Dear Heloise: Something wonderful happened this past Thanksgiving. We picked up my great-grandmother from her nursing home and brought her home for the holiday. Afterward, we all gathered in the den to watch a movie, but Great-Grandma and I sat in the living room chatting.

“p1″>Finally, she said, “I remember the day we moved to the lake house.” It came out of the blue. I asked her what lake house but requested that she wait until I got my recorder to take this down. She told me about the times they had there at the lake house with her parents, brothers and sister. She told me about the day her oldest brother nearly drowned in the lake, the cold winters farming the land, and that her mother had been a mail-ordered bride. (That was a surprise!)  She was married in the lake house, and her wedding dress is still packed away in an old trunk in the attic.

She passed away in her sleep last night, but I have her voice and a million memories on tape. I urge others to sit down and talk to their family members about their lives, where they came from, stories they heard from their parents, and events that shaped their lives. My great-grandmother might be gone, but she lives on through the stories of our family. — Nate F., Lansing, Michigan

REMOVING BLOOD STAINS

Dear Heloise: How do I get blood stains out of my husband’s T-shirts? He and his friends play touch football, and they always seem to have bloody noses, a cut lip or some injury. — Lola D., Pearsall, Texas

Lola, make a paste of cornstarch and cover the blood-stained area with the paste. Let it sit for 15 minutes; then, on the other side of the fabric, run cold, soapy water through the shirt to wash off the cornstarch paste. Never use hot water on blood stains because this will set the stain. — Heloise

SMALL WAYS TO ­CONSERVE WATER

Dear Heloise: Many people try to help conserve water by turning off the faucet when brushing their teeth. I realized that when I turn on the water to rinse out my mouth, I do not need the water going at full force. Turning on the faucet halfway or less also saves a bit of water.

How many times do you turn on the faucet “full steam ahead” when you don’t really need that much water? I tend to do this when I wash my hands, wash vegetables, rinse dishes, etc. Being observant can make a difference. The small things add up! — K.W., in Virginia

EXTRA BUTTONS

Dear Heloise: Every time I get a garment that has an extra button or two, I find a place to sew it on where it won’t be noticed, such as the side seam of a skirt or the lining of a jacket. This way, I can easily remove the hidden button and have it replace the lost one. For more times than I want to count, I have lost a button and had to buy new ones. — Lois M., Oshkosh, Wisconsin

HOUSEWARMING IDEA

Dear Heloise: My nephew and his wife moved into their first home, but after living in an apartment for the past six years, they had very little to help them with setting up their housekeeping. So, I got them a hand cart to move heavy items, and they have thanked me several times since. It’s an item that is often overlooked, but moving boxes and new furniture can be hard on a person’s back. — L.A., in Vermont

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Hints from Heloise run occasionally in Lifestyles. Readers may send a hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE, or email: Heloise@Heloise.com. Letters won’t be answered personally.