Dear Sun Spots: My mother and I are having an argument, so I’m asking for your help in resolving this. I claim that quite a few years ago one of the major salt companies came out with a container that has two spouts on it: one for filling a salt shaker, the other a larger hole to put salt in recipes, etc. Please tell me if you’ve ever heard of it. My mother and her friends say I’m dreaming. – Woody in Lewiston.

Answer:
Sun Spots has used a salt container similar to this herself and in fact has it on her dining room table so she can verify that Woody is correct. Sorry, Mom and friends. In the meantime, check out Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, which does have two spouts, one for sprinkling and one for pouring. You should be able to locate it in any grocery store. If not, check with your local store’s customer service department to see if they could locate it for you.

Dear Sun Spots: My Dad was recently diagnosed as being legally blind so as a result of that, he can’t do some of the things that he very much enjoyed doing. He has done a great job adjusting to most of the things, but the one thing that he misses the most is reading the newspaper. I was wondering if any of the readers know where we could get a secondhand closed-captioned TV as they are quite costly. The Iris Foundation recently visited him and they are trying to get information for him as well. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank You. – No Name, No Town.

Answer:
So sorry to hear about your father. Sun Spots and column readers wish him the best as he adapts.

Many thanks to Steve Beam of Cares Inc. and The Client Assistance Program for all the wonderful leads. Thanks to his tips, Sun Spots ended up talking with Paul Raymond, regional supervisor at the Division for the Blind & Visually Impaired. Raymond notes that there may be other rehabilitation options available for your father and recommends you contact his agency for assistance. It is a free service, and Raymond notes there may be programs that would help your father, other than the closed-captioned television and perhaps for a lot less money. Among them, possibly a hand-held magnifier which might be just the ticket for your father. Raymond says they often perform an evaluation to ensure they can obtain the right tools for applicants as closed captioned televisions are limited in that they cannot be hand-held. The agency is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and you should speak with Chelsie Tibbetts, who takes new referrals at 753-9099.

Dear Sun Spots: Please print Barbara Walters’ address at The View. Thank you. – J.B., No Town.

Answer:
Write to The View, 320 West 66th St., New York, NY 10023. You can also access information about this program on the Internet at www.abc.com/theview.

Dear Sun Spots: We are seeking donations of items for our annual Boy Scout yard sale being held May 5. The proceeds will help send a boy to summer camp in July. To donate or arrange for a pickup, please call Beth Davis at 998-7053. Thank you for any and all donations. – No Name, No Town.

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be posted at www.sunjournal.com in the Advice section under Opinion on the left-hand corner of your computer screen. In addition, you can e-mail your inquiries to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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