Reader Exchange

Replacement sought for broken song tape

By LINDA D. COLE and INGRID L. KOHLER

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 17, 2000

As you have probably noticed, this column does a land-office business in locating song lyrics and music. The most recent request for your help comes from Randi Varrone of Spring Hill, whose elderly father came to this country in 1928 and shortly thereafter fell in love with the song Ramona. Randi located a Jim Reeves double tape, copyrighted about 1972, that contained the song, but a recent accident broke the tape.

Randi is hoping someone has this tape, which then can be copied to replace Dad's old one. Randi doesn't mention how Dad feels about other versions of Ramona, but you may want to ask when you call Randi at (352) 796-7016.

Ellie of Clearwater writes to say that her beloved but battered cookbook needs to be replaced. If a reader has a 1958 edition of Betty Crocker's Dinner for Two that is just gathering dust, Ellie will happily give it a new home. Please call (727) 535-3344 if you can help.

Further cookbook woes are raised by Naomi Calkins of Safety Harbor, who is searching for the cookbook Crab Cookery Coast to Coast by Glenn Day. The book is out of print, so bookstores have been unable to locate it, but Naomi is pinning her hopes on Reader Exchange and is awaiting your call at (727) 725-4145.

Bill Caputo of Spring Hill has assorted sizes of bonsai pots to give away plus two books on bonsai planting. Bill may be reached at (352) 688-7575.

Billie Llewellyn of Bayonet Point would like to relocate decorations that her husband made for Christmas and New Year's. He made 12-inch by 12-inch red letters for Christmas and green letters for New Year's. The Llewellyns no longer use them and would like to add these letters to someone else's ornament collection. Call (727) 868-2812, and they are yours for the picking up.

Carol Smith of St. Petersburg is trying to turn up a Kiddy Corral, a folding, round, gate-like corral for toddlers that can be used indoors or out. It provides more room than a regular playpen does.

Carol says the contraption was advertised during the late 1960s in the JC Penney catalog, so after all these years Exchange Land may be the only place to find one. Carol's number is (727) 528-2906.

Bob Small of St. Petersburg is an avid counted cross-stitcher. He is looking for patterns with a musical motif that he can work and hang in his "music room." He will happily pick up and return any patterns. Bob may be reached at (727) 895-8943.

Chris Dohrmann needs instructions to a Toshiba portable personal computer, T2000SX. If you will let him copy yours, he will return them promptly. Chris' phone number is (813) 949-2122; his e-mail address is FAChrisDohrmann@webtv.net.

Free to a good home is a Smith Corona PWP 4200 (personal word processor) with monitor, original instruction books, utility and sample letter diskettes, 3 print wheels, 2 correctable film ribbons and 3 lift-off correction tapes. It also has a built-in spreadsheet/budget program, WordPerfect and Lotus 1-2-3 converter programs and uses ordinary 31/2-inch computer diskettes. It also can be used as a regular typewriter. Call Clint or Mara Fowler in Clearwater at (727) 447-6023 or e-mail ParalegalSvc@aol.com.

Margaret Harris of Palm Harbor would like to flesh out an old set of Corelle Livingware by Corning. The plates she already owns are white with a blue border; the edge contains semicircles and snowflakes. Margaret needs bowls, serving platters and coffee cups to augment this collection.

Margaret is also hoping to find the blue stoneware liner for a 5-quart Rival crockpot. Give her a call at (727) 784-4297.

Thank-you note

Lora Brandon of St. Petersburg wants to thank everyone who responded to her request for fabric scraps. She had more than 35 calls, and the sacks of fabric have begun to arrive. She'll be plenty busy working on quilt tops, thanks to your response.

-- Send questions, answers and tips to Reader Exchange, Home & Garden, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg 33731 or e-mail cole@sptimes.com. Only questions of general interest will be answered. Requests will be accepted only by mail; no phoned requests, please. Except in unusual circumstances, readers must agree to publication of phone numbers (please include the area code) to be considered for the column.

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