MailorderMaven

My normal dressing is mayo, vinegar, mustard, sugar, and some cayenne. But I'd like to do something different.

I have a nice-looking pair of platform sandals with a hard plastic sole. They have a texture on the bottom, but they're still slippery even on dry floors. Sandpaper doesn't help. Suggestions?

In case you're thinking, don't buy cheap shoes -- they're Donald Pliner and they shouldn't have this problem:-)

I don't have a desk, just a table next to a comfy armchair. My husband says he doesn't like seeing bills and magazines on that table. It's not a lot of stuff -- maybe 5 items at one time, plus stamps and envelopes. What's a nice-looking way to keep it together and convenient? It could be something attached to the chair, on the table, or on the floor.

I have some nothing-special jeans and I want to hem them easily and durably. I know some fabric glues are good for lighter fabrics...which one will hold denim through many wash and dry cycles?

I have different black pants that all look the same when they're on hangers. I have to look at the labels or take each one out to see which is which. What's a smart way to mark them so it's more visible? Is there such thing as a white marker?

My white cotton sweater is a bright white, and I want to tone it down a bit -- not beige or gray, but just a softer white -- a cream tone, not too yellow or brown. Do you have suggestions on how to do this, and avoid making it too dark?

They're already clean and dry, but they're also too loose and too long. Do the jeans have to be wet if I want to shrink them in the dryer?

The drugstore callus removers are too mild. I went for a pedicure and they used a gel that really made it easy to file away the tough skin. Have you used a good one?

I already use a pumice stone and an exfoliating lotion.

The jeans are long with a flare.

The cardigan is light gray, hip length, and crinkly. The jeans are boot-leg and very dark blue. What color top to wear under the cardigan? Can I wear black shoes?

My skin is fair (not pale) and it's almost neutral, with just the slightest yellow undertone. (My teeth are a little yellow too, unfortunately.) Eyes are green/brown. I already have dark reds... can I wear a brighter red, or should I stay away?

The other day I came home to find a fairly new mountain bike tucked behind a bush in my back yard. Whoever put it there had to come down a narrow 50 foot path, so it wasn't a quick, convenient place. Is this a way to hide a stolen bike? I can't think of an innocent reason why this would happen. A friend of mine told me that in the past ten years, he's found 3 perfectly good bikes on his property. We both live in a city.

I bought some cloth napkins and the material is stiff, so it gets super-wrinkled in the wash. I know they will soften in time, but is there something I can use in the wash to speed up the process? I don't want to use fabric softener because it'll make the napkins less absorbent.

I'm menopausal and have pain with intercourse. The doctor refers to it as dryness, but I've used large quantities of lubricant and it still hurts. Any middle-aged ladies have advice? I'm already using an estrogen patch.

Is it Nadja? Nadya? Nadia? If there's more than one correct spelling, which is most popular?

I drink a lot of milk and eat lots of fat-free yogurt and cottage cheese. They're all high in protein. But now I read that they contain simple carbs, and for weight loss you're supposed to go for complex carbs. Should I be getting my protein from non-dairy foods, if my aim is to lose weight?