Heloise, syndicated columnist

Dear Heloise: My dad is retired, and he comes every Wednesday to spend the day with our 7-year-old Brittany spaniel named Tucker while we are at work. My dad loves to watch Tucker fetch a newspaper from the end of our driveway. Since we no longer get a paper, my dad brings his paper from his house and throws it out his car window at the end of the driveway as he’s arriving. This way, when we let Tucker out to greet him, he can watch Tucker run down the driveway and fetch it for him.

This particular morning, he picked up the paper so perfectly that you could read the name of the paper. FYI: This is the same paper where my dad reads “Hints From Heloise!” — Jill, via email

LEARNING HOW TO COOK

Dear Heloise: I have two sons, and as they were growing up, I did all the cooking, as well as holding a stressful full-time job. My husband assisted with household chores but not with cooking. After our sons became adults and moved away from home, I made cookbooks for them for Christmas with their favorite recipes written on cards. I included a lot of blank cards so that they could add to the collection.

I am so proud that today each of my sons is the chief cook in their households. I did not deliberately teach them to cook, but they learned through observation. Both of them are great cooks, and I love when they make us a meal! All the best! — Jean, via email

LIFE-SAVING HINT

Dear Heloise: Please remind readers that with a disabled parking sign, one side hangs on the rearview mirror and says, “Remove before driving.” I want to keep those people (and myself) safe. Thank you. — Jean Herz, via email

THE DEFINITION OF NATURAL

Dear Heloise: I’m reading the label of a bottle of “grape soda,” and it’s interesting. There’s no grape juice. Fine, but how does the grape flavor come to be? “Natural flavors,” the label reads. I called the company, which was helpful. The representative said the grape flavor comes from essential oils and extracts, which include fruits, spices, vegetables, herbs, roots and bark. So, “natural” doesn’t mean “healthy,” but it also doesn’t mean “unsafe.” — R.S., in Ohio

R.S., good for you for asking the questions! A Heloise high five for you. — Heloise

WEDDING WATCHER

Dear Heloise: Cash boxes at weddings are popular for gifts of cash, checks and gift cards. I saw on the news that a man “crashed” a wedding by dressing up so that he blended in with the other guests. He snuck over to the gift table, tucked the cash box (a decorated shoebox) under his jacket, and walked out the door! There’s no telling how much money he took! The news station offered these hints:

• “Hire” a guest or a kid of a guest to watch the cash box.

• Use a large object to hold the monied envelopes: a large birdcage or a lidded aquarium, for example.

• Make sure the venue has cameras. — D.T., in Arizona