Scan and copy old photos to thumb drives for all to enjoy

DEAR HELOISE >>

When my mother died, I took on the task of scanning her pictures into my computer. There were photos that went back over 80 years!

As I scanned each one, I named it with the date and a short description. For instance, the descriptions would read “1945-1225 Christmas” or “199803-12 Kyle’s birthday.” I made a folder for each decade and stored the photos in their appropriate folders.

I can now find pictures fairly quickly and also was able to copy them onto a thumb drive for other family members.

I’ve been reading the Heloise column for over 50 years. Thank you.

— A Reader from

Kentucky

DEAR HELOISE >> We travel often, and this last trip, I decided to pack chicken noodle soup in an envelope (all you have to do is add hot water), anti-diarrhea tablets, anti-nausea tablets, antacids, allergy relief pills and decongestant. This proved helpful when someone in our party felt under the weather.

— Corrinne Berkland, Universal City, Texas

DEAR HELOISE >> I see many hints for taking pills the easy way, but while I was in the hospital, I had a very large pill I had to swallow. Each time I took the pill, the nurse brought a small cup of applesauce and put some on a spoon with the tablet buried in it so it was very easy to get down. It’s a good way for children to swallow pills as well. I enjoy your column in the Dayton Daily News!

— Pat Reeder, Vandalia,

Ohio

DEAR HELOISE >> I always read and enjoy great hints from your readers in the Tribune Chronicle. A recent hint to reuse cardboard boxes by first removing info stickers was a good one. May I add another way to recycle a box that I have used many times for shipping packages to distant family? If the inside of the box is free of printed words or images, simply turn the box inside out. Pull apart the flaps on the top and bottom. Flip the box parts backward, and then tape the parts together to create a new, clean box free of images on the outside. Thank you for all that you do.

— Alice Chow, Warren, Ohio

DEAR HELOISE >> Do you close the lid before you flush the toilet? You should! Every time you flush, a plume of bacteria (think of an aerosol spray) gets released into the air for up to 6 feet in any direction — not what I want flying around my bathroom! Close the lid!

— D. Wulff, Bakersfield