Special Iron Could Be Lifesaver
Dear Ann Landers: If I can help even one family prevent a fire, writing this letter will have been worth the trouble. Here’s what happened at our house yesterday:
As in most households, for our family, getting ready for work and school is chaotic. Most of us had left for the day, but my daughter stayed home. She had just graduated and had been out partying the night before. She didn’t get in until almost 4 a.m. and planned to spend the day sleeping.
When I returned from work at 5 p.m., I noticed a burning odor and ran upstairs. I was horrified to discover that the iron had been left on all day by one of my children who left the house at 7 that morning. The worst part was my daughter was still asleep in her bedroom, only 8 feet from the ironing board.
Please tell people to purchase an iron with an automatic shut-off. I had one once but lost it during a move. It could save the lives of family members and pets, not to mention your house and all of your possessions. I urge people to invest in this $20 lifesaver, because some day, they may not be as lucky as we were. - Sheboygan, Wis.
Dear Sheboygan: Your letter beats anything I might say, and I might add, it’s better than a full-page ad in a magazine.
Dear Ann Landers: Those folks who couldn’t recognize their next-door neighbors or even Rosalynn Carter because of a “glitch in their cranial wiring,” as you put it, haven’t begun to experience real embarrassment. My story tops theirs.
When I was a senior in college, doing my year abroad in Denmark, I was introduced to a beautiful raven-haired woman. “Christine” and I immediately became an “item.” We lived together and traveled throughout Europe for the next eight months. When we returned to the states, I visited her in her New Jersey home, but unfortunately, since I live in Florida, distance eventually took its toll, and we stopped seeing each other.
About 18 months later, I attended the wedding of the guy who had introduced me to Christine. As I entered the reception, I saw at a distance this beautiful raven-haired woman. She hurried straight to me and with a twinkle in her eye said, “I’ve missed you!”
You guessed it. I did not have the faintest idea who she was. She realized that I didn’t recognize her and said, “Thanks a lot. My name is Christine.” She then turned around and headed in the opposite direction. I spent the next three days trying to get her to talk to me - to no avail. - Winter Park, Fla.
Dear Winter Park: Too bad Christine didn’t read my column on cranial wiring. She might have realized you have that problem. Incidentally, it’s a lot more common than most folks realize.
Dear Ann Landers: I received a wedding invitation in the mail this week and need to know what to do. This will be the second marriage for both people.
I’m sure they have everything a couple could want. I know, too, that they are planning a trip to Australia and New Zealand for their honeymoon.
On the bottom of the invitation was this notation: “No gifts, please. You may, however, donate to our vacation fund.” My question: Is this acceptable? Or can we give them something of our choice? - Oakland, Calif.
Dear Oakland: Very close family members sometimes give cash, but a request for donations to finance a honeymoon does not seem appropriate to me. If you wish to give them a gift, feel free to send one of your own choosing.