Yesterday I did some "serious" gardening getting things tidied up ready for the winter. Cut the grass, did the edges and pulled up the worst of the weeds. Then took the hedge cutter to my big weeping birch which I'm training to look like a monster sized mushroom and trimmed up several other shrubs including 4 in my elderly neighbour's garden. Had a really good sweep up, put "stuff" in the shed and locked the shed. Now, you need to know my shed is VERY secure with one master lock and steel flatstock bars top and bottom of the door with padlocks, all of which I had just locked as I thought I'd finished. Walking back to the back door I spotted that the geraniums in the tubs needed dead heading so I started taking off the dead heads with their stalks - the way you do. I transferred these to my left hand as I went and built up quite a bunch. Then went round the front and did them too. So I ended up with quite a fistful of foliage in my left hand. Walked over to the garden waste bin, threw them in, went inside the house, had a wash and changed out of my gardening clothes and sat in the living room waiting for my tea (Scottish terminology for supper taken early) After the meal I went to make a cup of tea for us both.
But, oh damn, no milk in the fridge. Not to worry though as I have an old fridge in the garage which we usually keep some spare milk in so I opened the connecting door from the house to the garage and as I stepped through I just happened to glance at the nail I keep the shed key on - Oh. No key. Oh dear, where can it be? I spent probably the next three quarters of an hour looking everywhere I could think of for it, including an outside search with torch - it was dark by now - all to no avail. Went to bed telling myself it would turn up and not to worry. In the morning I repeated the search, which was easier now it was daylight, but still no sign of the keys anywhere. I was beginning to think I was going to have to take the angle grinder to the padlocks and thinking "where haven't I looked" when I suddenly thought "wonder if I could have dropped them in the bin"? So lifted the garden bin lid, moved the geranium heads to one side and there they were. I must have had them in my left hand as I was collecting all the dead heads and just chucked the whole lot in the bin having forgotten the keys were in that hand too.
Although I didn't think it was funny at the time I can now see the funny side but am just slightly worried. Is this the first signs of dementia or something similar? Somewhat strangely I'm surprised I'm not actually feeling too upset by it, I was more upset by the thought I might have to ruin two perfectly good padlocks.
A few years ago, my partner lost her mobile phone. One of the small ones, with a small screen and a keypad. She was housebound at the time. Sadly, didn't mention it for three days, by which time, the bins had been emptied, and the battery would have been flat, so no response from calling it. It must have gone in the bin, otherwise we would have found it by now. I have an old, unused identical one, but instead, replaced hers with the cheapest plastic one I could find, £9.99. (Better option than beating her)
Some years ago I was out for a run and spotted a local Yaris with a bunch of keys literally hanging out the passenger door beside the pavement.
It was a car I walked past every day, kinda knew who's it was so wandered over to the house. Knocked on the door, elderly gentleman looked somewhat surprised there was a sweaty man in running gear asking if the Yaris over there was his, then handing him a key ring containing his house and car keys.
Of course the moment he said "I'll have to beat her later" somewhat took the shine off but I have forever chosen to think it was joke although the delivery was absolutely dead pan. They moved out a few years ago...
I have always kept each car key separate, and all separate from the house keys. Comes from having multiple vehicles to choose from, or perhaps walking, so not needing a vehicle key. On a couple of occasions, having too much stuff to load into the car, I've exited the front door, and hung the house key in the outer door lock, ready. Then finished loading the car, squeegeed the windows, and driven away. My partner, leaving the house later, finds my keys, places them safely indoors, and away she goes, having locked the door with her key, of course.
I get home first, and get to sit in the car until her return.
As a result, I put a keybox by the back door. Had that for years before it has now become necessary for carers to visit.
The shed key does have a mind of its own, and regularly plays hide-and-seek. Left in the shed door, pocket of whatever coat or trousers were worn at the time, plus a few other obscure places, which will always remain a mystery.
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