Check It Out

Good home to airborne mattress

Mary writes with a mattress-that-got-away story, stemming from last week's discussion of "lost mattresses" along local roadsides. Mary?

"Years ago when I lived 'up North,' my family was moving a mattress set, and when we came off a ramp, it flew out the back of the truck. We pulled over as soon as it was safe, which took only a minute, but we could not find the mattress anywhere. We always wondered what happened to the mattress until about six months later the newspaper did an article on homeless people and there in the photo was our mattress!! At least it was being put to good use."

CIO: working for you

Jenni out in the park writes wanting everyone to know that we at Check It Out are working hard for you, the reader, and helping you handle life's occasional curve ball. Jenni?

"I recently got a home equity line of credit to pay for some home improvements. Unfortunately, because this is a matter of public record, I seem to be fair game for all kinds of junk mail now -- unsolicited pitches for mortgage insurance, life insurance, you name it.

"I threw the first pitch away, but the next day I got two more, complete with postage-paid return envelopes. Then I thought back to a recent Check It Out column. I don't have any bricks handy, but I do have an efficient cross-cut shredder. (Cue light bulb over head.)"

That light bulb reminded her to shred as much paper as possible and stuff it into the envelope.

Concludes Jenni: "I realize this is not going to stop more junk mail from coming. But I feel good knowing those bulging envelopes jam-packed with confetti are waiting to be picked up and delivered to some very deserving souls."