By HELOISE

Syndicated columnist

Dear Heloise: I love getting fresh flowers, but they never seemed to last very long. So, I started putting ice cubes in the vase every day and changing out the water when it got cloudy.

They can last for up to two weeks this way, and sometimes I have to take out a few flowers that were in full bloom when I got them.

I’ve been doing this for years now, so I hope you pass this on. I read your column every day. — Mary M., in The Villages, Florida

Mary M., I like your ice cube trick to keep flowers alive for longer periods of time, and as you can see, I’m passing it along to my readers. Thanks for writing in! — Heloise

Cold milk

Dear Heloise: When drinking a glass of milk, I like it cold. In order to keep it cold once it’s sitting next to my dinner plate, I put a couple of frozen milk cubes in the glass. These cubes are also handy when making a recipe. My husband measured the amount, and one cube is equal to an 1/8 cup of milk. Just use a standard ice cube tray. Additionally, this can keep extra milk from going bad. — Martha, in San Antonio

Show your appreciation

Dear Heloise: This is in response to a reader in a recent column who claims that saying “thank you” for a gift isn’t important. Yes, when we give a gift, we don’t expect anything back. But we certainly appreciate a “thank you” and acknowledgment.

This is called having good manners. This modern trend of not saying “thank you” is simply rude and lazy. — Nadine J., in Spokane, Washington

Service sound-off

Dear Heloise: I challenge all CEOs and presidents (or whatever title the leader of a company holds) to call their own customer service line (anonymously, of course) and try to get through to a particular department.

This has been prompted by a problem I had this morning with a company that sends emergency medical services to people who have an accident or get sick. I accidentally bumped into my call button, so the dispatcher called my phone and left a message that included a phone number to call if I was actually OK. However, I couldn’t understand her; she spoke very quickly and not distinctly at all.

I tried recalling the number as best I could and got a supermarket. I went through all my paperwork from this company but didn’t find a number to call to cancel an emergency. So, I called the main number, and she offered to transfer me. I asked for the number again in case I got disconnected, but she couldn’t give it to me; she could only transfer me. OK. Then I got a busy signal. EMTs shortly appeared at my door, so I explained the situation. Then they left.

The company called my daughter, and she called me. I explained the situation once again. Then she texted me to call the service and tell them that I was OK. I did, but this all took almost an hour, which is ridiculous! The employees who work in customer service must learn to speak slowly and distinctly! — Roberta S., in Stafford, Virginia

Roberta, I know how frustrating it can be when you need help and the person on the other end of the line gives you the wrong department, cuts you off, or speaks so fast that you don’t understand them. I wish people would ask for the CEO or write to them and complain. Customer service represents the company, and if they leave a bad impression with the public, these businesses will suffer. — Heloise

Send a great hint to: Heloise@Heloise.com. Copyright 2026 by King Features Syndicate Inc.