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Help her out, and in, with a sturdy ramp

By LINDA D. COLE and INGRID L. KOHLER
Published July 15, 2006

Sharon Noel of St. Petersburg uses a power wheelchair to get around, but because she can't afford a ramp to get in and out of her one-story home, she isn't getting out as much as she would like. Sharon is currently ascending and descending on short boards, which break easily under the considerable weight of these chairs.

A sturdy ramp that is no longer needed would enable Sharon to go from point A to point B much more safely and reliably. Delivering the ramp to her is also essential, because she no longer drives. Please call 727 321-4715.

Polly Frickholm of New Port Richey wants to turn back the clock with lyrics to several old songs. Although she has a few lines for some of them, she'd appreciate the lyrics for all of them.

Polly provides a bit of the first song, for which she gives no title: "I lost the sunshine, I lost the heavens blue . . . (when I lost you)." The second song for which she needs words is The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi. The third is Spanish Eyes.

One last artifact from the past that Polly needs to complete a costume is a pair of black cotton ladies stockings, if such articles still exist. If you can point Polly down memory lane through either music or hosiery, please call (727) 372-6154.

Mary Kay Bratt of Spring Hill has sustained a loss most of us have experienced: lending a book and losing it. The book never returned to Mary Kay, Fit For Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond, is one she lived by; she misses referring to it and its accompanying recipes. Mary Kay is hoping that several copies may be languishing on bookshelves around Exchange Land.

Mary Kay also collects piano sheet music. She may be reached at (352) 688-8044.

Sometimes you find the perfect cookbook, and it's a little bit like first love: a special relationship. (On second thought, the two aren't much alike after all; the cookbook is irreplaceable.)

Ruth Mattick of St. Petersburg has 20 years of experience making items for grade school children and school bazaars. If you are a crafter who can use some of her patterns and samples, she will happily pass them along. Ruth also has macrame cord and other macrame supplies, such as beads and round pieces of glass for macrame tables. How about a plastic grid pattern book? Just give Ruth a holler at (727) 526-1258.

Pat Snee is a crafter who has lost her instructions for a craft that was popular many years ago: Sunbonnet Sue paper twist broom dolls. If our crafters take a peek into their pattern files and locate Sunbonnet Sue for Pat, she will be most appreciative. Pat may be reached at (727) 862-5231.

Horticulturists, front and center, please. Maria Stickney of St. Petersburg needs advice about her sapodilla tree, also known as a nispero tree. Maria, who was born in Puerto Rico, enjoyed this fruit there. Now she has her own lovely tree in the back yard, but its bearing habits are sketchy at best. Now and then it produces some fruit, but more often, it bursts into full bloom that promises a rich harvest, but those blossoms rarely mature.

Thank-you notes

Betsy Barofski is a happy baker once more, thanks to readers who reacted to the abduction of her bread machine's paddle by kitchen gremlins. No sooner had the caper been exposed in this column than kitchen angels from all over the area rushed in with offers and information. Betsy came away with a complete, operating machine, and one generous woman gave Betsy all of her breadmaking supplies. Betsy has these words for REXers who gave her a helping hand: "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Phyllis Kriston was delighted to learn that a school needed her artificial Christmas tree; that meant it could continue giving pleasure instead of languishing at the garbage dump.

Send requests to Reader Exchange, Floridian, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg 33731 or e-mail cole@sptimes.com Requests will be accepted only by mail or e-mail. This is an exchange column, so we will not run items that are for sale. Readers must agree to publication of phone numbers, including area code. On the Web: An interactive version of Reader Exchange is available at itsyourtimes.com.

[Last modified July 14, 2006, 10:12:25]