WichiTalk

Here’s a great traveling tip I picked up recently from Budget Travel magazine: When you fly, make a list of everything you’ve packed in your checked-in luggage. Keep that list with you on your carry-on. It serves several purposes. If you lose your checked luggage, you have all the details about what you need replaced. And if your luggage arrives with you at your destination, you can use that list as a checklist when repacking to return home to make sure you’re not leaving anything at your hotel.

Here’s one of my favorite tips: When packing, pick either black or brown and a few accent colors that look great together (green, blue and coral, for example). Make sure everything you pack coordinates. You don’t have to pack as many things, and you get more mileage out of the items you bring.

With summer vacation season here, what great travel tips can you share?

Posted by Lori

When it comes to a good ol’ backyard water war, it may be tough to beat the garden hose and a strong nozzle. But toymakers are sure trying to come up with fun, creative ways to splash your friends, including a Spidey water blaster that you strap on your forearm.

WichiTalk enlisted local third-graders to test some of the newest models. (Be sure to check out how the options rated in Monday’s section.)

Do you have a favorite water toy, be it a sprinkler, blaster or other water accessory? Here’s my favorite method of attack: Store water balloons in a cooler of icy water until it’s go time. Works like a charm.

Posted by Lori

Was the fire department an unexpected guest at your last dinner party? We’re collecting stories about dishes or dinners that went really, really wrong. Post your story here by clicking on "comments" below.

Joe Stumpe, The Eagle’s food editor, is collecting tales and plans to publish the best stories. And to help make sure it doesn’t happen to one person again, we’ll hold a drawing with the winner getting a new cookbook called “What’s a Cook to Do?” by the award-winning author James Peterson.

We got to singing along in the newsroom today when we were discussing favorite jingles. A few that sparked a chorus:

• National American University ("Get your degree. Set yourself free.")
• Hog Wild ("But don’t be late, we close at 8.")
• Starlite Drive-In ("The Starlite Drive-In gives you more …")

Do you have a favorite jingle that you can’t stop yourself from singing?

Posted by Lori

This weekend I attended the wedding of a high school classmate of mine who has a daughter who’s about to turn five. After the bride and groom exchanged vows, the groom (who is not the girl’s biological father) gave the little girl a necklace and vowed to be a good dad to her. There was barely a dry eye in the church. The wedding contained a lot of other beautiful touches: The bride’s brother officiated. The groom’s brother sang a solo. The reception included an adorable photo slideshow. But the necklace to the little girl really stood out.

My favorite detail from my own wedding was the pillow the ring bearer carried. My maternal grandmother, who died before I was born, made it for my mother’s wedding. I was honored to include it in mine. Another wedding detail I love: My younger sister, who recently was married in a private ceremony on the island of St. Lucia, included Pachelbel’s Canon (the song I used as my processional) in her celebration as her "something borrowed."

What’s the most memorable wedding detail you had at your own wedding or that you’ve seen at another wedding?

Posted by Lori