston

Jim, it’s also unsanitary. You never know how many unwashed hands have touched the tomatoes or grapes. With germs being easily transmitted through the bacteria on our hands, it’s dangerous. Just as a reminder, before you put away your groceries, wash your hands. Ask yourself, “How many things did I touch at the grocery store?” We not only leave bacteria, we also bring it home. — Heloise

A NURSE EXPLAINS

Dear Heloise: This is in response to comments about arriving early for doctor’s appointments. First, the patient needs to check in at the front desk to verify their name, address, insurance, etc. There may be paperwork or forms to sign.

Then the medical assistant/nurse brings the patient into the exam room to go over things like medication, allergies, pharmacies, etc. Then they check the patient’s vital signs. By then, the patient should be ready for the provider to come in.

If the appointment is for 10 a.m., the patient should have already gone through the steps above so that the provider could see the patient by 10 a.m. These are the main reasons to arrive early for medical appointments.

I am a retired registered nurse and worked in doctors’ offices, so I have firsthand experience with this. Occasionally, the provider runs late. Sometimes it is due to patients arriving late, which ends up causing a snowball effect with the schedule. In these cases, it’s respectful for the staff to keep the patients informed. — Esther M., A Retired Registered Nurse

CLOSING THE DRAPES

Dear Heloise: I have a tip for light-sensitive travelers, like me, who are frustrated by motel room drapes that never quite close enough to keep out the parking lot lights:

Binder clips! Toss a couple of extra ones in your bag. They take up almost no room and are easy to install and remove. And you won’t leave them behind because you will want to open the drapes in the morning.

I also use a binder clip to hold the folded-up end of plastic toothpaste tubes as I use them up. Thanks for your great column! — Peg, in Pennsylvania

Peg, one time while traveling, the hotel drapes did not close, and there was a solid 10-inch gap between the drapes. I grabbed the hangers with clips for men’s trousers and got the drapes to close by clipping them together with the hanger. At least I had some privacy! — Heloise

DISHWASHER GUNK

Dear Heloise: For years, we have used our dishwasher to make sure that our dishes and tableware are germ-free. We get few colds and diseases in our house, and we attribute this to using our dishwasher. We avoid handwashing dishes because it wastes water and soap and, more importantly, leaves germs. — Ron, in Virginia

Ron, having a dishwasher does help to reduce bacteria. However, there are tablets/packets that are made to run in the dishwasher while it’s empty. This product cleans the dishwasher, and it’s very important to do this about once a month to avoid “gunk” buildup in various parts of the dishwasher. — Heloise