Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I have a nice collection of straw — or straw-like — hats. But they get squished in the storing process in my closet.

How to revive them?

--Penny K.

Dear Penny: Use a steamer or place them in a closed bathroom while you’re showering, Try a hair dryer to get the fiber more pliable, then shape and/or stuff with newspaper and let dry. Hair clips can hold the shape in place while the hat dries. Place a towel on the part needing a fix, then iron on low, with or without steam function. Used with care the ironing can help give the fiber enough flexibility to be reshaped

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I got some great cargo shorts as a gift, but after a few months going through the laundry, the Velcro strips around the pockets have started to pick up lint of various colors. So, since these are shorts and I'm not wearing them to make a fashion statement, should I care? If I should, then what should I do?

--Gerald J.

Dear Gerald: If you only wear the pants to clean out the gutters, paint the kids’ room etc.: Don’t care. If you don’t really need a tight seal on the pockets (and thus some trustworthy sticky Velcro): Don’t care. If they’re your favorite shorts and the gunky Velcro bothers you—either its looks or non-function—yes, care. And, attack the problem!

— Remove top layer of fuzz with fingers, some super sticky tape, a lint-remover brush.

— For imbedded stuff, use a pin, a needle, tweezers, a skinny long nail, etc. Also, a fine-toothed comb or a dry, stiff bristle toothbrush, a pet or vegetable brush, working in one direction, parallel to the rows of hooks.

How to prevent it from happening again?

— Keep Velcro closed as much as possible and definitely when washing the garment.

— When washing, try to keep Velcro items separate from other items likely to be attracted to those tiny Velcro hooks — such as fuzzy blankets and towels.

— Air-drying is best since your dryer is a tornado of swirling lint waiting to glom onto the Velcro.Angelic Readers

Some very strong opinions stirred up by Kiya’s question about how to handle the issue of who should get grandma’s heirloom diamond ring now that her son’s fiancee doesn’t want it — and wants to pick out her own ring.

Hallie G. writes: “The son's fiancee has the least interest in someone (grandma) she didn't know and is not part of her ‘bloodline’ family. Keeping it in the family should mean grandmother to daughter, granddaughter or great-granddaughter -- someone with a blood connection to the late woman. The mistake was in setting it aside for an unknown person marrying into the family who has no emotional attachment to or ‘investment’ in the old lady. I wouldn't reset it to make it more palatable to this bride-to-be or give it to her in any form. I think she has made her feelings clear. Now what to do?

"What about one of your daughters? You say you can't give it to one of them because the other would be unhappy. How do you know unless you ask? If you have discussed it with them and that is that is truly the case, what about finding another heirloom or valued piece of jewelry? If both of them want it, then it would truly be a shame for it to leave the family and no one to get it. You could either choose which one the ring goes to by lottery or maybe one of them really doesn't want it and would rather have a particular vase or some other thing. Or give it to the elder daughter and ask the other daughter what she would like and give her something of equivalent value.

"What about a granddaughter? Same idea; does one of them care? Would anyone in the family love and treasure it? That's who it should go to. Was one close to her great-grandmother? Is one interested in family history while other grandchildren less so?"

Diane L. had the same thought: “I think Kiya should talk to all three of her children about the ring and/or its parts. Why should the son’s wife get it? She’s not family and may not stay family, so then what? If I were one of the daughters I’d be mad if my mom gave my grandma’s diamond to a daughter-in-law and didn’t even consider me or my sister.”

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