Dear Heloise: I love reading your column in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. A recent letter in which the reader talked about using leftovers to make soup made me chuckle as I’ve always done this. My family, however, is less delicate and has always called mine “garbage pail soup.”

They also know that if they particularly like a meal I’ve prepared, they’d better enjoy it because they’ll never see it again. I never have the same combination of leftovers! — Resourceful Mom, via email

Resourceful Mom, I love leftovers, and your method of reusing them is terrific. In a world where so many go hungry and some die for lack of food, we are lucky to have an abundance of food that we enjoy.

Within the next 24 hours, 21,000-25,000 people worldwide will die from hunger, 10,000 of which are children. Across the globe, 850 million people are undernourished. Just something to consider. — Heloise

UNWELCOME GUESTS

Dear Heloise: In regards to the Wisconsin couple who don’t want any more drop-ins at their lake house, I would suggest the following idea: Set up days with the friends who they want to come to their lake house, then set up a schedule of other available days when others may visit (aka those prone to drop in). Then send this schedule out to these folks.

This way, they know that they’re allowed to come but only on the available days, provided no one else has signed up for those days. They can use a program such as SignUpGenius to manage it. — Martha M., Glen Allen, Virginia

Martha, it was a little more than a scheduling conflict. It was the disrespect of their privacy, as well as the expense and labor involved. Apparently, some people thought that because they were family or a close friend, they could drop in at anytime or drop off their children.

There are days when none of us want company. Instead, we would rather just relax and enjoy the day without any noise, people or pets to look after and no dinners to prepare.

We had a couple of letters saying that the letter was rude, but sometimes you need to take drastic action to get the message across to people who don’t seem to be listening. The words “please call before you come” seem to go in one ear and out the other. — Heloise

ALUMINUM CEMETERY VASES

Dear Heloise: Brass is irresistible to thieves. I suggest that people buy aluminum vases to replace the brass units if they are stolen. Aluminum will not rust and is not worth the trouble of stealing. — John T., in Valley Center, California

WHEN HANGING PICTURES

Dear Heloise: My husband was hammering a nail to hang a picture in our home and hit his thumb. It was hard and painful enough to cause his nail to turn black. He finally got out a small wrench to hold the nail in place while he hammered it in. No more hammering his thumb! — C.P., in Oregon

C.P., this is a good idea, and here is another item you can use to hold a nail: a clothespin! It will hold the nail securely while you hammer it in. — Heloise

STICKY COOKIE SHEETS

Dear Readers: To prevent a tough cleaning from messy cookie sheets or baking pans, take these steps. Either line the cookie sheets with foil or parchment paper, or use an oil-based spray. There will be much less cleaning to do after baking. — Heloise

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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.