DEAR SUN SPOTS: I enjoy reading Sun Spots every morning. Keep up the good work; it helps a lot of people. I’ve been looking for para mothballs but no luck. You had a letter a few weeks ago, and someone found them in the laundry aisle. I’ve looked at many stores, but no luck. Please help. — L.G., Lewiston

ANSWER: Sun Spots apologizes for the delay in answering (she got both your letters). Before she answered she wanted to visit Walmart, which is where the other shopper said they found those mothballs, and she is not a frequent shopper.

Here is what she found out about para mothballs. The difference between them and regular mothballs is the active ingredient. Old-fashioned mothballs are made of naphthalene, while the para versions use paradichlorobenzene. According to Wikipedia.com, both are potentially hazardous to human health. (Sun Spots found one post from someone who is addicted to sniffing mothballs and was trying to quit!)

The advantage to the para version appears to be that the smell is less overwhelming and fades more quickly, but it is still a chemical and potential carcinogen, so should be handled with care.

As for finding them, they are available in many stores, but they are not necessarily called “para” on the label. From what Sun Spots can tell, para mothballs is the official name of mothballs put out by Willert Home Products, under the brand name Enoz Para Mothballs. The websites for Aubuchon and Ace hardware advertise them for sale, so you should be able to get them in the stores as well.

At Walmart and Hannaford, Sun Spots found a brand of lavender-scented mothballs made with paradichlorobenzene. They were in a box with — not surprisingly considering the lavender scent — purple writing. They were hanging on hooks in the section where mops and brooms and such are sold.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: About 1968 an article was published in the Sun or Evening Journal that was perhaps from Ann Landers or the Dear Abby column, titled something like “tips to a successful marriage.”

My grandfather sent me the clipping, and over the years I have lost the copy. The advice from the column was of immeasurable value, and I believe that the practice of the suggestions has helped me immensely and may be of help to others.

I read your column daily and appreciate how you have responded to many queries. I hope that you or your readers will have recollection of this column and that someone is able to share. Thank you so much for what you do. — Jo Gurney, girni.jg@gmail.com

ANSWER: Sun Spots found two different versions of the Dear Abby tips reprinted on the Internet, but she doesn’t think Abby would be pleased if Sun Spots published her content. You could write to Abby and ask her to repeat it.

Meanwhile, you can read it online. To check out the two versions, you can visit http://tinyurl.com/3j2zoun or http://tinyurl.com/ygseoup.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I am teaching a course at Bates College and would like to find folks in the community willing to talk with my students about their memories of natural disasters in Lewiston-Auburn. I’m particularly interested in finding people who may remember years of flooding on the Androscoggin, even as far back as the great flood of 1936. — Jane Costlow, jcostlow@bates.edu

ANSWER: For readers who don’t have email, Sun Spots looked up Jane’s phone number on the Bates’ website. It is 786-6289.

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). Please include your phone number. 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 e-mailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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