Dear Sun Spots: Thanks again for your wonderful column. We all find it so helpful. I have a few questions for you to help with, if at all possible. 1. How do you buy sheets that won’t pill and feel like you’re sleeping on sandpaper? Does it have something to do with thread count and/or material they are made of? 2. Do you know what company or stores sell Crossroads Classic jeans? They are so comfortable. 3. How can you keep scrambled eggs from turning green in warming pans? We serve these for our Easter breakfast at church. Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. – Margaret Huff, Strong.

Answer: According to preciousbedding.com, pilling of a fabric occurs when groups of short or broken fibers on the surface of the fabric become tangled together in a tiny ball called a pill. Pilling results from rubbing of the fabric during normal use or improper laundering. Bad (short-staple) cotton can also be a major factor. While pilling cannot be eliminated completely, it can be minimized by proper handling during washing of the fabric. Use a slower agitation and a shorter wash cycle. Remove the sheets from the dryer as soon as they are dry. Also, wash your bedding alone, without towels or other items. This may help.

Sun Spots could not find any indication that thread count or material matters, but most people recommend Egyptian cotton sheets, as they feel the fabric quality is better and less likely to pill. If you prefer, you can easily remove pills from the sheet rather than replace it. To remove, pull the fabric tight over a curved surface and carefully cut off the pill with scissors or shave the fabric surface with a safety razor. You should note though, once you remove the pills, they can come back. So you may find that you’ll have to remove pills from time to time to keep your sheets looking fresh.

Crossroads is a Sears brand. We recommend checking with the store in your area to see if it carries them. Merchandise and brands differ from store to store and not all brands are carried online.

In response to your third inquiry, according to the American Egg Board the greenish color you sometimes find in a large batch of scrambled eggs, while not pretty, is harmless. The green color is the result of heat causing a chemical reaction between the eggs’ iron and sulfur. The green color occurs when you cook eggs at too high a temperature, hold them for too long, or both. To prevent the coloring, the Egg Board recommends using stainless steel equipment and a low cooking temperature, cooking the eggs in small batches and serving them as soon as possible after cooking. If it’s necessary to hold scrambled eggs for a short time before serving, it helps to avoid direct heat. They suggest placing a pan of hot water between the pan of eggs and the heat source.

Dear Sun Spots: In July 2007, my husband and I got custody of our niece. Her mother was/is homeless and drug addicted. Since then, my husband has had leg and back surgery. I am the only one working and receive no assistance for the baby. We also have a 16-year-old and a 13-year-old, both girls. We have really pulled together as a family to care for the little one. I am writing because we are in need of age appropriate toys for her, as well as clothing. She certainly has her very basic needs met, but we are having trouble keeping up right now as she grows so fast! She currently wears 2T/24 months clothing and loves all toys from dolls to cars to climb-on toys. If anyone has anything that the family has outgrown, it would be most surely appreciated. Thank you. – No Name, No Town.

Answer: Sun Spots asks readers to please contact the column if you have anything you would like to donate to the family.

Dear Sun Spots: I am sure there are African travelers who read your column. I would love to hear from anyone who has traveled to rural Kenya or who speaks Swahili. I am traveling there soon and would like help in knowing what to take for supplies, where to order them, and help in learning the language. It would be wonderful to hear someone read to me in Swahili. Thank you. I can be reached at 353-9408 or e-mail me at verbaljouster@gmail.com. – Melinda Baker, 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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