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

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