Dear Heloise: My husband enjoys feeding birds. We also have a lot of squirrels. The squirrels used to climb up the pole and eat the birdseed. So, he put a slinky on the pole, and the squirrels won’t climb up the pole anymore. Problem solved! — Margaret, in Griffith, Indiana

BATHROOM HINTS

Dear Heloise: When I know that I’m going to have company, I put a new roll of toilet paper on the holder. I put paper towels in the guest bathrooms, and I crumple up a towel and put it in the trash basket to encourage their use. An old rule: When not in use, put down the lid on the commode. This is what the lid is for. — M.T.B., in Alabama

HAIRY MATTERS

Dear Heloise: For Tanya, who’s suffering from dry hair, please consider changing up your whole routine. All those strokes create friction. Brush your hair as minimally as possible with a lot of finger-styling/detangling. Be gentle with your hairbrush strokes. Your regular maintenance should include a more relaxed washing schedule (every two to three days), cooler water, a sulfate-free shampoo, and a good conditioner.

Use a heat-protectant spray or cream before blow-drying your hair, concentrate on drying at the root, and use a low setting to finish. Then apply a finishing serum, concentrating on the ends. A nighttime serum can be beneficial as well. Good luck! — Cindy L., via email

TIME TO BAG IT

Dear Heloise: Regarding the ideas for reusing grocery bags that end up in a landfill, please don’t do any of these. I’d line small waste cans with them, dump out the trash, and keep the bag in the can for repeated use. Don’t use plastic bags to discard garbage. All grocery bags should ultimately be returned to a location that recycles them (usually a grocery store). Our children’s children will thank us for it! — Paul D., via email

Paul, this is a great reminder. Recycling items such as grocery bags helps reduce waste and keeps it out of our oceans, rivers and landfills. — Heloise

RUB-A-DUB-DUB

Dear Heloise: I make a lot of my own spice rubs — a rib rub, brisket rub, rotisserie chicken rub, and others. I save old spice jars and label them with the specific rub, as well as the ingredients with measurements on the front! When I run out, the recipe’s at my fingertips! — Tammy B., in Hamilton, Illinois

GRAMMAR SOUND OFF

Dear Heloise: The letter from Mel about grammar struck a chord. One of my pet peeves is when people say things like “my wife and I’s car.” There’s no such word in the English language as “I’s.” The first person singular possessive is “my” every time. Would you say “I’s car”? When in doubt, just separate the two subjects and try it again. “My wife’s car” and “my car,” so it’s “my wife’s and my car.” So simple.

I’ve heard people say, “But this sounds wrong.” Does “I’s” sounds right? This is one of these language errors that even if it was used a million times, it would never evolve into an accepted replacement. Thanks for letting me sound off! — Larry C., via email

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.