I can remember my little sister runnin’ home cryin’ that one of the neighbor boys called her some name, prob’ly somethin’ like peanutbreath. She was obviously upset, even though at her age, she had no idea what the name meant (nor do I at my age). She just knew that someone had called her that and she was hurt.

That was prob’ly the time she was given the ultimate defense against such attacks. The "Sticks and stones can break my bones." If I have ta finish that old sayin’, you’ve led a very protected childhood.

I would have to guess some mother centuries ago came up with that and it will most likely never be improved upon. I would guess that those words are spoken to nearly ever’ preschooler as part of the first day ritual.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin'

HERE’S A TIP

By JoAnn Derson

• Clean candles by wiping them down with an alcohol-dampened towel or piece of cheesecloth. Let it dry before lighting. Be careful with candles that have a shell of color surrounding a plain-white candle. Scratching those could damage the color.

• To root a plant, stretch a piece of aluminum foil over a glass filled with water and secure with a rubber band. Poke the stem right through the foil and into the water. The foil will hold the plant well -- even if it’s a heavy stem.

• "Drain fries or fried fish on brown paper bags, such as the ones you might use for lunch or the ones that come from the grocery store. You also can use cardboard boxes lined with newspaper. We do this for the fried chicken at family cookouts, and it’s perfect." -- S.R. in Georgia

• Wet a washcloth, stick it in a plastic baggie and freeze. It’s great for teething babies, sunburns and boo-boos in general.

• "I took a good chunk off my thumb with a sharp knife while cutting onions. The cut is healing, but it’s murder doing dishes or bathing. I have to change my bandages constantly. I finally got the idea to use a small balloon over the bandaged thumb tip. It kept the water out and kept the bandage in place. Why didn’t I think of this earlier?" -- A.A. in Florida

• Go Green Tip: Your driving style can greatly affect your vehicle’s gas mileage. Poor driving techniques -- aggressive acceleration, hard braking, higher speeds, compulsive passing -- lower your fuel mileage and put you at risk for accidents. So do yourself a favor. Take it easy on the road.