DearAbby

I've heard a few ideas, but what are the tried and true ways to get better gas mileage?

Who would you vote for and why? Remember, it's for President

I know there are lots of ideas, but what do you think will work?

I always select best answers- so be creative if you're looking for some points!

And yes, I award best answers to all the questions I ask

I have a few that I like, but would like to try some new ones. I have a few places nearby with good selections, I just never know which ones will be a good buy.

I know I've had really good potato salad before, but I can't seem to find a recipe for it. The potatoes are in chunks and the dressing is creamy and thick. Anyone have a good recipe? I want to practice before the big outdoor picnic season gets here Thanks!

I love the "really bad for you" comfort food with lots of gravy and fried everything... Is there anything that can curb my cravings for comfort food without being so terrible for my health?

We have a room in our basement that has been plumbed for a sink, toilet, and shower/tub. All we have to do is install the fixtures. Does anyone have any knowledge on how to do this? I found lots of information about replacing fixtures, but not about installing new ones. If we have to hire someone to do it, we will wait until later.

My husband and I don't have children yet, but want to start a family in the near future. From experienced parents, what was the biggest transition for you when you had your first child?

I've heard opinions that the subprime mortgage crisis is the result of predatory lending, uneducated borrowers, over-valued homes, and a lack of government regulation. What do you think is the main cause? Are there other causes than the ones I mentioned? How do we avoid this situation in the future?

My husband and I are planning a cruise for early this fall on the Liberty of the Seas from Royal Caribbean. We're going on the East Caribbean cruise. We've done a 3-night cruise before, but this is a 7-night cruise, and on a much bigger ship. Anything we should know about this cruise versus other cruises? Anything special we should pack? I know they have surfing, rock climbin, and ice skating on board, but are there other things we should be prepared to take advantage of that would mean advanced preparation?

Over the weekend, we tried to board our dog at a local, reputable kennel. He became overly nervous and aggressive. He is a very sweet and playful dog, but he is just absolutely fearful when he hears other dogs whining from behind a gate or fence. He does fine in his crate at home, he goes in it voluntarily. We had to pick him up because there was a possibility that he might bite a worker while they were caring for him (I don't think he would have, but we didn't want to take the chance). Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

Our "puppy" is 8 months old, and is well-behaved overall, but still thinks it's ok to jump on people to get their attention when he wants to play. He will sit when we ask him to, and we ask him to sit before we give him attention, but he will still jump until we tell him to sit. Any suggestions? Also, he loves water spray bottles (he thinks it's fun when we squirt him), so that's an exhausted option.

We have a very sandy lot, our home was built about one and a half years ago, and have had difficulty getting the grass to take root evenly. We have had a few landscapers come out, and they have had some differing opinions on what we need to do. One suggested that we use slit seeding to encourage the seeds to take root. Another said we needed more topsoil (we had brought in 1" last year, but a lot of it washed away before the seeds took root). Yet another said we need to overseed and mow more often. We live in NE Ohio, and the snow is subsiding for the most part, but we don't want to get too far into the spring without a solid plan. We also don't want to pay for anything we don't need. Our front yard has had 3 seedings and is coming in relatively well (just scattered bare spots at this point), but the backyard has had 2 seedings and is coming in poorly (more bare spots than grass). Any experienced suggestions or alternative approaches would be appreciated.

It may seem strange, but I'd like to stay on the cruise ship and relax until all the people in a hurry are off the ship. Will the cruise ship "kick us out" if we sit and have a leisurely breakfast until the crowds subside some? Our flight out isn't until the afternoon, and I would much rather spend time on the ship than in the airport.