NEW! Dear Henrietta: A few months ago I moved into a new, huge apartment complex. I love my new one-bedroom walkup, but parking has been a nightmare from day one. I often work late, and when I get home near midnight it is almost impossible to find a decent space. Then one day when I visited a friend at the hospital I came upon this idea. I went to the hardware store and bought some stencil lettering, and the next time I had a weekday off I picked a prime space in front of my building and spray-painted "reserved" on the curb in bright yellow! Voila! Now everytime I come home late my space is always waiting for me! -Kelly Shoenweiss

This is what people mean when they talk about doing something about a problem instead of just complaining! Kudo's for taking the initiative! -H

Junior Hints!

Dear Henrietta: My mom has been a really heavy drinker ever since I was little. In health class I heard that people who drink a lot don't get enough vitamins in their diet, so I came up with this hint. I suggested to my mom that she switch from her usual scotch and sodas to screwdrivers, which have a lot of vitamin C, and White Russians, which have a lot of calcium because they're made with cream. She didn't want to at first, so I made up a pitcher of each for her to try, and she said they were delicious and that she'd try to fit in a few of each every time! - Amanda Creuter, age 14

Your mother must be so proud and happy to have a loving daughter like you! I bet you're a whizkid at school, too - most kids your age wouldn't even know what a screwdriver or White Russian was, much less be able to whip up a batch! Thanks for the day-brightener! -H

Dear Henrietta: I've found a great way to turn your garden from a harvest of shame to a harvest of fame. Once a week I drink a six pack and unleash the results on my small garden. The results have been incredible - I've never grown such huge, juicy red tomatoes, and my squash plants are so lush and green you'd swear they were transplanted from the Amazon! - Phillip Mullen

And with the drought in many areas this year this is a great way to keep toilet flushing to a minimum. Every little bit helps! Hugs! -H

Dear Henrietta: I have a great hint for calming a crying, fussy baby. My husband and I tried just about everything to get our baby to sleep soundly, and then we stumbled upon a great solution! Just add a jigger of Kalhua or Bailey's Irish Cream to baby's bottle, and she'll be sleeping soundly before you know it! - Donna Morgan 

What a great idea for harried parents! This also works for toddlers and older children as well - they love the sweet taste. Thanks for writing! -H

I guess we don't watch the same movies, because I've never seen a gag like that, but on behalf of airline travelers worldwide, thanks for the great hint which keeps the cabin air quiet! -H

Dear Henrietta: I had the hardest time getting my little ones to eat their vegetables. I solved the problem by making the rest of their meals as unpalatable as possible (by adding huge amounts of dish washer detergent to the meat entree and dessert before serving), but leaving the vegetables as is. After a day or two of not eating anything they were so hungry they agreed to eat all their vegetables if I would just stop adding the detergent to the rest of their meal! - Mary Donnelly

Great idea! Try pepper sauce, too. I've used it to get my dog to stop obsessively licking and chewing on his paws and tail. Thanks for the great hint! -H

Dear Henrietta: I'm a salesman who often attends conventions around the country, and recently I discovered I was missing my name tag and came up with this hint. I took out one of those self-stick return address labels you always get from those charities in the mail and placed it on my lapel and presto! Everyone not only knew my name, but also where I was from! - Dennis Schoen 

What a great ice breaker, too! If you don't have the self-stick kind, just add loop of tape to the back.  -H

As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention! Best wishes to your daughter and her new husband! -H