Dear L. A. Plume,

I’m writing this to you from a social event, which happens to be a cocktail river cruise. One of the guests has incited a conversation about politics with the captain of the ship, so now, instead of enjoying information about the history and wildlife of the area we are listening to a heated debate.

Dear L. A. Plume,

I have recently moved to this area from a small town that was much more casual. I notice that women here even seem to dress up to go to the grocery store! I know the stories about women who clean their homes before the cleaning lady comes, which I must admit seems a bit ridiculous to me, but anyway . . . here's what I need to know: Is it customary in this town to dress up with good make-up and jewelry before going to the hairdresser? I have an appointment at a new salon and I don't want to start off making the wrong impression.
Shirley