Dear Sun Spots: Help! I am an old lady who doesn’t know too much about children’s car seats. I’m having friends come up from Florida for Christmas. They are coming on a plane. They have a little girl who is 5 years old, and I know that at that age they have to be strapped in car seats. However, I don’t know what size for her age or what kind we have to have. Another thing is they are only here for four days.

Is there any place that has car seats to rent? I hate to think of having to go out and buy a new one for just the time that they are here. Or, maybe someone has one that they are no longer using and that I could buy at a reasonable price. I’ll be waiting for your answer. – Dee V., Auburn.

Answer: Sun Spots wonders if your friends might not already be planning on bringing the child seat with them? You might check with them first because parents are frequently prepared to bring such seats on the plane with them as baggage. Are your friends planning on renting a car? If so, the seat can typically be rented along with the car. You will need to be careful if purchasing a secondhand seat. Please ensure it has not been recalled by the manufacturer and has not been involved in any car accidents.

Dear Sun Spots: What is the address to stop junk mail coming to my house and what is the exact wording that I should use? In 2½ months, I’ve received 128 different pieces of junk mail. I have written to everyone of them and asked to be taken off their mailing lists. Many keep sending theirs. Thank you for your help. – B.H., Minot.

Answer: For stopping unwanted mail, you might want to consider many of the following steps:

First Class Mail: Cross out the address and bar code, circle the first class postage and write “refused: return to sender.” Drop it in any mail box and it will be returned to the sender.

Bulk Mail: This is the most difficult to remove your name from. Write ‘address correction requested’ on the label, circle it and treat it like first class mail.

Credit Card Offers: Call Equifax, Trans Union, Experian and Innovis at 1-888-567-8688, 24 hours a day, to get your name removed. You’ll need your address, former address within two years and social security number.

Catalogs: Call the company’s toll free number. Have the label handy. Write your instructions on the mailing label and fax it to the company. Mark it to the “ATTN: Customer Service.”

For more lengthy steps, check out www.obviously.com for their assistance in removing your name, address and more from junk mail lists. Sun Spots wishes you the best of luck.

Dear Sun Spots: Is Snow’s fish chowder discontinued? I can’t find it anywhere. – No Name, No Town.

Answer: Snow’s products appear to be manufactured by Castleberrys, www. castleberrys.com, and Sun Spots would recommend you try contacting that company to see if they might be able to assist you. You may reach them via their Web site, or via Castleberry’s Foods, 1413 Lovers Lane, Augusta, Ga., or telephone 706-823-5670.

And, in case you are unable to locate this product, perhaps you might consider making your own.

Clam Chowder (1893 cookbook) posted online at http://oldrecipebook.com/chowderrecipes.shtml. Ingredients: 1 quart clams, 1 tablespoon salt, 4 cups potatoes cut in ¾-inch cubes, ¹/8 teaspoon pepper, 4 tablespoons butter, 1½- inch cube fat salt pork, 4 cups scalded milk, 1 sliced onion, 8 common crackers. Method: Clean and pick over clams, using one cup cold water; drain, reserve liquor, heat to boiling-point, and strain. Chop finely hard part of clams; cut pork in small pieces and try out; add onion, fry five minutes, and strain into a stew pan. Parboil potatoes five minutes in boiling water to cover; drain, and put a layer in bottom of stew pan, add chopped clams, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dredge generously with flour; add remaining potatoes, again sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and add two and one-half cups boiling water. Cook 10 minutes, add milk, soft part of clams, and butter; boil three minutes, and add crackers split and soaked in enough cold milk to moisten. Reheat clam water to boiling-point, and thicken with 1 tablespoon butter and flour cooked together. Add to chowder just before serving. The clam water has a tendency to cause the milk to separate, hence is added last.

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 [email protected].